In ‘Dog,’ Channing Tatum Bonds With Military Canine

Sandra Miska

Channing Tatum has undeniable chemistry with his latest leading lady, a Belgian Malinois named Lulu, in his latest feature, “Dog.” But this is not “Marley and Me,” as Lulu is not some cuddly family pooch, but a trained military dog who served in the unit of Army Ranger Jackson Briggs (Tatum) in the Middle East. After Briggs’ former sergeant dies after driving into a tree, he is tasked with driving Lulu 1,500 miles to Arizona so she can be the guest of honor at his funeral. Briggs, who currently works in a sandwich shop and is having difficulties re-adjusting to civilian life, takes on the assignment in hopes that he can prove to his commanding officer (Luke Forbes) that he’s fit enough for another employment, despite his brain injuries. As it turns out, Lulu has her own PTSD to work through, which makes this road trip more than your typical “man bonds with dog” experience.

“Dog” is Tatum’s directorial debut, and he co-directs with Reid Carolin, a writer and producer on the “Magic Mike” films. The pair previously executive produced the HBO documentary “War Dog: A Soldier’s Best Friend,” the inspiration for this passion project. Briggs and Lulu’s journey starts off with some predictable shenanigans, such as Lulu breaking out of her crate and ripping up the leather in Briggs’ Ford Bronco while he’s at a gun range. Later, the film has fun making fun of Portlandia. There, as he’s about to get lucky with a pair of women who practice tantric sex, he’s interrupted by a misguided animal lovers who breaks a window in his car to “free” Lulu. 

It’s all fun and hijinks until further down the road when Lulu busts loose and she and Briggs both find themselves being held hostage by a paranoid woodsman, Gus (Kevin Nash). Just when it looks like the journey is about to take a sharp left turn, Gus’ clairvoyant wife, Tamara (the always delightful Jane Adams) diffuses the situation. It is here that Briggs realizes that Lulu is actually a pretty lovable dog in need of some TLC, but they still have ways to go.

Carolin, who wrote the screenplay, and Tatum do a good job of avoiding being mawkish or cheesy. Briggs is an interesting character, and his stream-of-consciousness, one-sided conversations with Lulu keep things interesting. However, they lose the audience a bit in a hokey sequence in which Briggs pretends to be a blind vet in order for him and Lulu to get a room at a fancy hotel. His cover is blown after Lulu attacks a Middle Eastern man dressed in full religious dress, something she was drained to do. Briggs gets arrested and manages to bumble his way out of having charges pressed, and it helps that the racist cop who books him (Bill Burr) makes him look like a saint by comparison.

The best scenes involve Briggs taking Lulu to see her brother, who lives in Los Angeles with a veteran who adopted them after they served together, Noah (Ethan Suplee). Noah leads Briggs on some dog training exercises, but it is Lulu who really shows her stuff after Briggs’ Jeep is broken into and she sniffs out his stuff on the Santa Monica Pier.

The final destination here is not the funeral, but another Army base where Briggs is to drop off Lulu to possibly be put down. Just like in Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s drama “Megan Leavey,” “Dog” debates whether military dogs can safely assimilate into civilian life. While they create unbreakable bonds with their human handlers and have the potential to be lovable companions, they can be dangerous to have around untrained civilians. Ultimately, it comes down to whether or not Briggs has it in him to become Lulu’s “master.”

While Briggs certainly undergoes some personal growth during his journey, the viewer is left wanting when it comes to his relationship with his family. A reunion with someone close to him is teased, but does not come to fruition, at least not on screen. Q’orianka Kilcher, an accomplished actress, plays Briggs’ estranged wife, but she doesn’t utter a word, leaving one to wonder how much of her part was cut out. Ultimately, this is a film about the bond between humans and dogs and the physical and psychological effects war has on both, but Tatum and Carolin could have dug a little deep when it came to Briggs.

“Dog” releases Feb. 18 in theaters nationwide.