This box office has provided plenty of family-friendly options for moviegoers this summer, but when Will Ferrell’s new talking-dog comedy Strays hits the big screen on August 18, parents should fight the urge to bring the kids along. Audiences are apparently in for some foul language as terrier Reggie (Ferrell) joins up with a band of misfit dogs to seek revenge on his former owner Doug (Will Forte). Critics have been able to screen the movie, so they’re here to share their expert opinions on what we can expect from the R-rated comedy. And yes, there will be humping.
Will Ferrell will be joined by Jamie Foxx, Isla Fisher and Randall Park as the voices of the four-legged characters. Director Josh Greenbaum allowed the cast to record together to take full advantage of their comedic chemistry, so let’s see what the critics have to say. In CinemaBlend’s review of Strays, Eric Eisenberg says the canine performances are impressive, if not hilarious, and the movie is at its best when leaning into its R-rating. However, it relies too much on dog cliches, he says, giving it 3 out of 5 stars and writing:
Neil Smith of GamesRadar rates the movie 2 out of 5 stars, saying the movie quickly loses its humor amidst its jokes about peeing, pooping and humping. The critic says:
Leigh Monson of AV Club agrees that there is humor to be found, but in the end Strays is not less tired than movies like Homeward Bound that it seeks to ridicule. Monsoon gives it a C+, saying:
A.A. Dowd of IGN agrees with the critic above, ranking the film an “Okay” 6 out of 10. Strays’ bark is worse than its bite, Dowd writes, pointing out that this movie is just as formulaic and sentimental as the movies it’s looking to lampoon. He continues:
Brian Truitt of USA TODAY, however, enjoys the “hilarious, heartwarming and outrageously filthy” dog-centered comedy, giving it 3 out of 4 stars. The humor is matched by an emotional storyline, with Truitt saying Strays is “like Homeward Bound with masturbation jokes and randy squirrels.” He writes:
It sounds like there are plenty of laughs (and plenty of filth) in the upcoming Will Ferrell comedy, as long as audiences aren’t looking for any groundbreaking takes on a dog’s sensibilities. Overall the ratings seem to fall mid-range, with Strays holding a Rotten Tomatoes score of 56 percent from 43 critics’ responses as of this writing.
If you’d like to check this one out in theaters, you can do so starting Friday, August 18. You can also check out our 2023 Movie Release Schedule to see what other offerings are coming soon.