Dog Park (1998)

Andy (Luke Wilson) has just been dumped by his girlfriend. To add insult to injury, she took the dog as well. Andy, not used to being on his own, meets Lorna (Natasha Henstridge) in a bar and a few sparks fly. Yet, Lorna, who has recently lost her boyfriend as well, is not interested in starting anything new and rejects Andy's advances. Jeri (Janeane Garofalo), as Andy's close co-worker, arranges for him to participate in a bachelor auction. Unfortunately, Kieran, loose and crazy, bids for him and promptly moves in with him. Complicated? You bet! Oh, and everyone walks their dogs in the dog park and takes their canine friends to obedience school with the same dog psychologist. Will the doggies get their diplomas even as their mixed-up owners try to straighten out their lives?

This is, by no means, a successful romantic comedy. Instead, it falls into the category of an interesting also-ran. The main characters are appealing (Janeane Garofolo looks wonderful) but the plot's haphazard storyline is always throwing in more loose ends without connecting them in a logical fashion. The humor is not laugh-out-loud but rather mild and quirky. Fans of romantic comedies will probably stick this one out and enjoy it. Luke Wilson's ever-growing fan club will want to see it, also. All others will be less enchanted and find it a off-beat diversion with no memorable qualities.