Who Gets the Dog? (2016) User Reviews (15)

A cute watch and a must see for any dog lover

[Sweetigal85 · 6/10 · 19 May 2018]

My husband and I LOVE dogs so when we came across this on netflix it was a must watch for us. Any dog lover should definitely love this movie. I am personally a big nostalgia fan of Alicia Silverstone too and she looks great even after all these years. The guy playing her husband was extremely sweet and nice to look at as well!

As much as I like this movie, I did not love it as I thought I would. The title and trailer seemed to suggest that this couple are clearly dog people. There is a new phenomenon of childless couples by choice who choose to focus on each other and their animals who they treat as their children. This is what I thought we were watching but apparently not.

The couple from the very beginning are clearly strained and they tell their beloved dog that "mommy and daddy are getting a divorce." I assumed that the trouble in their relationship stemmed from something simple like over money or loss of love over time due to work and stress. My husband and I were dismayed to discover by the end that the conflict stemmed from the husband not wanting to start a family.

I really wish this movie was just about the three of them and not about any baby drama. They seemed to love their dog enough that they did not need children. And the movie seemed to vilify the husband and absolve her of any blame which I did not like. Were we really supposed to view him as the bad guy just because he was passionate about his job and life with her? The fact that she and the dog were enough for him really warrants her labeling him the bad guy?

Regardless, this movie is definitely worth a watch and maybe a second watch after an extended amount of time. I just wish it had been about them and the dog and no one else.

Who let the dog out ... who who who

[kosmasp · 6/10 · 7 April 2021]

I actually had a typo when I first wrote the summary line - it said/spelled god instead of dog ... same difference right? At least for any dog lover for sure. That and the Bahamen song aside (it will remain in the publics eye I beliebe), the movie certainly knows who (no pun intended) it targets.

The very first frame is quite aware of that ... but even if you didn't know this is about a dog you'd know that this is about something more than a regular kid the two main characters have a talk with .. funny at times and flawed too, this will either warm your heart or annoy you.

Rom-Com Becomes Tedious

[larrys3 · 2/10 · 27 October 2016]

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find a whole lot of humor in this romantic comedy, starring Alicia Silverstone and Ryan Kwanten. Having marital problems, they're in the process of separating, yet they equally love their dog Wesley and can't seem to reach any compromise as to where Wesley should end up. Thus, they begin a custodial court battle for their dog, which, in my opinion, just seems to drag on and even get quite tedious.

Although the leads' passions for Wesley seem genuine, this weak scripted movie never seemed to gel into a funny or enjoyable film, and by the time the predictable ending occurred I really wasn't that interested anymore.

Nothing special

[filmmakersis · 2/10 · 9 August 2017]

I am always impressed when a terrible idea get's greenlit, funded, and filmed. This movie was one of those unfortunate surprises and I just can't understand who pitched this seriously, but more so, who took the pitch seriously. A couple breaking up is not really funny to begin with, and where this tried to be funny it just was not. The movie is forgettable and I would not watch it again. It's a darn shame because I am a big fan of a lot of the actors and I am crossing my fingers that I will see them in better projects soon because they deserve that.

Pretty Darn Boring. No dog movie will ever top Marley and Me!

[PorscheVonne · 1/10 · 13 September 2016]

I like Alicia Silverstone, and she's adorable in this movie. Yet, it still was not very enjoyable for me. The acting was below average which made it very difficult for me to get into it. Basically, the entire movie is centered around a couples breakup and their debate over "who gets the dog?" Not the title didn't already tell you that, but really, that's it! The dog gets depressed because he is recognizing the change that is occurring in his life. Although I like the presence of mean green juice (promoting a healthy diet) I just can't give this movie a high rating. It's cringe worthy. You know when the acting is really THAT bad your body cringes? Well I cringed multiple times. It would've been A LOT better as a comedy. A real comedy! One that makes you pee yourself you laugh so hard comedy. I'm not at all pleased. The ending is even worse than the movie. More and more movies are starting to end that way. A few of you might enjoy it, but if you're highly critical of the films you watch, prepare to give an extremely detailed review on how awful this film was. That is, if you watch the entire thing.

Porsche Vonne

A feel good movie

[skyloche · 7/10 · 15 September 2016]

This isn't going to win an Oscar or an Emmy but I really enjoyed it. It's a silly funny movie. Nothing to take to serious. It's been years since I've seen Alicia Silverstone. If your going in expecting to be wowed you might be disappointed. It's about two people who are splitting up and who both really love their dog. Who gets dog. And it's nice to see Ryan Kwanten in something else besides true blood. They both do well in the movie. If you've watched Marley and Me with Owen Wilson and Jennifier Aniston and you liked it. Then it's a good indication you'll like this one as well. For what it is... I think it's a good movie. You'll walk away from this feeling good.

Not a lot of emphasis on the dog

[the_doofy · 3/10 · 27 May 2019]

This movie is about interpersonal relationships between people, like most "dog" movies

there is not that much footage of the dog, and it's not that funny of a movie, lots of serious drama stuff with some humor. Even the humor parts are interwoven into the drama scenes

Its tough to find dog movies which focus on dogs, this movie is not one of those

Oh dear

[kiwiriverrat-28278 · 1/10 · 11 September 2018]

No amount of hallucinogens could possibly sway this rating higher. Noted there was a 7 on here. Maybe the finger slipped on the keypad?

Entertaining and fun. Great family movie. Fun to see Alicia Silverstone back in action!

[stacybuss · 10/10 · 4 October 2016]

Our family very much enjoyed this movie. Great shots of Chicago. Very cute dog. Great chemistry between the lead actors. Has a "Mrs. Doubtfire" feel and good message. We liked the story line and appreciated the wholesome humor that appealed to both our kids and us as adults. Will definitely watch again. My kids loved the hockey scenes. You frequently see this category of movie made anymore. Dog lovers will love it. Funny supporting actors brought levity and humor to several scenes. Look forward to more movies like theses from these writers - did a great job of making it all funny and believable. Surprised that this movie didn't make it to theaters. Would have loved to see something non-animated that appeals to kids and adults alike.

My dog didn't even like it.

[jeffvw-05852 · 3/10 · 4 November 2018]

My dog usually barks like crazy every time an animal is on the screen. He didn't even care about this dog. So why are these two fighting over him? Before you watch this, you should just watch the Unauthorized Saved by the Bell story again.

Who Gets the Dog?

[studioAT · 2/10 · 11 June 2023]

This is very much a straight to DVD/dogs dinner of a romantic comedy.

It's a shame because Alicia Silverstone is a fine comedic actress who never really seems like she's lived up to her undoubted potential, and Ryan Kwanten (who will always be Vinny from 'Home and Away' to me) is likable too.

Ultimately it all comes down as it always does to the script and unfortunately this is not a good one. It doesn't help that the leads don't have much chemistry either.

It's a romantic comedy mixed with some 'Marley and Me' elements, and all in all it just ends up being a passable but rather dull outing.

A Super entertainer and a feel good movie, overall package

[shravansingh-05555 · 10/10 · 30 March 2019]

Somehow I feel very fresh and confident while writing this review. I don't write reviews for movies very often, rather don't write at all. But this movie definitely made me. This movie is so very connecting, if you also have beautiful and loving compainions with you. I have three beautiful babies, 1. Husky, 2. American Eskimo, 3. German Spitz. When you have them right beside you sitting while watching this movie, you'll hug them very often, well because this movie makes you do so. An overall family loving package movie. Just watch it. Don't judge too much, its dynamics and all that crazy critical thinking stuff, watch it with open mind and you're going to enjoy it to the fullest.

love this!

[unipaul · 10/10 · 27 January 2022]

We loved this movie, in 2015 when the red hair guy who was so funny, came down by our seats at the wolves game and said, "sorry guys, filming a movie im gonna pass through here a few times". It wasnt till now that I looked up the movie and saw that we were in it! 1:27:40 at the wolves game. Defs a feel good movie and super silly throughout.

Cute dog movie rom com

[Expat-in-America · 8/10 · 21 June 2021]

It's not high art, but the movie is cute and has two great actors I always enjoyed watching (I hadn't seen Silverstone in a while, or Kwanten since True Blood)

Plus it has hockey, which elevates any movie ;) Just watch for the cute dog antics, and don't overthink it.

Cute enough, sometimes funny, but something is missing

[vchimpanzee · 27 June 2021]

I have seen Alicia Silverstone in several movies, but what I remember most about her is that for me, she did not live up to Rachel Blanchard's standard in "Clueless". I wait to see movies on TV, and I had seen numerous episodes of the TV series by the time I saw Silverstone. This is not to say she wasn't good in that movie, but just that I didn't like her as much. That's the case here. I'm sure the performance was very good. Although in one tearful scene, I couldn't honestly say Silverstone was doing that good a job. I don't know why. I'm not supposed to like Olive, though. I'm a guy and I'm supposed to be on Clay's side. I think that affected my point of view.

Clay is a likable enough character. A bumbling idiot, but that's the appeal of the movie. The move he messes up, the more we're supposed to like it. At the same time, Ryan Kwanten, who I know nothing about, isn't that special.

I don't know anything about Randall Bantikoff. Clay's rival for Olive is likable enough but, for someone with my point of view, we're not supposed to like him. And sometimes he doesn't prove to be likable. But mostly he is good, I suppose. He is somewhat intimidating as he teaches people to handle their dogs.

If anyone stands out, it is Matty Ryan as Clay's best friend who is also a hockey coach. This movie needs a voice of reason and he is it. And Rhett has some nice scenes with his troubled 9-year-old nephew Koji. Devin Bethea doesn't get to do much, though he has a couple of good lines. Frankly, I was hoping Koji would need to be adopted and Clay and Olive would get back together and raise him. There are signs the secondary plot will move in that direction, and that's all I will say about that. The scenes with Koji do add a lot but didn't reach their full potential.

If it's all about the dog, the dog isn't that special but does provide us some comedy. I'm not a dog person and don't even like dogs.

As to whether this is a comedy, it is funny at times but there is enough sadness and enough conflict that comedy-drama might have been appropriate. I'm not saying this had to be a comedy to be good. It just didn't reach its full potential as a comedy, and it needed the drama too.

I didn't like the music all that much. There was nice acoustic guitar at the beginning with a song that eventually had drums that were too loud for my taste. At the festival there was a band that was somewhere between country and rock. And at the hockey games there was heavy metal which I definitely didn't care for. The music with the closing credits was some kind of alternative rock which wasn't my taste either.

Is it family-friendly? I see no reason why a TV-14 was necessary when I saw it. In fact, there was also an L. Why? All the bad language was removed. The only words I could think of in situations where the sound went out were words broadcast TV not only allows but puts in G-rated shows. Someone really went overboard. The scariest scene was one with dog expert Glenn who has brought a dog who was trained to fight and kill. Glenn has control. But anyone seeing that, including the dog owners, will certainly worry.

Yes, it's a formula. I like the formula. But I've seen better.