Sun Dogs (2017) User Reviews (36)

Not alone

[kosmasp · 7/10 · 8 September 2018]

Or maybe he is. But this movie is about including people who are outsiders. Giving them a chance and showing the humanity of someone who is ill. It could have easily just be exploiting the mentioned illness, but it goes beyond that. And the performances are there to back it up. And even if you feel that the female counter part should know better, it makes sense she doesn't.

If you like offbeat comedies/dramas, than you will not be dissapointed. And you know what you will be getting. It may feel wrong at times how some things are going and you could argue that some people are contributing and assisting in him going the wrong way ... but it is all done with grace and with just the right amount of humor too

Not a perfect movie but made with love and that transmits good feeling

[tmpsvita · 7/10 · 7 May 2018]

A very sweet film made with much affection and that continuously transmits good feelings in a genuine and spontaneous way, well only for this it deserves to be seen, films like this, small, independent and made with the heart should be rewarded with at least one vision on your part. Of course it is not a perfect film, in fact it has several problems regarding the rhythm a bit 'too slow, not that this is wrong but it proves inadequate with the type of story and especially with the kind of approach that the director chooses to give, for this reason the film has some difficulties to involve the spectator; It also focuses too much on certain topics that should only be in passing and ends up not knowing how to get out of it and in this way it deepens too little other that could have meant a leap in quality for the film, instead they are quickly considered in the final part which looks a little hasty and less exciting than it could have been, which prevents the film from releasing its great potential. It could have been better but, despite these problems, the film still manages to enter the heart of the viewer for at least an hour and a half thanks mainly to real and credible characters, well interpreted and linked to each other by such honest and human relationships to be pillar and strong point of the whole film. Noteworthy is also the technical sector to say the least dignified given the small size of the product, in which stands out the hot photography very well taken care of.

Like stepping into a wading pool and finding out it has a deep end.

[steveo122 · 7/10 · 14 April 2018]

To take such a subject and successfully walk the fine line all the way from 'endearing' to 'heartwarming' without once raising my cynical hackles, is an accomplishment. Like stepping into a wading pool and finding out it has a deep end. Good production; good script; good performances, though the lead actress never quite convinced me that she was as 'dim' as the role called for. A mere quibble.

Every Life Has Meaning......

[dansview · 15 April 2018]

Most films I see have some kind of hidden Left Wing political message to drive home. I thought this one was trying to say that the terrorist threat is mostly in the imagination of mentally challenged people. Or that we shouldn't racially profile middle easterners.

But I don't know for sure that it was. It may have been showing that while defeating terrorism is a noble cause, it wasn't the appropriate calling for this particular guy.

I loved how despite his obsession with a military calling and his personal challenges, he was sharp enough to listen and perceive wisdom from others and change course without losing ultimate purpose. For example when he hears a story about people who jump from a bridge. He didn't forget it.

As others have said, almost every character in this one is a genuinely decent person. They all have their challenges and flaws, but they are attracted to doing good. That makes for a unique movie-watching experience.

I also love that it doesn't turn into a coming-of-age sex story. That was obviously a temptation. No, it stays true to the character, whose goal is to help people and make a difference, not to conquer rites of missed rites of passage.

It avoids music-manipulation, sentimentality, and clichéd characters. It also explores multiple people's goals, beyond those of the protagonist. Most importantly, all of them are influenced by each other.

Ned and Tally's patriotic adventure

[Dunkaccino · 6/10 · 10 July 2021]

I have always admired Jennifer Morrison as an actress. I liked her a lot in namely House and Once Upon a Time. To be honest, I doubted her as a director. This is her feature debut, and for a debut i gonna say, incredible work.

The directing here is incredible for an indie film and directorial debut. The writing though, not so much.

Sun Dogs tells the story of Ned Chipley, a man full of heroism and patriotism. He really hates terrorists, as he always repeats, and wants to be a marine to serve the United States.

We're also introduced to a girl named Tally. Her and Ned embarks a journey to catch a terrorist named Osama Bin Laden.

The film was pretty good at introducing characters. Ned, Tally and Sergeant Kendrick, they all got well introductions. But when the film starts focusing on only Ned and Tally, it becomes draggy.

Unfortunately, Sun Dogs fails to make the story of Ned and Tally to become interesting enough. It does pick up near the end, but the end scenes just felt rather irrelevant to the movie.

Apparently the writer of Sun Dogs has no history at all. Sun Dogs is the only credit of her according to IMDB. If this is the first thing she's ever written, then it's not that bad of a script.

Sun Dogs is saved by the great direction of Jennifer Morrison and the passable performances of Ned and Tally. Once you remember this is only an indie film, it becomes better.

Well Worth A Couple Of Hours On A Wednesday Evening Before Bed

[LouieInLove · 7/10 · 17 July 2019]

I wasn't expecting much from this film, but, ended up rather liking it. It probably deserves 6 stars, but, I gave it 7 for the pleasant surprise.

Sun Dogs is well acted & proficiently put together. It won't rock any worlds & I don't think it's trying too - which adds to its charm.

Apparently this is Jennifer Morrison's first full length feature as director & much promise has been shown - not just a pretty face, albeit, an incredibly pretty one.

It's nice, give it a go, you may like it (that suspiciously reads like something someone would say when trying to convince a girlfriend to try anal sex for the first time).

Uncommon Valor... wait for it.

[felixtekat · 6/10 · 10 September 2022]

Think4Yourself thinks... (3 stars). Ed O'Neill is absolutely hilarious as usual, but Michael Angarano steals the show. It is a light, quirky movie that lifts your day. You will laugh out loud at the dry humor. Allison Janney and Melissa Benoist add just the right notes to keep this movie grounded. Kudos to Jennifer Morrison on her directorial debut.

Think4Yourself thinks... (3 stars). Ed O'Neill is absolutely hilarious as usual, but Michael Angarano steals the show. It is a light, quirky movie that lifts your day. You will laugh out loud at the dry humor. Allison Janney and Melissa Benoist add just the right notes to keep this movie grounded. Kudos to Jennifer Morrison on her directorial debut.

How to Save a Life

[gensbill · 8/10 · 11 April 2018]

This movie is funny, sweet, sad, happy, and uniquely pleasing, as life can be at its best.

Two thirds of the way through the film I found myself hoping the movie would have a happy ending, not just for Ned, but for Tally. They were just two people the world had passed by and forgotten; the deserved it.

It's nice to root for nice people. It's nice to see nice people get nice things in life.

You don't need a full deck to have a good hand or to lend a hand -- anyone can save lives.

It's a nice movie, well worth the time.

A disappointment

[Frame-By-Frame · 4/10 · 14 April 2018]

Sun Dogs is a quirky Indie film that whilst is above average in terms of acting, direction and production standards, it just isn't very interesting. The story focuses on Ned who since the events of 9/11 has become obsessed with wanting to help In the war on terror. He wants to and tries to join the marines. Ned is mentally challenged which causes him unusual and immature behavior. He is delusional. I suppose this is the heart and soul of the movie. Watching it unfold I hovered between pity for him vs. his immaturity creating amusement. This makes for an awkward watch where to get the most out of the drama you need to admire his drive and persistence despite his disadvantage. I found the whole thing to be preposterous. Worst of all I don't think I could drop in a spoiler on this one as there's nothing to spoil. The story is weak and the movie ends fairly abruptly without a satisfying ending. I was drawn into viewing it by the five positive imdb reviews at the time. Unfortunately I see retrospectively that 2 of those reviewers have only ever written 1 review each which I find suspicious. My rating 4/10 Not recommended. Time is precious and there's far better movies to watch out there.

The most impressive about the film is Jennifer Morrison's beautiful direction!

[Hellmant · 8/10 · 11 May 2018]

'SUN DOGS': Four Stars (Out of Five)

An indie comedy-drama about a young man that's obsessed with becoming a military hero, who thinks that he finds a new way to save lives, with the help of a young woman that he meets. The film was directed by actress turned first time director Jennifer Morrison, and it was scripted by Anthony Tambakis and Raoul McFarland (a first time screenwriter). It stars Michael Angarano, Melissa Benoist, Allison Janney, Ed O'Neill and Xzibit. The movie was featured at multiple prestigious film festivals, before being released by Netflix through it's streaming site. I found it to be pretty moving and effective.

Ned Chipley (Angarano) is obsessed with joining the military and becoming a hero. He's mentally unstable though, and this disqualifies him from entering the service (unbeknownst to him). The enlisting officer, Master Sgt. Jenkins (Xzibit), doesn't have the heart to tell him this, so he instead asks Ned to watch out for terrorists in the civilian world (as a secret operative). Ned of course takes this assignment very seriously, and he finds help from a young woman he meets named Tally (Benoist).

The movie is ultimately very sweet and inspiring, after a pretty rough and depressing opening third act though. I think it tackles mental illness with a pretty respectful and heartfelt approach, and Angarano is perfect in the lead. What's most impressive about the film though, I think, is Morrison's beautiful direction (it's so well done for a first time director). I really look forward to seeing what she does next.

Everybody needs a purpose, but this movie has none

[srdjan_veljkovic · 5/10 · 20 May 2018]

In general, movie is OK. It's decently acted, directed, story is OK, deals with real people having real issues.

But, even though one of the presumably main "messages" of the movie is that everybody needs a purpose (in life), the movie doesn't seem to have one. Sure, one could argue is that the purpose of the movie is to inform you that everybody needs a purpose... but that's very, very weak.

It seems to have a well known problem of first-time directors, especially established actors. Director seems to care more about "not screwing up" and "doing a professional job" (to overcome some objections like "this actress thinks she can direct"), then the movie itself. She just lets the story go its way, but, while such things can work well in books, they rarely work so well in movies.

The thing is, by the end the mentally challenged guy hasn't really found a purpose. As his surrogate father points out, going around the bridge trying to find out who wants to jump and prevent them, isn't a real job. Without some support system, he's bound to either screw up (make someone jump who actually didn't really want to) or simply fail and get depressed again, wearing the mascot head for weeks. Maybe Tally could have helped him to find some group that actually provides such a support system - after all, she is Supergirl ;) and San Francisco is a big city. Not sure that 's the best ending to the story, but it's certainly _an_ ending.

Bottom line, if you like Jennifer Morrison or some of the actors of this movie, it's an OK watch, sort of like having a chat with some friends. Otherwise, skip this.

Much better than I expected.

[deloudelouvain · 8/10 · 5 January 2020]

I didn't know what to expect before watching Sun Dogs. Looking at the poster, reading the summary and seeing that Ed O'Neill (Married With Children, Modern Family) is in the cast made it look like something that might be fun to watch. And in my case it was, I had a lot of laughs, mostly because of the quirky character of Ned Chipley played greatly by Michael Angarano. His character is definitely the thing that makes this movie stand out. A funny story about a guy with mental issues, living in his own world, trying to 'save' lifes like it's his only mission in life. I was pleasantly surprised by Sun Dogs, will probably watch it again in the future.

More of a dark comedy dealing with serious mental health issues

[bettycjung · 3 June 2018]

6/1/18. This movie took awhile to find its center. But, if you stay with this you will find that the main character, Ned Chipley, played by Angarano, is a young man with special needs. Because the viewer does not know this, it is easy, given today's climate of terrorism, to feel a rising alarm as to what Ned is trying to do with his life. Misunderstanding ensues, and havoc breaks loose. This is more of a dark comedy about the importance to dealing with people with special needs in an appropriate way to avoid problems. Of course, having Alison Janney playing the mother makes this worth watching.

By The Numbers Drivel

[mcjensen-05924 · 2/10 · 20 June 2021]

Twenty minutes into this I knew what I had gotten myself into. Stereoytpical cliched parents who for some reason let their unbalanced son try to enlist year after year. What type of parents allows their child to get set up for an annual disappointment. They're truly selfish who view parenting as an inconvenient afterthought. The mental illness portrayed, while never adequately delved into, seems just a contrived thing convenient to justify the absolutely ridiculous things he does. He comes across more as just a simple minded fool who expects different results from doing the same thing. The whole thing is completely absurd, and if not for the stunning good looks of the Supergirl lead there would be nothing worthwhile here to capture the attention of discriminating viewers. Viewers who crave sincerity, believability in a plot and characters who don't try your pateince not to mention intelligence. Why are movies like this made?! There should be at least some sort of minimum standard to getting a movie thrown out there for mass consumption. While there are glimpset of emotion and characters not acting insane, the bulk of this movie meanders from one eye rolling scene to the other. This kid was not given any solid advice from anyone, his parents included. While this is labeled as an indie, it's just as bad as the big Hollywood messes with big name actors. That's not a compliment. This movie is not worthy of any praise whatsoever, other than maybe someone somewhere tried. Another good idea ruined by inept movie making. Assuming the audience is stupid seems to be a popular trend these days. Dumbed down for the lowest common denominator, and by the glowing reviews it seems to have worked well. The kid in the movie should be institutionalized.

Movies like this is why I seek out quiet little dramas

[DeltaHomicide · 8/10 · 9 June 2021]

I'm not sure if it's fair to call Sun Dogs a drama, comedy, or a love story. It's all three woven together in a cohesive and heartfelt manner.

As soon as you think it's going to go in one direction, it lightly changes course. It's totally unpredictable but in a refreshing way. If you enjoy whimsical yet moving films, "be vigilant", and give this one a watch.

EMT is step down from RN

[allboyzokfarm · 5/10 · 17 June 2021]

EMT is step down from RN.

What is his disorder ?

What is Tally doing in casinos ?

heartwarming!

[mejiadaniel-70925 · 9/10 · 11 April 2018]

One of those movies that makes you smile. Give it a go.

Not At All Funny

[keikoyoshikawa · 3/10 · 23 July 2023]

"Sun Dog" is a quirky movie. And not in a good way. Billed as a comedy drama, it is more disturbing and not at all funny, given the context of what happened to innocent people in the U. S. in the aftermath of 9/11.

I'm actually quite surprised that talented actors like Ed O'Neill and Allison Janney signed up for this project. It's also unfortunate that it's the directorial debut for Jennifer Morrison, who aptly played a doctor in the series "House."

Had this movie been a case-study in how extremism in America got started, even in a dark comedic way, it would have made more sense. Instead, we get a weird mix of teen naivete, awkward outsider, and loneliness.

Plus racial profiling. Let's not forget about that.

Not really a comedy but great nonetheless

[Hitchslapped · 8/10 · 29 December 2019]

I would not consider this a comedy although there are humorous scenes in it. It's a movie about nice people that are in a bad spot. You can instantly root for the protagonists, the acting is great and the movie has a good message. Great little light drama that I'm sure will please almost everybody who gives it a chance.

Not worth the time, I felt

[mrwildgoose · 4/10 · 19 October 2023]

Well, it's a movie with good intentions, but it's just not worth the time. A neurodivergent protagonist, who doesn't seem too consistent with the condition, a smart 'escort' who cannot see through this protagonist and spends seemingly strained but pleasant enough days together (I failed to see the attraction), a too gracious mother who leaves the protagonist for a faraway place to heal others, and a jerk'ish step dad, who ultimately seemed to be the only person left in the protagonist's life.

The moral might be to help others, and so I am helping you, and the movie team - we are all catchers in the rye, some more than others. This movie is for you, if you have all the time in the world, and in a very isolated part of the rye field. It's relevant, yes, but perhaps not for everyone.

I thought it was a below average movie, regardless of intentions.

FANTASTIC film by first time feature director Jennifer Morrison

[huntersinclair · 10/10 · 27 October 2017]

I just watched this films premier at Austin Film Festival and have to say I was really impressed. Jennifer has proved herself to be a very capable and impressive director and I will be eager to see where she goes next as a director. I went in knowing next to nothing about this film because it does not yet have a published trailer (very unfortunate) - however I took a chance on it because it sounded like an interesting story and I like many of the people involved in the film. I was blown away. The acting was amazing from seasoned veterans and the pace, music and feel of the movie was really captivating. I have no doubt this this movie will find its way to the big screen soon and when it does - be sure to put it on your list.

This movie has some great comedic moments and I loved seeing the world through this simple-minded characters eyes. Feel-good movie of the year! *****

-Hunter

Stay With It!

[screenwriter-972-149612 · 8/10 · 1 April 2022]

The film starts out slowly. It then becomes almost annoyingly repetitive. Viewers may be tempted to bail on it after about 40 minutes. Don't. It picks up speed and, most importantly does not go down two or three obvious paths that so many films travel. There's bonding, break-ups and then a series of revelations that make viewing very worthwhile.

Please, invest 90 minutes with this film.

A bit quirky but enjoyable

[a_mobbs · 8/10 · 3 December 2020]

Something a bit different from war or detective stories. A bit sad, a bit funny, but highly watchable

I loved it.

[nicboujunk · 9/10 · 9 May 2018]

Light feel good movie that is awesome. I signed in to IMDB to review this. And I will tell my mom and step-dad to watch it, although it is only available in english in Quebec.

only enjoyable by the good-hearted

[jeanshop · 8/10 · 22 April 2018]

This movie can be difficult to watch; you are watching a quirky, obviously mentally challenged guy try to find his way in the world. a good-hearted person knows that everyone is different and unique and beautiful in their own way; of course, that was how I saw him! But that doesn't mean that it isn't normal for someone to want to yell at him for pretending to be someone that he is not. The movie shows the messy, chaotic, disheveled way that things evolve in people's lives-how they affect one another and subtly cause change in the other. Probably a lot of the interactions he had with some people were implausible, but that's what movies are for. Slogging through, he eventually makes it to the purpose in life that can work for him. This movie can be seen as how God's grace works in people's lives, and I enjoyed seeing an example here. Anyway, if you are not good-hearted, you will probably just get frustrated by him as well as the other seeming "losers" around him.