I love Robin Williams and I have liked most movies I’ve seen with John Travolta too, so I was very interested in seeing Old Dogs when I saw previews for it. I had a chance to see the movie earlier in the month.
Best friends since childhood, Dan and Charlie opened a business together. Dan has been married twice, the first lasting many years and the second lasting only one night shortly after his divorce. Dan does seem to want to have a family while Charlie is a bit more wild and fun loving. They are on the brink of a huge business deal when Dan’s second ex-wife Vicki contacts him. Dan is very surprised when he finds out that he is the father of her twins, Zack and Emily, but he quickly hopes to establish a relationship with them. Vicki has to go away for a few weeks and the plans she made for the kids fall through, so Dan and Charlie end up taking care of them.
The plot is fairly simple and predictable, but I think it works to make a mostly entertaining movie. It would have been nice if the plot had been stronger and I think that would have made the movie better as well. The set up for most of what happens isn’t handled that well. That part does come across as a bit clumsy and the way it works out that Dan and Charlie are taking care of the kids is a huge coincidence.
The movie is fairly funny overall, though it wasn’t as funny as I had hoped it would be. Most of the funniest bits were included in the trailers, though a few funny things were left out of the trailers. I did find several scenes to be funny, though the humor is a bit silly or even crude at times, so it won’t appeal to everyone.
The characters are fine, though none of them are really developed enough. I did like John Travolta and Robin Williams in their parts. I think the friendship between their characters is believable.
Old Dogs has some problems and could have been better, but I still think it is entertaining overall. Fans of the cast should give it a chance.
I did get a review posted on Epinions if anyone wants to take a look.
Old Dogs
