Universal Unleashes R-Rated Dog Romp ‘Strays’

"Strays": A Tail of R-Rated Romps for Rebellious Dogs

If you thought "Lassie" or "101 Dalmatians" depicted the full range of canine antics, think again. Universal Pictures steps outside the box with "Strays," a raunchy dog tale that will make "Ted" seem like a Sunday school special. Will Ferrell, Jamie Foxx, and Isla Fisher lend their voices to this unique R-rated comedy, set to be unleashed in theaters on August 18, 2023.

"Strays" steers away from sentimentality and dives head-first into crude humor, led by a crew of uncensored, street-smart dogs who find comedy in both the crude and heartwarming. Universal Pictures, commended previously for its audacious take on the Cocaine Bear, embarked upon yet another daring venture with this furry fiasco, ensuring laughter (and possibly some shocked gasps) from the audience.

Will Ferrell voices Reggie, a naively optimistic Border Terrier who is incessantly mistreated by his human, Doug (voiced by Will Forte). After being abandoned, Reggie befriends Bug, a street-smart Boston Terrier voiced by Jamie Foxx, along with a sexy Australian Shepherd (voiced by Isla Fisher) and a nervous Great Dane named Hunter (voiced by Randall Park). Together, they embark on an audacious mission of revenge against the despicable Doug.

This comedy, with a screen time of 93 minutes, is filled with enough poop and genital jokes to make even Seth Rogen blush. However, writer Dan Perrault masterfully melds this crass humor with genuine doggy charm to keep audiences engaged and rooting for the stray pack, making it a surprisingly heartwarming journey of furry friends finding their forever homes.

Directed by Josh Greenbaum, "Strays" showcases the voice talents of an array of stars. Will Ferrell and Jamie Foxx perfectly capture their characters' quirks, while Isla Fisher and Randall Park capture the spotlight with their memorable performances. The cast also includes Josh Gad, Harvey Guillen, Jamie Demetriou, Sofia Vergara, with a standout performance by Rob Riggle as Rolf, a German Shepherd police dog.

On to the more paws-on part of my review: Well, Universal Pictures definitely takes two paws forward with their audacious move. While "Strays" bares its teeth (and other body parts) without any hesitations, it also tugs at our leashes with its innate doggy charm. I mean, who can resist rooting for hopeful Reggie and street-smart Bug, even amidst the crudeness?

And let's not forget the perfectly cast voice line-up. Will Ferrell brings a winsome naiveté to Reggie that you can't help but love while Jamie Foxx...well, let's just say Bug is a dog after my own heart. Isla Fisher as the sultry Aussie shepherd is nothing short of fetching, and Randall Park's nervous Great Dane is very much like a dog park encounter - initially a bit uncomfortable, then surprisingly endearing.

As crude as "Strays" is, Daniel Perrault's writing brings unmistakable humanity to this R-rated dog's journey. Though chasing after some (let's admit it) low-brow humor, "Strays" struts with an unexpected heart that leaves us, the audience, wagging our tails in delight.

Is "Strays" destined to shake up the good boy image of Hollywood's previous dog stories? Absolutely. Will it simultaneously offend some while sending others rolling in the aisles? Most definitely. But isn't that part and parcel of a dog's life - unpredictably unruly yet irrevocably charming? This is one dog tale that's not only wagging its own tail but likely those of its audience too. Oh, Hollywood, you sly dog.