Don’t believe the trailers - this is not a cheery comedy. It is, in fact, a quietly disturbing tale of one woman’s nervous breakdown following the death of her beloved dog.
When pooch Pencil dies in an accident, spinster Peggy (Molly Shannon) gets involved in animal-rights causes and starts trying to do her bit for the world’s strays.
The gentle laughs you’d expect from Shannon and writer-director Mike White are all present and correct - but the film takes a turn for the sinister as Peggy’s quest leads her to more extreme animal-rights activities.
As a character study, it’s compelling, and there are fantastic supporting turns from John C. Reilly and an excellent Laura Dern, but this is far from fluffy fun.
