Dog Park (1998)

Kids in the Hall alum Bruce McCulloch makes a good transition to feature-film writer and director with this charming romantic comedy that, while perhaps a bit too slight, is smart, genuinely funny, and earns the sobriquet of "oddball" because, like the best off-kilter comedies, it's only slightly so. McCulloch's script is tightly paced and structured, but as a director he allows his talented cast, particularly his fellow TV grad Mark McKinney and supporting actress queen Janeane Garofalo, to run with their characters, providing plenty of nuance and shading, as well as several lines that were very probably improvised. (McKinney's handful of scenes as a dog therapist is worth the price of admission alone.) Male lead Luke Wilson proves himself a sturdy performer in outlandish comic circumstances, delivering a trio of solid performances in similar circumstances with this film, Home Fries, and Rushmore (all from 1998), but his co-star Natasha Henstridge is a revelation. Henstridge is no Lucille Ball, but for once the actress displays more than just her physical assets, exuding plenty of comic charm -- her timing impeccable and her willingness to appear less than glamorous quite pleasantly surprising. Dog Park isn't the most probing or insightful relationship movie ever produced but it's good for a genuine 12-pack of laughs at least and a real howl. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide