Fluke (1995)

terrible... so disappointed.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

Fluke seems like a light-hearted family movie but it certainly is not, Fluke delves deep into some fairly deep life questions. The film opens with a neglectful Father and Husband named Thomas who is killed in a car accident and is re-incarnated as a Dog to put right all of the wrongs he has done in his life. Along the way he makes a new friend called "Rumbo" voiced by Samuel L. Jackson who was also re-incarnated as a Dog and he helps him uncover what really happened on the night of Tom's death, which also leads him to go on a search for the wife and son he left behind. At first we are led to believe that Thomas lived a good life and was kind to his friends and family. Fluke gradually regains full memory of his past life and the more he uncovers the more he realises that he wasn't the kind and caring man we thought he was. Ultimately he comes to the reasoning that it is best for him to leave his family behind forever as him trying to change things will only make it worse and he will just get in the way of their lives.In essence, the ideas and themes this film delves into are really thought provoking. The musical score really helps to get you emotionally involved in the film and the most provocative idea comes at the very end of the film. Fluke is definitely a hidden gem and a very impressive attempt at a deep emotional drama from Italian director Carlo Carlei.

**SPOILERS** Losing control of his car computer executive Thomas Johnson, Matthew Modine, drives off the road hitting a tree killing himself. We don't exactly know what lead to Thomas' death but he was a the time of his accident involved in some kind of game of chicken with his partner, in the computer firm, and good friend Jeff Newman ,Eric Stoltz. Did Jeff purposely drive Thomas off the road?We then see a number of puppies nursing and one of them turns out to be Thomas now reborn as a dog who ends up being a homeless but lovable, aren't they all, street mutt. Avoiding dog catchers cars and people Thomas ends up being befriended and taken in by Bella, Collins Willcox Paxton, a sweet and homeless bag-lady who give the mutt a name "Fluke". Since Bella considers him to be a fluke of nature with his above average intelligence in being able to play and win money,for Bella and himself,at Three Card Monty.With Bella later passing away Fluke ends up back on the streets as a homeless dog. It's then when he runs into fellow mutt Rumbo who somehow can communicate with him telepathically. The two mutts become no only lifelong friends but even, at the end of the movie, friends from one lifetime to another.Sweet touching and in some ways tragic movie that has Fluke trying to find his family when he was Thomas Johnson and save them from his partner in his computer firm Jeff whom he feels was not only responsible for his death but is now a threat to them. As Fluke begins to remember his past as Thomas Johnson he starts to act more human then canine trying to rejoin his widowed wife Carol, Nancy Travis, and young son Brian, Max Pomerance. Wise old Rumbo tells Fluke something that will later dawn on him when he tragically finds out the real truth about the past that the left behind; a past that Fluke in his own and unrealistic way tried to change.Rumbo who's later shot and killed saving Fluke from being experimented with by this mad scientist prof. Santini, Federico Pacifici, and his hulking henchman Sylvester, Ron Perlman, tells Fulke just before he died that he also knows who he was in a previous life, a young Navy man, but left that in the past where it belonged hoping. Fluke would not do the same thing with his fixation on Carol and Brian as well as Jeff but to no avail. It was up to Fluke to find out the truth and in the end almost end up dead by doing it to see just how right his friend Rumbo was.Not really as sad as you would expect it to be "Fluke" in the end realizes that his past life, and those he knew in it, should be left alone and that him trying to change things will only make things worse. Fluke also begins to see, what he was too blinded to see as Thomas Johnson, that he really wasn't the nice and understanding person that he thought that he was as Thomas. Coming back as the family pet to Carol and Brian made Fluke the odd dog out as his vicious and predatory nature took hold of him. Every time he encountered Jeff, a family friend, he would turn on him to the point where he almost killed Jeff. Sadly Fluke found out that his suspicions of Jeff being responsible for his death, and trying to take over his company by marrying Carol, were all wrong.

Just a truly fine film. Made me cry, and I rarely cry on seeing a movie. I intend to get a copy of it. Few movies have touched me as much. Daily, we are exposed to ever more sex and violence in the media, but the accent found here is love. And forgiveness. And, of course, racial harmony. If it "exploited" our ability to care for others and to respect life, so much the better. This is a movie for people of all ages. The animal wranglers did an outstanding job, ditto the actors. Have not seen the dog who played Fluke before; wonder if he is still in the acting business.Would be glad to see more films of similar ilk, but I have not run across many like this.

I am a male of 37yrs who first watched fluke a few years ago. Recently i purchased both the D.V.D,The Video and also the book. Every time i watch this film,i cry like a 5yr old kid!!!Its so bad that i have to watch it on my own, and its a running joke amongst my friends...as they know the state I'm in whilst watching it!! This film is at first just another shaggy-dog story, but if you read into its meaning, it really makes you wonder about living life to the full, appreciating what you have in life, and realising that there are no 2nd chances... The film begins after he dies in the crash, and from here on in...it just gets worse!! First, he has to say goodbye to his Doggy-mum,which cuts me up every time....then he sees his friend Bella,the tramp, die. But the WORST part is when his old friend dies by the lake,after being shot..God this film is a KILLER at times!!! At this point i sob like a baby!! Then when poor Fluke finally tracks down his old family,he comes to realise that they would be better off being left alone, and move on.... The scene by the Gravestone, when she realises just who Fluke is, as he scrapes away the snow to reveal his name, is one of the most moving pieces of film I've ever seen!! But at the VERY end, something nice happens...he meets his old friend again!!!! This film is just SOOOOOOO BRILLIANT!!!!Gary Edwards