Darling Companion (2012)

Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

Disturbing yet enthralling

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

The movie starts off promising with an A list cast and quite cute dialog. Diane Keaton and Elizabeth Moss play mother and daughter who rescue a dog off a freeway. This leads to romance and a wedding for with between daughter and the vet at the family Colorado country home. Kevin Kline plays Diane's doctor husband who loses the dog in the woods soon after and then the extended family including a sister played by Diane Wiest and her boyfriend and her son.It all gets annoying when they spend days and get injured looking for the dog. Diane's character seems insanely attached to the dog for no real reason risking her and her husband's life and getting him injured.Starts off with Woody Allen potential and ends in just a pile of doggie doo.Don't waste your time. It deserved to flop.

I'm going to rate this film higher than most are. I think it's a pretty decent LITTLE film that appeals to a limited audience. Who's in that audience...well, frankly, us older folks. Oh, don't get me wrong. This is not a great film. But it's a decent LITTLE film about mature relationships and marriages and what makes them tick. And by the way, several sites list this as a comedy. It is a drama, not a comedy.One of the highlights of the film is the scenery and photography. Autumn in southwestern Colorado! But, of course, we're not watching it for those reasons. That's just a bonus.Girl meets dog. Boy loses dog. Marriage in a shambles. That's the crux of the story.It's the performances that make the difference. And these are not great performances. But they're kinda real. I'm more sympathetic to the husband than most of our reviewers. He's a surgeon, and I'm getting ready to have surgery in about 10 days. I want my surgeon to be thinking exclusively of me that morning...not worrying about a lost dog. Now that's not to say that the doctor has been a great husband; clearly he takes his marriage for granted. Kevin Kline does fine here, although this is certainly not his best role..by far.This is probably the most different role I've ever seen Diane Keaton in...as the wife of the surgeon...struggling in a somewhat lifeless marriage who rediscovers her love in a rather odd set of circumstances...partially lost in the rain in the woods and resetting her husband's dislocated shoulder.Richard Jenkins is a much underrated actor, probably because he's far from handsome and thus, not the movie-star type. But he fairly consistently turns in fine performances, and while this is not a "great" role, he subtly fine tunes his performance.The rest of the performances are fine, but not notable. Even Diane Weist, who is usually so good, just sort of gets by here in a part that relegates her to a comparatively minor role. The Israeli actress Ayelet Zurer has a somewhat interesting role as a modern-day gypsy.You're not going to walk away from this film saying how great it was. But I think you may enjoy a quiet little movie with some realism in it.

What mature, intelligent woman would take in a grimy stray dog then proceed to tear her family and town apart when it runs away (not to mention an airline)??? Worse, what man, in the responsible position of major surgeon, would cancel his surgeries (along with all the rest of the family member) to spend 24/7 chasing this dog all while woman one whines endlessly about why it was lost? What sane MAN would put up with and sympathize with such a screwed up woman???? ONLY in the imaginary world of chick flicks do such men exist and are such women tolerated, nay venerated!I personally find macho guy flicks pretty boring equally improbable.....but at least I understand why they are made.I have never seen a movie where I so completely disliked everyone one in it finding them all annoying and unreal.I didn't even like the dog!I saw the low reviews and saw the two Dianes and Kevin....they always make great movies...except this one.

Here's The Lowedown on "Darling Companion" (A Drama DVD review)...Liked It!Become a fan of The Lowedown on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Lowedown/386583633764Genre: 6 Movie: 6What's it about? Beth (Diane Keaton) saves a bedraggled lost dog from the side of the freeway on a wintry day in Denver. Struggling with her distracted, self-involved husband Joseph (Kevin Kline) and an empty nest at home, Beth forms a special bond with the rescued animal.What did I think? Not the fastest moving film ever made, but it was a nice touching story. It seems to be all about this stray dog, when in fact it was about a family healing itself through an outside source. This movie is worth the rental, if you are in the mood for a quiet film with a good family element.