The problem comes entirely through translation, which is not so much a fault of director Josh Greenbaum — whose previous film, “Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar,” might be the defining Hollywood comedy of this decade so far — as an inherent issue with this subject matter in general. The idea of a group of dogs on a road trip with a few jokes about their owners being abusive, the dark effects of accidentally taking drugs and even how big or small they are in penis may seem funny, but when it is acted out, you will find that this becomes very unpleasant. Even the best gross-out comedies can leave you needing a shower afterward — this is the first one that’s ever left me feeling like I was implicated in a crime.
You’ve probably seen a slightly abbreviated version (if you have seen the trailer) of the first 10 minutes of the film. Will Ferrell’s Reggie is introduced here, the Border Terrier forcibly held by Doug played by Will Forte to retaliate against an ex-girlfriend that discovered his cheating. Doug is a repugnant figure, whom Forte brings to life with the same brand of mania that’s animated his performances in several better projects, from “MacGruber” to various “I Think You Should Leave” sketches — he’s the overgrown man-child he’s frequently typecast as, albeit a darker variation of this role.
It’s almost as though he’s not even aware of his cruelty. When it is revealed that he leaves Reggie frequently in an overheated car, with its windows down, later in the movie, they hope we will be desensitized and see this moment more objectively. The film affords no sympathy to Doug, but simply writing him as the most despicable iteration this character could possibly be — whose abuse of his pet dog is shown extensively from the opening minutes — makes finding any laughs around him near impossible, despite the best attempts of Forte. The whole gag here is that Reggie’s naïveté leaves him thinking Doug is the best owner in the world, despite his obvious cruelty; even as it unambiguously shows him as a villain, the movie has a comic wavelength too cruel to properly acclimatize to.
Reggie is left stranded for two hours in a different city. After chatting up the Boston Terrier Bug, Jamie Foxx introduces Reggie to the Australian Shepherd Maggie and the Therapy Dog Hunter. They are all horrified at the treatment he has received. They decide to go back to Doug’s house and bite off his genitals. This is when “Strays”, which has been painted into a corner, shows its true colors. The comedy would be better off if Doug’s behaviour was less shocking. However, its third act becomes more disturbing. Play it dark and the movie will become so unbearably miserable that you can’t cheer when the twisted revenge moment finally arrives.