By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
New romantic relationships can be a thrilling whirlwind of excitement and anxiety, as one person strives to make a lasting impression and cultivate a deep and enduring connection.
That's the situation
Desmin Borges (TV's "Only Murders in the Building") is faced with in the new movie
"Hangdog."
In this clever and heartfelt romantic comedy, from husband and wife directors/writers
Matt Cascella ("The Deepest Cave") and
Jen Cordery (TV's "Rev Runs Around the World"), Borges stars as Walt, a big-hearted city slicker who has nearly abandoned his dream of becoming an advertising art director. He moves to Portland, Maine, to support his smart and talented girlfriend, Wendy (Kelly O'Sullivan, "The Graduates"). Her career is skyrocketing thanks to a groundbreaking shopping app she created.
While Wendy remains open-minded about their relationship and empathetic to Walt's struggles, she firmly believes in his potential. Walt is taken aback by her unwavering support and finds himself hesitant to take their relationship to the next level—though Wendy is ready to do just that, even proposing to him.
Adding to Walt's insecurities is Wendy's lovable terrier mix, Tony, who seems to hold a special place in her heart—perhaps even more than Walt does.
So, when Wendy leaves for a business trip in New York and asks Walt to take care of Tony while she's gone, Walt feels that this is his chance to really step up and score some major responsibility points with Wendy.
Afterall, watching a little dog can't be all that hard.
Or can it?
Walt's first walk with Tony takes a chaotic turn when he decides to pop into a weed dispensary, tying Tony up outside. After a quick ten-minute visit, he emerges to find that the dog is nowhere in sight. The panic on Walt's face is palpable, and you immediately sense that this will spiral into a comedic disaster. What will he tell Wendy when she checks in?
Walt begins asking people in the area if they've seen Tony and he starts posting "Missing Dog" flyers everywhere. His anxiety escalates when his search yields no results.
His neighbor, Marianne (Barbara Rosenblat, "The Boy and the Heron"), is less than helpful, and a supposed lead from a quirky fisherman (Steve Coulter, "Oppenheimer") only complicates matters further.
The humor intensifies as Walt finds himself outwitted by a kid who claims to have seen Tony, and an unexpected encounter with Catherine Curtin ("The Easy Kind") adds another layer of absurdity.
You can't help but root for Walt to find Tony before Wendy returns because he's genuinely a nice guy trying to navigate his way through life and love. The pressure mounts as the clock ticks down because this mishap could jeopardize everything between them.
The filmmakers take a scenic route to the happy ending, blending heartfelt moments with laugh-out-loud antics.
Ultimately, it's Tony's anxiety-ridden and comical journey that provides the film's charm and makes "Hangdog" a true delight.
Editor's Note: Be sure to catch my N2Entertainment.net movie talk segment on the Kitty O'Neal Show Fridays now at 5:17 p.m. and 6:47 p.m. on radio station KFBK 93.1 FM and 1530 AM.
Look At This Trailer For
"HANGDOG"
Lana K. Wilson-Combs is a member of the Critics Choice Association, The American Film Institute (AFI), and a Nominating Committee Voting Member for the NAACP Image Awards.
