Great entertainment for your eyes, ears, and funny bone

Rating: 9/10 (30 August 2016)

Max is a happy canine, until his human Katie brings home 'Big Dawg' Duke without warning. Rules of the jungle immediately apply, when the two male pets are first home alone together. All is not lost: Max's world is right again when he soon outwits Duke.
A bit later, a man bids goodbye to his French Poodle while departing. The first movement of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons continues playing until the door's fully closed. Deftly using its snout, the poodle replaces the music with the System of a Down song, Bounce. What a dance scene ensues!
Nothing is static for long in this wonderful film. The storytelling truly comes to life when the pets are outside 'their' houses; a new, high-stakes adventure is added to the mix: Max and Duke are now in need of being rescued.
The midpoint occurs as a 'tale of two trips' from Manhattan to Brooklyn (New York has never looked better). For one group of animals, the journey is to save Max and Duke. For the other, it's a hateful act: animals living with humans – such as Max and Duke – are to be disposed of (the villains of the work were previously pets, discarded by their humans).
Though not produced in 3D, the incredible graphics certainly (frequently?) were. Either way, this movie is stunningly gorgeous to the eyes. Alexandre Desplat composed the musical score; he previously earned an Oscar for his score to The Grand Budapest Hotel.
I'm stunned by the completely-dismissive, disconnected reviews of The Secret Life of Pets. While suffering badly with political vertigo, I sought a laugh-fest escape. This film had me howling with laughter.
Far too many critics have forgotten the importance of escapism cinema. While maybe not an intended consequence of the movie, the fun of watching it was a great diversion from world events.