Strays (2023 film)

Strays (2023 film)
Strays is a 2023 American comedy film directed by Josh Greenbaum and written by Dan Perrault. The film follows an abandoned dog (voiced by Will Ferrell) who teams up with several strays (voiced by Jamie Foxx, Isla Fisher, and Randall Park) to get revenge on his abusive owner (Will Forte); Harvey Guillén, Rob Riggle, Brett Gelman, Jamie Demetriou, and Sofía Vergara also star.
Strays was released in the United States by Universal Pictures on August 18, 2023. The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed over $35 million.
Plot
Reggie is a gullible Border Terrier living with his selfish owner, Doug. Even though Doug only keeps him to spite an ex-girlfriend, Reggie is under the impression that Doug loves him and does everything he can to make him happy, much to Doug's chagrin.
When Reggie inadvertently destroys Doug's bong, Doug makes several attempts to ditch Reggie, which Reggie views as a game. Losing track of Doug in a city hours away, Reggie meets a street-wise Boston Terrier named Bug who teaches him how to be a stray after he defends him from a Rottweiler and a Doberman. After a night with Bug and his friends: an Australian Shepherd named Maggie and a therapy Great Dane named Hunter, Reggie realizes that Doug does not love him. He decides to get revenge by biting Doug's penis off, and the other strays accompany him for support.
During the journey, the group bonds as they get into several situations, culminating in getting caught by Animal Control after a hallucinogenic mushroom-induced high causes them to maul a family of rabbits, which they mistake for toys. During their captivity, Bug admits that he used to have a family of his own but was forced to escape when they tried to euthanize him after he bit the daughter, which caused him to have a mistrust for himself with human kids. In an attempt to escape, the dogs plan to use Hunter's erect penis to hook the kennel keys but are unsuccessful. Then in another attempt to escape, Reggie suggests that every dog defecate on the floor at the same time so when the security guard opens it, they can all run out, in which they are successful. But after escaping the pound, Reggie convinces himself that he is to blame for Doug treating him poorly. This causes Bug to urinate on Reggie's bandana in a fit of anger and Reggie leaves the other strays. Making their way back to the city, Bug, Maggie, and Hunter stumble upon a lost Girl Scout and alert a search and rescue worker to her location.
Reggie eventually makes his way back to Doug's house, and after cutting ties with him and before leaving, Doug slams the door in front of him and attempts to slaughter Reggie. The other strays intervene, and, with their help, Reggie successfully rips Doug's penis off. Hunter also defecates in Doug's mouth, and during the altercation, Doug's house is accidentally burned down. Afterward, the strays move on: Maggie begins training as a police dog and starts a relationship with Hunter, the latter returns to being a therapy dog, the Girl Scout adopts Bug, and Reggie chooses to guide new strays.
Cast
Will Forte as Doug, Reggie's former owner
Brett Gelman as Willy, an Animal Control officer
Dan Perrault as Dr. Hagen
Dennis Quaid as a birdwatcher
Voices
Will Ferrell as Reggie, a Border Terrier
Jamie Foxx as Bug, a stray Boston Terrier
Isla Fisher as Maggie, an Australian Shepherd
Randall Park as Hunter, a Great Dane
Rob Riggle as Rolf, a German Shepherd police dog
Josh Gad as Gus, a Labrador Retriever.
Sofía Vergara as Dolores the couch
Jamie Demetriou as Chester, a bulldog
Greta Lee as Bella, a Pomeranian.
Jimmy Tatro as Finn the Rottweiler
Harvey Guillén as Shitstain, a Chihuahua.
Jack De Sanz as Munchkin, a Bloodhound.
Phil Morris as Bubsy
David Herman as underbite pound dog
Production
In August 2019, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller signed a first-look deal with Universal Pictures. In May 2021, Universal acquired the rights to Strays, an adult comedy about dogs written by Dan Perrault, with Lord and Miller attached to produce alongside Erik Feig and Louis Leterrier. The film is a co-production between Picturestart and Rabbit Hole Productions. Filming began in September 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. Production concluded by December 2021.
Release
Strays was released in the United States on August 18, 2023, after being delayed from its original June 9, 2023 date. It was released on digital platforms on September 5, 2023. Followed by DVD and Blu-ray releases on October 10, 2023.
Reception
Box office
, Strays has grossed $24 million in the United States and Canada, and $11.4 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $35.4 million.
In the United States and Canada, Strays was released alongside Blue Beetle, and was initially projected to gross $15–17 million from 3,223 theaters in its opening weekend. After making $3.4 million on its first day (including $1.1 million from Thursday night previews), weekend estimates were lowered to $8.5 million. It went on to debut to $8.3 million, finishing in fourth. The film made $4.9 million in its second weekend (a drop of 40%), finishing in sixth.
Critical response
Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.
References
External links
2023 films
2023 comedy films
2023 computer-animated films
2020s American animated films
2020s English-language films
American adult animated films
American computer-animated films
American animated comedy films
Adult animated comedy films
American films with live action and animation
Puppet films
Animated films about dogs
Films about pets
Animated films about revenge
Films shot in Atlanta
Animated films set in amusement parks
Animated films set in forests
Films set in 2023
Films directed by Josh Greenbaum
Films produced by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
Universal Pictures films
Universal Pictures animated films