The Shaggy Dog (2006 film)

The Shaggy Dog is a 2006 American family comedy film directed by Brian Robbins and written by Geoff Rodkey, Jack Amiel, Michael Begler, Cormac Wibberley and Marianne Wibberley, based on the 1959 live-action film of the same name. The original film had a character named Wilby Daniels transforming into an Bearded collie after putting on a magic ring, whereas the remake presents a character named Dave Douglas transforming into a Bearded Collie after getting bitten by a sacred dog. It stars Tim Allen, Robert Downey Jr., Kristin Davis, Danny Glover, Spencer Breslin, Jane Curtin, Zena Grey and Philip Baker Hall.
The Shaggy Dog released on March 10, 2006 by Walt Disney Pictures, received negative reviews from critics and grossed $87 million against its $60 million budget.
== Plot ==
In Los Angeles County, Deputy district attorney Dave Douglas is prosecuting social studies teacher and activist Justin Forrester for firebombing the pharmaceutical corporation Grant and Strictland. Forrester denies this, but claims that the corporation has been engaging in illegal animal experimentation. This distances Dave from his daughter Carly, one of Forrester's students. As Dave is also a workaholic, his relationships with his wife Rebecca and son Josh are strained.
Geneticists working for company president Lance Strictland, led by Dr. Marcus Kozak, have stolen Khyi Yang Po, a 300-year-old sacred dog (a Bearded Collie) from a Tibetan monastery. Khyi Yang Po's genetic sequence, when isolated and put into a vaccination, alters the cells and DNA of a victim.
Carly brings Khyi Yang Po, whom she calls 'Shaggy', home. Returning from work, Dave takes Khyi Yang Po out in the garage, then the dog runs to get the newspaper. The dog gives him his newspaper, and Dave reaches for it, only to be bitten on the hand by Khyi Yang Po. Khyi Yang Po's saliva and cells infect Dave and is taken to be tested for rabies and the tests came back negative. Over the next days, Dave realizes that he uncontrollably transforms into a sheep dog like Khyi Yang Po when prompted by distractions and activities typical of a dog, such as a stick thrown through the air and chasing cats. These transformations can be reversed by sleeping, but Dave's human absence from his family further strains his relationships. During this time, his family, unaware of Dave's condition, continue housing Dave as a dog, thinking it is Khyi Yang Po. Dave learns just how little he understands his family and resolves to make amends.
In the ongoing trial, Forrester testifies seeing the animals behaving like dogs and the presence of a bearded collie he identifies as a giant sheepdog, which sparks Dave's suspicions about Grant and Strictland. When his dog-like behavior annoys the judge, Dave is removed from the case. Seeking answers to his transformation, Dave heads to Grant and Strictland. He has a homeless man help him transform so that he may sneak in through a vent. Hidden in the laboratory, Dave witnesses Kozak injecting Lance Strictland with a drug that will paralyze him for months, giving Kozak time to usurp control of the company. Viewing security cameras, Kozak and his minions realize that Dave can transform into a copy of Khyi Yang Po.
When Dave returns home, still in his canine form, he overhears a conversation between Carly and Josh that he and Rebecca may be splitting up. After hearing this, Dave knocks over a Scrabble game and uses the letters to reveal his identity to his kids. While getting out of the house, Dave is tased by Kozak's minions. His kids attempt to save him, but end up picking up Khyi Yang Po instead and rush to their mom at work to report recent events.
Dave is taken to the laboratory to be euthanized, but Kozak has a court summons, and must deal with Dave later. Before exiting, Kozak mocks Dave in canine form and an enraged Dave bites him in response. The other mutated animals in the laboratory tell Dave to meditate to reverse his transformation. Dave succeeds in returning to human form, and escapes with the other animals. He drives to the courthouse and calls his wife to ready a change of clothes for him at the courthouse, but is forced to abandon the car with the animals when they get stuck in traffic. Dave runs on all fours to trigger his transformation and get to the courthouse in time. At the courthouse entrance, his attempts to tell his wife that he loves her allow him to transform back.
In the courtroom, Dave calls Kozak back to the stand and tries to get him to admit what he has done, to no avail. He then mocks Kozak by implying he was working under Strictland's shadow, and angers him. The two begin growling at each other, and the judge, exasperated by Dave's canine behavior, orders the bailiff to remove him. Dave grabs the baliff's baton and tells Kozak to fetch, triggering a partial transformation in him and thus implicating him of illegal and unethical experimentation. The pharmaceutical company is returned to Strictland, the mutant animals enter protective custody, and Dave makes amends with his family.
The family later vacations in Hawaii with Khyi Yang Po. There, Josh tosses a frisbee, and Dave catches it with his mouth.
== Cast ==
* Tim Allen as David "Dave" Douglas / The Shaggy Dog
* Kristin Davis as Rebecca Douglas
* Zena Grey as Carly Douglas
* Spencer Breslin as Joshua "Josh" Douglas
* Robert Downey Jr. as Dr. Marcus Kozak
* Danny Glover as Kenneth "Ken" Hollister
* Jane Curtin as Judge Claire Whittaker
* Philip Baker Hall as Dr. Lance Strictland
* Cole as Khyi Yang Po/The Shaggy Dog
* Joshua Leonard as Justin Forrester
* Annabelle Gurwitch as Justin Forrester's attorney
* Bess Wohl as Dr. Gwen Lichtman
* Jarrad Paul as Larry
* Shawn Pyfrom as Trey
* Rhea Seehorn as Lori
* Jane Hajduk as a news reporter
* Joel David Moore as a dog pound employee
* Phil Pavel as a highway driver
* Jordyn Colemon as Tracy
* Martin Sru as Bin Bag
* Crystal the Monkey as Monkey
* Adam Hicks as a quarterback
== Gallery ==
Category:2006 films
Category:Walt Disney Pictures films
Category:Mandeville Films films
Category:The Shaggy Dog
Category:Remakes
Category:Rated PG
Category:Films about dogs
Category:Films starring Tim Allen
Category:Disney films