Director Mike White is really good at creating an uneasy feeling in a normal setting. But the question remains, do you want him to?

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Despite director Mike White's ability to make the heartfelt moments count, the film never makes the grade. The title prompts great expectations for animal lovers; the result is a bit like a doggie bag with a taste of everything, but not enough of anything

What may catch audiences unawares is how unexpectedly life-affirming this little film about pet death is.

The trailer suggests a cheery comedy but brace yourself for some darkness in this shaggy dog story.

Movies need not always be uplifting. Comedies don't always have to be happy. That said Mike White's Year of the Dog is downright depressing without revealing much of the human condition it strives to.

This is a lovely little film about discovering your inner self, the passion that drives you, and then coming out with it.

Year of the Dog isn't quite the comedy it's been marketed as, but there's still a lot to chew on here, notably Molly Shannon's performance as a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

Loses its way, as if uncertain how to point out its moral and make us laugh at the same time.

With smashing performances and plenty of heart, it joins Bobcat Goldthwait’s recent Sleeping Dogs as a worthy addition to 2007’s woof-and-ready hall of fame.