While on an afternoon trek through the woods, recently rescued "Freeway" is startled and darts away from his self-involved protector, Dr. Joseph Winter (Kevin Kline), after a wedding ceremony performed at the couple's vacation home in the Rockies. Joseph is put in the "dog house" when he reluctantly shares the bad news with wife, Beth (Diane Keaton), and the search is on to find her "Darling Companion!" The story continues throughout the adventure and pans through the lives of the several couples enlisted to help find Freeway.
The movie is star-studded with Keaton and Kline in the leading roles, but boasts of famed Dianne Wiest, Richard Jenkins, and Sam Shepard. Israel's Ayelet Zurer captivates the scene as the gypsy psychic who blends some mystery into the mix. Also you'll see Kasdan's son, Jon, officiate at the wedding ceremony, and glimpse the role of the warm-hearted vet, with newcomer Jay Ali. The search begins and you'll find that even though they are looking for a "darling companion," they all seem to find resolutions to their own personal problems along the way.
Everyone loves Diane Keaton and she certainly lives up to her endearing reputation in this movie. And, the reunion of Kevin Kline and the Kasdan couple on the commentary is a -- shall we say, "doggie treat!" It was encouraging to see how many rescue dogs were used in the production of this movie. Darling Companion is engaging and a fun way to spend an evening with popcorn and the family.
My only complaint was that the subtitles were large and too distracting and interfered with my viewing of the movie. It would have been better had they been more subtle, and outside the scene margin. Early in the movie, I turned off the subtitles because they were so annoying. I generally watch a movie with the subtitles on, because if I can't understand the dialogue, I have the written words to make certain I don't miss a thing.
Darling Companion Special Features include movie commentary, Kasdan's Behind the Scenes, Finding Freeway Dog People, the Red Carpert New York Premiere, and the trailer. The Kasdans will share memories with Kline on previous movies and with other actors; Lawrence will spotlight tidbits about happenings on the set; the Kasdans will share their own personal story about their beloved companion, Mac; you'll get an inside view on Freeway's actor, Casey; and you'll see them all at the Red Carpet Premiere. The features are entertaining and the movie a delight -- and another great "dog movie" to add to your family collection!
