Common Sense Media Review
By Tara McNamara , based on child development research. How do we rate?
age 12+
Positive message amid language, pot humor in canine comedy.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 12+?
Any Positive Content?
-
Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
a lot
A plot point involves pot brownies and marijuana consumption; consequences are comedic. Characters drink wine and beer in several scenes. A character offers beer to a dog, who drinks some. The word "bellinis" is used to identify summer fun. Getting drunk/being hungover is made into a joke. A boss says she wishes her uptight employee would come to work a little drunk. Schnapps is mentioned.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.
Get started
-
Sex, Romance & Nudity
some
Romance is a key theme. Several couples kiss. Two minor characters cheat on significant others; a lacy red bra is shown to indicate that a cheater is having sex in another room. One character wears tight, somewhat revealing dresses. Two women lust over a man, talking incessantly about his appearance. The song "I'm Too Sexy" is performed in a sultry voice, lyrics heard clearly. A young woman is shown taking a bath, with bubbles covering sensitive areas. A couple is shown in bed together with a pregnancy announcement. Some innuendo and talk (but not the nitty-gritty) about how babies are conceived and born. Reference to a "phallic" dog toy. A dog humps a man's leg.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.
Get started
-
Language
some
Not constant, but includes "ass," "a--hole," "damn," "crap," and "hell." "S--t" is almost said several times, including once in the credits as "deep shih tzu." "God" and "Jesus" used as exclamations. "Dumb" and "stupid" used to describe inanimate objects.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.
Get started
-
Products & Purchases
a little
Brands/companies featured include EÔTÉ Coffee; Del Taco; Bed, Bath and Beyond; Volkswagen; Buy Buy Baby; Coca-Cola; Gucci; Nutella; Lyft; Tiffany's; Fiat. Transformers toy reference is used as punchline. Expensive sports car used to identify success.
-
Violence & Scariness
very little
A dog runs in front of a car and is almost hit. A woman sprays a man with pepper spray, then accidentally sprays herself. A man shakes another's hand, then squeezes it to the point of clear pain. Spoiler alert: A dog dies.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
Get started
-
Positive Messages
some
Each of the five storylines involves some amount of compassion, followed by helpful action, often through teamwork. Pet dogs improve their humans' lives. Adopt a shelter dog.
-
Positive Role Models
some
Ethnically diverse cast. Characters are flawed but always mean well, and they treat dogs well. A character sneaks a dog into his apartment building even though pets aren't allowed, with no consequences. Teamwork is modeled. A teen and senior form a friendship. A couple adopts a young girl.
-
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Dog Days is an ensemble comedy about people in L.A. whose lives are intertwined and improved by dogs (it's very reminiscent of Garry Marshall's holiday-themed movies like Mother's Day). It's been marketed as a family film, but some of the content isn't appropriate for younger kids, including gratuitous strong language ("a--hole," "damn," and punchlines that imply the use of "s--t," even though it's not exactly said) and a pot brownie plot point that's played for laughs, with no negative consequences. Some of the storylines are sweet, such as a new family being formed through adoption and the development of an intergenerational, interracial friendship. Several stories involve dating and romance; be ready for innuendo, implied sexual situations, and discussion about reproduction. And while the film is full of smiles, there may be some sad sobs, too, since (spoiler alert!) a dog dies. But the pro-pup message is very strong, and the diverse cast (including Nina Dobrev, Vanessa Hudgens, Finn Wolfhard, Jessica St. Clair, and Adam Pally) has broad appeal. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
-
:57
-
-
-
Dog Days
Parent and Kid Reviews
- Parents say (9)
- Kids say (11)
age 12+
Based on 9 parent reviews
Albanyaloe Adult
May 2, 2020
age 10+
Lovely movie with animal fun and good messages
We were surprised to enjoy this movie so much, after reading other bad reviews. A really cute movie, especially for animal lovers. There was swearing and a little sexual content which went over my child's head. As a dog lover she was so caught up in the excellent filming of the dogs and the humour. Really difficult to find family movies that are not corny or contrived, but this one was great, for us all. There were a number of touching parts, such as the respectful friendship between and old man and teenager, a family adopting a little girl, and of course very funny scenes with dogs. The scene were the dogs dies is sad, nothing gruesome, and not overly dramatised, we have 2 sensitive viewers and they were fine. Portrayed as a sad ending to a beautiful friendship between dog and man. Lots of good themes to talk about: intergenerational friendship, death of a pet, what a real relationship is, looking after pets etc. The part with the marijuana is not portrayed as "admirable" and would go over children's heads. At least preview this movie before crossing it off your list, you'll be glad you did.
Tricia R. Adult
April 15, 2019
age 8+
Funny heart-warming tear-jerker
We all LOVED this movie. A number of different storylines come together in a really cute way. There's even a really sweet adoption of a little girl and a dog who helps her adjust to her new family. Yes, there are some pot and infidelity references, but honestly they went over my 8 and 10 year olds' heads. They were pretty subtle. Adorable dogs. The sweet nerdy guy gets the girl (instead of the vain "hot" guy). A meaningful friendship between a boy and a lonely older man... Lots of good stuff here!
See all 9 parent reviews
What's the Story?
DOG DAYS is an ensemble dramedy about a group of people in Los Angeles whose lives become intertwined thanks to their dogs. Elizabeth (Nina Dobrev) is a morning TV host with a cheating boyfriend, Tara (Vanessa Hudgens) is a barista trying to pick a career path, Tyler (Finn Wolfhard) is a pizza delivery boy whose regular customer is a grumpy old man (Ron Cephas Jones), Eva Longoria and Rob Corddry play first-time adoptive parents, and Dax (Adam Pally) is a musician whose irresponsibility is affecting both his personal and professional life. As each character tries to figure out the next step in their lives, the dogs help the humans forge important new relationships.
Is It Any Good?
Our review:
Parents say (9):
Kids say (11):
This doggy comedy's concept and message are full of paws-ibility, but the film doesn't know what it wants to be. Is it a Disney-esque family dramedy, as its filming style and marketing campaign suggest? Or is it an edgier comedy for 20-somethings, as its drug, sex, and profanity jokes might imply? Dog Days' execution isn't helped by multiple plotlines that have the predictability and depth of an episode of The Love Boat. The script's one-dimensional characters deprive the actors of much substance, but the newer faces in the ensemble are the real delights. Comedian Tone Bell as a former athlete turned broadcaster, Jessica Lowe as a snarky makeup artist, and Lauren Lapkus as a dog walker who loves the job perks are stand-outs. And just as he does in This Is Us, Jones proves he could read the phone book and make viewers cry.
But while the animals may be what moves the humans' stories forward, the pups themselves are sidelined, mostly providing reaction shots. It's really not about them -- which could be fine, if all the marketing didn't imply that they were the stars and that the film was more like The Secret Life of Pets than Must Love Dogs.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the various ways teamwork is demonstrated in Dog Days. What's accomplished in each storyline through teamwork?
A teen shows compassion for a man who lost his dog, even though they personally don't get along. Is liking someone necessary to help them out? Could you do something nice for someone you think hasn't been nice to you?
How does the movie depict drinking and drug use? Are there realistic consequences? Why is that important?
Do you have a pet? If so, how does your pet make your life better -- or does it? If not, how do you think your life would be different if you had a pet?
Movie Details
- In theaters: August 8, 2018
- On DVD or streaming: November 20, 2018
- Cast: Nina Dobrev, Vanessa Hudgens, Finn Wolfhard, Adam Pally
- Director: Ken Marino
- Inclusion Information: Female actors, Asian actors
- Studio: LD Entertainment
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Cats, Dogs, and Mice
- Run time: 112 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- MPAA explanation: rude and suggestive content, and for language
- Last updated: April 5, 2023
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Dog Days
Suggest an Update
Your privacy is important to us. We won't share this comment without your permission. If you chose to provide an email address, it will only be used to contact you about your comment. See our privacy policy.
