Better known for playing Zed in the Police Academy franchise, his octave-leaping stand-up act and the cult comedy Shakes the Clown, writer-director Goldthwait remains behind the camera to deliver a punchline few may have seen coming: He forgoes gross-out sight gags and shock humor for an engrossing and offbeat meditation on honesty, family dynamics, guilt and forgiveness.
As a surprisingly candid relationship drama, Dogs explores the consequences the overachieving Amy faces after revealing the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth after her fiancé, John (Johnson), pressures her into revealing her dark sexual secret. Amy's parents (Pierson and Friedericy) become affected by the aftermath as well, passing judgment and choosing to react with alienation rather than acceptance when their image of the perfect daughter is shattered. That's not to say the film lays the angst on too thick; it makes good use of comics Brian Posehn and Morgan Murphy and mines black-comedy moments from brother Doug's (Jack Plotnick) sibling-rivalry issues and escalating meth addiction. The result is well-balanced, touching and quirky, with a thoroughly original premise that asks a question every committed partner must eventually tackle: When it comes to truth-telling in relationships, how much information is too much?
(As for the bestiality depiction itself, Goldthwait opts for a less-is-more stance. The scenes set by John's and Amy's mothers' respective confessions, in fact, spare far fewer graphic details.)
Unlike the aggravated '80s shtick of his onstage days, Goldthwait's deft directorial touch ensures that nothing feels forced—from Hamilton's Renee Zellweger-minus-the-annoying-squinting perkiness to the unexpected, tear-jerker ending. His point, however, is blatantly clear: Sometimes it's best not to force others—or yourself—to let every last skeleton out of the closet. Even Momma Bobcat couldn't have offered better advice.