The Secret Life of Pets – movie review

Who doesn’t love their pet or pets? Many of us dote over them as if they were the most precious and prized member of the family. I know my wife certainly does. So the idea behind The Secret Life of Pets – what pets do behind closed doors when humans are not within earshot – seems to me to be perfect movie fare, especially when animation can simply serve to enhance the “cuteness” factor.

In one bustling Manhattan apartment building, the real day starts after the folks on two legs leave for work and school.  That’s when the pets of every stripe, fur and feather begin their own nine-to-five routine: hanging out with each other, trading humiliating stories about their owners, watching Animal Planet like it is reality TV and so on. The building’s top dog, Max (voiced by Louis C.K.) is a quick-witted Terrier rescue who’s convinced he sits at the centre of owner Katie’s (Ellie Kemper) universe. But he finds his pampered life turned upside down when she brings home Duke (Eric Stonestreet), a sloppy, massive mess of a mongrel with zero interpersonal skills. When this reluctant canine duo find themselves out on the mean streets of New York, they have to learn to set aside their differences and unite against a fluffy, yet cunning, bunny named Snowball (Kevin Hart). Snowball is some piece of work. He is building an army of pets who’ve been abandoned by their owners and are out to turn the tables on humanity.

As I mentioned, the concept is a ripper and it should have made for a highly entertaining and engaging movie. Unfortunately, it didn’t. For a piece of animation I found it strangely flat and lacking in humour. The one time I laughed aloud was when a fat cat knocked back his feed with a swipe of his not inconsiderable paw the moment his owner left the apartment.

I also found the story tried to constantly change gears – one minute characters were feuding, then they weren’t and then they were again. The bunny is unhinged and nasty, and then he is not. Overall the characters are too frenzied and the plot scattergun.

I am afraid for all of its promise The Secret Life of Pets failed to connect with the audience in the way I had expected it to. Directed by Chris Renaud (Despicable Me), co-directed by Yarrow Cheney (production designer on Despicable Me) and written by Cinco Paul, Ken Daurio and Brian Lynch, I walked away disappointed. Rated G, it scores a 5½ to 6 out of 10.

Director: Yarrow Cheney, Chris Renaud
Cast: (Voices of) Ellie Kemper, Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart, Jenny Slate
Release Date: 8 September 2016
Rating: G

Alex First