THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS (PG)

Released by Universal Pictures
Reviewed by Adam Mast

My wife and I just bought our daughter a puppy for her 18th birthday. The magical moment that was the look on McKenzie’s face when she received this special gift was certainly on my mind as I watched Illumination’s lively, THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS. Translation; If you’re a pet owner, you’re likely to find a lot of this picture instantly relatable.

As THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS opens, we’re introduced to Max (voiced by Louis C.K.), a cute little domesticated terrier whose life in a New York apartment couldn’t be anymore joyous. Max tells the story of his upbringing and how he came to be the proud pet of a loving human. This affectionate pooch spends his days fraternizing with the other domesticated animals who reside in his apartment building, waiting for his best friend to return home from work. Everything is sunshine and rainbows until Max’s master returns one evening with new dog, Duke (voiced by Eric Stonestreet), by her side.

For fear that he’ll have to fight for his owner’s affection, Max attempts to sabotage Duke by making a mess of the apartment. Not to be intimated by a much smaller dog, Duke tries his paws at a little payback while out on a stroll with a hired dog walker. But Duke’s scheme backfires and ultimately he and Max find themselves lost in the big city. Worse still, these competing canines are brought face to face with Snowball (voiced by Kevin Hart), a fiery bunny rabbit with a big chip on his shoulder. It seems that Snowball is part of a strange, underground collective comprised of discarded pets, and he doesn’t take kindly to being in the presence of pampered animals.

With its clever look at how our play things behave when we’re not around and its central story of a contentious-relationship-turn-brotherly bond, there’s no doubt that THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS owes a huge debt to the likes of TOY STORY. It lacks the finesse and patience of Pixar’s finest, but no matter because the vocal cast here is likable and engaging. Louis CK is warm and sincere as Max while gruff Stonestreet hits all the right notes as Max’s stray adversary. As for Hart, he’s a bundle of hyper kinetic energy and after seeing his bunny rabbit in action, I suspect we’ll be seeing a Snowball spin-off movie in no time.

The animation here is colorful and vibrant and the character designs are picture perfect. Adorable Max immediately leaves an impression and no doubt, terrier sales will most likely spike after kids see this movie. Duke is adorable too, but in more of a big, cuddly Muppet kind of way. As for Snowball, as cute as he is, his streetwise demeanor and attitude might rub some folks the wrong way, but I found him to be a blast and a nice contrast to the sweeter animals on display. And when this abrasive bunny finally does get that aforementioned spin-off movie, I’ll definitely be buying a ticket. Elsewhere, THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS is populated by a plethora of wonderfully colorful animals including a shifty Hawk (voiced by Albert Brooks), a fluffy Pomeranian (voiced by Jenny Slate), a snobby house cat (voiced by Lake Bell), and a headbanging Poodle.

There’s no doubt that the scenes that bookend THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS are the strongest and one could only wish that perhaps the filmmakers would have slowed the action down just a tad. Once Max and Duke get lost in the city, this film trades in the clever, domesticated surroundings set-up for something that’s a little too busy. In fact, if the movie would have tapped on the brakes a bit, it would have allowed some of the more emotional aspects of the picture (including a back story revolving around Duke) to resonate rather than feel so skimmed over. Having said that, there is something to be said for a cartoon that isn’t afraid to simply be a cartoon. The mid section of THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS, as chaotic and illogical as it tends to get, is certainly bristling with energy and enough unlimited gags to keep audiences engaged.

Listen, THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS isn’t quite at the same level as ZOOTOPIA or FINDING DORY, but it’s still a fun time at the movies. At the very least, it should keep the adults in the audience just as amused as the little ones. Particularly if you’re a proud pet owner. With that, my daughter’s new puppy just started biting my toes, so I gotta go.

*BONUS

An episode of “Film Fanatics” featuring a look at THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS!