The contemporary film industry is overlooking an entire audience: tweens (between eight and twelve). Too often, the action available to them is fantasy-driven, such as Harry Potter or Marvel stories, rather than live-action films set in the real world.
Recognizing this gap, screenwriters Danny LeGare and Sal Rendino created Not My Dog, the story of twelve-year-old Bridget as she moves through her hometown and discovers courage, loyalty, and a friendship she did not know she needed.
Although the film is aimed at tweens, it includes enough adult-oriented humor to keep older viewers engaged. These subtle moments appear throughout the film. In the opening sequence, for example, Phil, an animal control officer, chases a large black stray dog. Despite Phil’s threats, the dog outwits him at every turn and eventually runs off with the catch pole. Clearly, the black shepherd is the smarter of the two.
The action then shifts to Bridget at home on the phone. This is Rylie Pennington’s film debut, and she is convincing as a tween pushed into an uncomfortable world. Ashley Otteson plays Bridget’s mother, Lisa, and the mother-daughter dynamic is clear when Lisa urges Bridget to deliver lunch to her father. Bridget initially refuses, complaining that there are people outside and that it is cold, but despite her protests and eye-rolling, she obeys. After preparing the lunch, Bridget steps out into the real world.
As Bridget approaches a bridge, a large black German shepherd blocks her path. The dog refuses to move until she gives him a cookie. Then he steps aside and follows her, despite her attempts to shoo him away. Together, they walk through the small New England town.
When Bridget enters a deli to buy a drink for her father, the dog follows her inside. Mrs. Athelia rushes over, insisting that the dog be leashed and muzzled. As Marika Dominczyk rants, her red gloves and spotted white fur coat suggest subtle echoes of Cruella de Vil from 101 Dalmatians. Throughout the film, Dominczyk plays the villain without turning her into a caricature. At this point, Bridget denies that the dog belongs to her.
Because her husband serves on the town board, Mrs. Athelia pressures Phil, the animal control officer, to join her relentless hunt for the dog. She wants the dog removed permanently. Sal Rendino plays Phil as a somewhat incompetent officer who uses humor to deflect his mistakes.
As Bridget and the dog, now called Nudge, wander through town, she encounters various people and repeatedly insists that he is not her dog. When her father, Frank, warmly greets Nudge in his barbershop, Bridget still protests. Mark Famiglietti plays Frank as a caring father who is ready to defend his daughter.
On her way home, Bridget again meets Lisa, a singer-songwriter played by Analise Scarpaci. Lisa coaxes Bridget into singing with her. The song, written by Otteson, summarizes the film’s theme: “You came out of nowhere / now that I found you, I cannot let you go. . . My life is a little sweeter / I’ve got you to the end.”
By the end of the film, Bridget defends Nudge and realizes that her encounters have drawn her into a world beyond her phone. Trash Panda, the production company, aims to make family films that help tweens see themselves, face real-life challenges, put down their phones, and engage with the world around them. Not My Dog meets that goal in one hour and 21 minutes, encouraging viewers to seek adventure in real life. As an added incentive, the filmmakers are donating five percent of net proceeds to their animal rescue partners. Not My Dog opens on September 11. Although geared toward tweens, it is a film that audiences of all ages can enjoy.
