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Max (2015)
Directed by Boaz Yakin
Written by Boaz Yakin, Sheldon Lettich
Starring: Thomas Haden Church, Josh Wiggins, Lauren Graham, Luke Kleintank
Justin (Wiggins) has a tumultuous relationship with his family that is further complicated after his brother is killed in action. Now they’ve inherited his brother’s dog Max. As Justin tries to heal Max’s wounds, he’s also faced with other challenges in his home.
This movie was written by Boaz Yakin (Remember the Titans) and Sheldon Lettich (Bloodsport), with Yakin also directing. The movie stars Thomas Haden Church (Tombstone), Josh Wiggins (Hellion), Lauren Graham (Bad Santa), and Luke Kleintank (Phantom Halo).
The story for this one was written by Boaz Yakin and Sheldon Lettich. On the surface this seems like a premise worth exploring. Unfortunately this one never gets going. There are no surprises in this movie, and it’s painful to watch at times. Some movies are predictable but well-written enough to survive the formula they exist within. This is not one of those movies. If you’re looking for substance or even a plausible story, this isn’t the movie for you. This writing feels lazy and uninspired, and probably lacking in entertainment value for anyone except young children.
The acting in this movie is okay. I say that because no one seems to do anything special with their role. Thomas Haden Church and Lauren Graham are an odd coupling in this one. They don’t seem to find any real chemistry throughout the movie. Josh Wiggins is nothing special, and he never really makes a good connection with his role. Luke Kleintank also seems to be overdoing his role in this one. I don’t entirely blame these actors since the writing is so poor. Unfortunately, it seems like a number of the performances were over-acted, while others feel mailed in. The script didn’t provide much in the form of opportunities, but it shouldn’t be this evident with a number of seasoned actors.
This movie is overly sentimental and doesn’t even work in the world of Hallmark films. The patriotism built into the story is campy and uninspiring. If you’re a huge fan of dog movies you might get some enjoyment out of this. Otherwise I don’t know that I can recommend this movie to anyone. I give this one 1 out of 5 stars.
Did You See That One? 