My Dog Stupid

Near the end of the quirky French dramedy, My Dog Stupid, there’s a beautiful introspective section cued to Brad Mehldau's piano-centric orchestral cover of Radiohead's "Paranoid Android,” followed by a similarly lovely reworking of The Beatles' "And I Love Her.”

Both singular tunes are instantly recognizable, but so unexpected in this classical form and in this type of film that they tricked this viewer into second-guessing himself and forced his brain to focus and confirm the songs’ true identities.

These compositions are apt choices, seeing as the movie overall proves similarly engaging and pleasantly challenging, exuding a catchy vibe that’s front-loaded with humor yet gives way to far more serious matters — thankfully without ever losing its lightheartedness.

Co-written and directed by Yvan Attal (My Wife Is an Actress) and based on the short story by John Fante, My Dog Stupid stars the charming Attal as Henri Mohen, a former literary wunderkind whose critically-acclaimed debut novel has been followed by 25 years of garbage.

Suffering from writer’s block and fed up with his depressed alcoholic wife Cécile (Attal’s real-life partner, Charlotte Gainsbourg) and four grown children crowding his existence, Henri receives an unexpected boost when a giant wrinkly dog appears outside their house and comically makes himself part of the family.

Dubbed “Stupid” — resulting in steady yuks from Henri having to explain that it's the dog's name, not an insult to the other person in the conversation — the gay, sex-crazed canine brings his master unexpected solace, but also serves as the catalyst for difficult change that Henri nevertheless needs in order to be truly happy and to write another great book.

As Henri’s life quickly unravels and his household population dwindles, long-held spats come to a head through realistic, interpersonal comedy that Attal excels at pulling from his appealing cast and amplifying through intelligent editing between everyday interactions.

Visually compelling from the get-go, the film also consistently employs thoughtful framing and frequent, tasteful camera movements, which are filled with comparably mature and compelling material and performances.

Along the way, My Dog Stupid additionally joins the ranks of the precious few films to feature a "work of art within a work of art" that's legitimately great, making it even more worthy of cinephiles’ attentions.

Grade: B-plus. Not rated, but with adult themes, language, and nudity. Available to rent starting July 31 via the Fine Arts Theatre

(Photo: David Koskas/Distrib Films)