When this Disney comedy came out last year, with Hollywood legends John Travolta and Robin Williams teaming-up, I hoped that they’d be a winning combo in a funny film. I was wrong.
In “Old Dogs”, Dan (Wliiams) and Charlie (Travolta) are long-time best friends and business partners. Dan’s old girlfriend, Vicki (played by Travolta’s real wife, Kelly Preston), comes to town and tells Dan that he’s the father of her two children.
Vicki needs to find someone to take care of the 7-year old twins while she’s in jail for two weeks, so Dan and Charlie volunteer. Neither of the two “old dogs” have any experience with kids so they have trouble keeping the kids happy while also trying to close a huge business deal.
The overall theme of “Old Dogs” is a little adult for a Disney film, but that isn’t the biggest problem with the movie. The script is horrible – no funny lines or originality. The performances are dreadful, and there are several awkward scenes in which you feel embarrassed for the actors. I’ve really enjoyed both Travolta and Williams in previous family films, including “Hairspray” and “RV”, but there’s nothing to like here.
In some ways “Old Dogs” is similar to the 2008 family comedy “Imagine That”, in which Eddie Murphy plays a businessman who doesn’t know how to take care of his daughter. That movie surprised me in a good way. What’s surprising about “Old Dogs” is just how unfunny it is.
“Old Dogs” is rated PG for mild adult humor and themes, including a scene in which characters get hit in their private parts with golf balls. You know a comedy is bad when there has to be a scene in which characters get hit in their private parts to get a laugh.
This movie is supposed to be for kids, but they’ll be bored. If you’re a big fans of Travolta and Willams you may want to see them together, but after about 10-minutes you’ll wish they, and you, were in a different movie.
On The Official Kid Critic Report Card, “Old Dogs” gets a D+. That grade is probably a little higher than it should be, but it was the final movie for the late Bernie Mac, who has a cameo, so I’m being generous.