The Art of Racing in the Rain

For all of the talent of its cast and crew this adaptation of Stein's best-seller stalls out on the track long before it has the chance to reach the finish line.

I feel like this device probably works a lot better on the page... It is so mawkish, smothered in cloying anthropomorphism from start to finish.

It's laughably contrived and shamelessly calculating. Dog's bollocks, but not in a good way.

Cancer is to melodrama what CGI is to the MCU: a cheap, easy tool to control audience emotions used by filmmakers (in this case, director Simon Curtis and scenarist Mark Bomback) who have nothing to sell but tripe.

I wanted a refund on every lump in the throat and teary-eyed moment I had experienced...

Even with the occasional dollop of dog-related humor, The Art of Racing in the Rain feels as ponderous as its title.

Here is a film made for that lazy Sunday afternoon that makes you appreciate what you have or long for what you don’t.

I was excited to see it... it's kind of all over the place in terms of the plot, there's not a lot of tension or conflict.

Though the sugar load jumps high at times, sappiness gets trumped by golden fur and a warm heart. Unless of course, your cynicism levels rank in the Scrooge range.

'The Art of Racing In The Rain' is definitely a family movie that provides plenty of opportunities to talk with kids and teenagers about: life, death, raising children and changes in family dynamics.