Oh My Dog movie review: This is not just about an abandoned puppy finding love. It is about a band of people, traditionally considered weak who stand up for themselves and stick it to the big guy.

In Oh My Dog, bad guy Fernando (Vijay Rai) comes across as a poor man’s version of Cruella de Vil, the iconic villain from 101 Dalmatians. He calls attention to himself with his flashy and blingy clothes and deals in dogs. Unlike Cruella, he doesn’t want to skin dogs for their fur. Instead, he’s cruel in his own way. He discards a Siberian Husky puppy because it is born blind. “Kill it,” he tells his sidekicks, who have been intentionally clothed to give them the appearance of buffoons. Since they are idiots and can’t seem to do anything right, they end up losing the dog.

And the dog ends up in the lap of Arjun (Arnav), a very active and unruly school kid. Just like that, the blind puppy finds a home and family.

Arjun’s father Shankar (Arun Vijay) is reeling under debt. The school tuition fee has taken a toll on the family’s financial health. To put his son in a private school and give him the best education, he is forced to mortgage his father’s home. His father, played by Vijayakumar, is not happy, and make no secret of his contempt for his son. Shankar’s wife is pretty old school. She sticks to house chores and is content with them.

Shankar wants to give Arjun everything he didn’t get from his own father, which includes unconditional love and support. That’s why Shankar refuses a lavish offer from Fernando to buy Arjun’s pet, Simba, that has now grown into a healthy dog. He puts his son’s passion and ambition over everything else.

Also, later we find out Shankar has a thing against wealthy people who treat animals like a trophy, instead of dealing with them with love and kindness. But, the reality of life is not always conducive to living according to one’s ideal. Will innocence beat cruelty? Will talent beat entitlement?

Oh My Dog is not just about an abandoned puppy finding love. It is about people who are considered weak standing up for themselves and sticking it to the big guy. Director Sarov Shanmugam doesn’t just depend on the Husky’s cuteness to charm us and carry the film to the end line. There is a solid moral story to take home. While the movie intends to appeal to children to be more thoughtful and kind even towards those who wish ill for them, it also has a lesson or two for the grown-ups.

Oh My Dog is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.


Source - https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/movie-review/oh-my-dog-movie-review-a-fable-for-kids-and-grown-ups-7880225/