Full disclosure: pugs creep me out a bit. Those demented, glandular-looking faces; the fact they always sound like they are one steep staircase away from complete organ failure. And while the eponymous star of this film is a fairly robust example of the breed, with eyeballs that appear to be securely wedged into its skull, there’s a frisson of anxiety whenever he’s on screen that undermines any attempts at comedy. There are other problems of course, not least a designer dog of a screenplay, which crosses Marley & Me with Bridget Jones, but leans heavily on gags involving people treading in stuff.
Beattie Edmondson stars as Sarah, a kooky, klutzy schoolteacher who is a running joke in her family. The chaos of her life ramps up a notch when her late grandmother bequeaths her Patrick the pug. Dog ownership has its plus sides – although Patrick gets her evicted from her flat, he also breaks the ice with Sarah’s class of disinterested kids and allows several fit blokes to mansplain the joys of canine companionship to her. Could Patrick be the key to a more fulfilling life? In case we are in any doubt, the score is packed with hilariously literal songs that explain the not-so-hidden subtext of each scene.
