TXE36

-Mike

ZDan

OK, I'm gonna have to be "that guy"..
A friend gave me the book and I have to say it was so sappy and so obvious and hamfisted in its lets-pull-some-heartstrings approach that I did not get very far into it. Maudlin crap. Attempts at describing driving in a "writerly" way were also unsatisfying to me (long-time track hound here, I*love* tracking in the pouring rain). Dostoevsky, it aint... Of course this movie ain't gonna be any Le Mans or Grand Prix either. Sappy overly sentimental schlock, for sure. I doubt I'd be able to stand 5 minutes of it, let alone 90+. But then I hate most things....

Ohio Performance

Looks like Turner is getting some great screen time. ECS must be doing well. Will was always an easy guy to talk to.

Will watch. And agree with others, the book was great.

LuigiVampa

You watch the movie with your girlfriend/spouse (don't bring both...I'm kidding!), you cry a little, and get laid when you go home for being a sensitive guy.

ZDan

Ah, but the women I like to be with aren't into insipid saccharine crap either!

matttheboatman

One of my favorite books of all time. Go Enzo!

I'm a huge Golden Retriever person, and I am into Racing, and my wife practices law defending people like Denny - but I can't say any more or I will give away the plot.

My Prediction: Tracking a car will be the next big fad thanks to this movie. Racing or wanting to drive like a racer will enter the world of pop culture. Just like the Urban Cowboy did for Line Dancing, the Art of Racing in the Rain will launch a generation people who will want to drive like Denny. Hold on, and enjoy the ride. And, all you old racers out there, you can say "you were doing it even before it was cool"!

sbelles

He's actually sounding a bit like Bud Luckey in that clip and he might be fine but in the past he's had a hard time playing humans who aren't Kevin Costner.

Coochas

I think the voice of Enzo should be Seth McFarlane doing his Brian voice.

LuigiVampa

The plot line in Art of Racing is a well worn path because it works. Women will see it because of the heartstrings angle and guys will watch because of the car/dog angle. Unless they totally F-ed up the movie it will make a lot of money.

I would go see that movie but I think it would be a very different show.

Wild Weasel

Ok... I've been told this is a great book and always meant to get around to it but haven't yet. So I don't know the story.

The trailer says something about being from the people who brought us Marley and Me. You know what?? F those people!! That movie ruined me. I hold that movie up as the reason I don't watch dog movies anymore. The whole point of them seems to be to emotionally destroy you.

I love my dog. I don't want to think about her mortality. I love most dogs. The worst thing about them is that they don't last nearly long enough.

So all I want to know is whether I'll enjoy this movie or whether they kill the dog at the end for the easy emotional trauma.

LuigiVampa

I love dogs as well. In the Usual Suspects there is a dog on the ship that they raid for coke in the final scenes. The boat goes on fire and there is a large explosion and all I could think was "what about the dog." In the director's cut they actually say "the dog made it out alright!"

All I can say is that I read the book and was comfortable with the end.

Wild Weasel

Thanks for this!!!

I love Mosport. It's my home track. Looking forward to seeing this now!

TXE36

There isn't anything in the book that "hams up" pet mortality - it doesn't ignore it either. My wife and I both like dogs and cats - we've had a lot of them over the years, and have a lot of them now, their 15-18 year lifespan sucks and being there at the end is the balloon payment you signed up for when you adopted the animal. The book is a story about life with an accurate backdrop of racing.

If you love dogs, you will enjoy the book. If you love cars, racing cars, and dogs, even more so. And without giving away any spoilers, there are parts of the book that are freaking hilarious. I hit one of those parts at 11 PM on a red eye flight and just could not contain my laughter - I'm lucky I didn't get interviewed by an air marshal.

It all goes back to my earlier comment - I hope the movie does justice to the book.

-Mike

ETA: You can get a used paperback on Amazon for about 5 bucks. It is a fairly quick read.

rileyracing1

I can't watch any dog movies ..... They truly kill me ... I like dogs much better than people and enjoy their company much more.

mglobe

It’s been a long time since I read the book, and my view of it was colored by having been through some really challenging times. (Wife with cancer, followed by daughter with anorexia). Wife and daughter survived btw, marriage did not.

My experience was that the book was about the dog’s owners life challenges seen through the dogs eyes. I never considered it a “dog story” per se.

I hope they are able to do justice to it on film.