Having some 55 years of dog ownership there was immediate resonance with the Canadian film “The Heirloom”. It is a movie about making a movie which fits perfectly with my attendance early this month at The 65th Thessaloniki International Film Festival where amongst 21 other movies I watched three Greek movies about making a film about making a film. Is this genre now sweeping the globe?
Eric (Ben Petrie) and Allie (Grace Glowicki) are pandemic Torontonians. Eric has been labouring over a screenplay for five years caught up in a vicious unending swirl of revisions. Eric the vegan has been persuaded by Allie to bring a dog into their lives. Reluctantly he agrees but as a matter of principle he insists it be a rescue dog of which they obtain from a rescue society. Milly is a two-year-old Whippet from the Dominican Republic and she requires “some serious TLC” code name for traumatized.
Eric keenly listens to “dog rearing” advice and is convinced he must be leader of the pack. Like a big level narcotic deal as in “Easy Rider” Eric and Allie pick up Milly close to midnight at a deserted near the airport parking lot.
Gradually Eric and Allie acclimatize themselves to Milly, probably the true leader of the pack! Progress is made but Milly has her fears particularly of a tree with CD’s hanging on it. Yes, rescue dogs, and for that matter all dogs, have their peculiarities.
Eric has an abrupt about face frustrated with his eternal screenplay and decides, blessed by Allie, to make a film about Milly at which point in the film one finds it difficult at times, but not unpleasant, to determine what is reality and what is film.
A crisis strikes when due to a sudden switch of food from raw chicken to vegan Milly vomits blood and is rushed to the veterinarian at which point blame is shunted back and forth to a near point of dissolution of their relationship. Milly has a mighty poop without blood or mucus and a pile of poop viewed aerially and majestically concludes the film.
Those viewers who have never raised a dog might find the film largely comedic or even absurd while dog lovers will (pardon the expression) lap it up identifying themselves throughout the film.
Ben and Grace adopted real life dog Dilly as a rescue and this film emanated from their actual true life canine relationship. There was a personal bittersweet connection with this film for me as my dear West Highland Terrier who went to the Land Beyond just over a year ago had as his favoured nickname Dilly.
What a sensitive portrayal of Milly by Cherry!
Written and directed by Ben Petrie.
The film has a Canadian theatrical release starting 29November2024.
RKS 2024 Film Rating 74/100.
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