Unleashed! A Dog Dancing Story

The synopsis of Unleashed! A Dog Dancing Story reads like it was ripped directly from the Christopher Guest playbook. Filmmaker Justin Turcotte's spirited Canadian documentary follows an amateur dog dancing company from British Columbia that is headed up by a self-styled theatre director, as they attempt to mount an elaborate musical production that melds canine choreography with indoor kite flying. Yes, that's correct: dogs dancing on stage with their handlers…surrounded by kite fliers. The film charts the two-year process of prepping the show for the stage, interweaving behind-the-scenes drama with the stories of the dog dancers, most of whom discovered the activity in retirement. Dog dancing is a serious pastime for its participants, many of whom have invested years of their lives training their dogs to dance with them. The documentary presents its subject with due respect and no condescension, although the machinations behind the stage production—a bizarre, costumed Lord of the Rings-ish fantasy epic—do devolve into unintended comedy on occasion as the players and their dogs learn moves while under the gun. A heartening film that shines a spotlight on the love and intimate bonds that allow a unique group of owners and their pets to move as one, this is recommended. (P. Morehart)