Dog Park

Melancholy and spiritless, this dreary romantic comedy plays like it was written by a depressed guy in the wake of being dumped. As a matter of fact, that guy would be former Kids in the Hall cast member Bruce McCulloch, who also makes his wildly unpolished directorial debut with this borderline depressing yarn about rebound romance starring sad-eyed, generic nice guy Luke Wilson (Blue Streak) and Species babe Natasha Henstridge as lovelorn dog owners destined for each other. Several flat, under-rehearsed comedic set pieces are trotted out in an effort to achieve witty/bitter relationship wisdom, but the lifeless script and aimless direction make this pretty much a bowser. Not recommended. (R. Blackwelder)