Golden Retriever Enzo (voiced by Kevin Costner) is reaching the end of his full life, and is starting to think about reincarnation, and whether he’ll come back as a human, which would make it a lot easier for him to communicate with others. He looks back on his own life, recounting his tale and that of his owner Denny Swift (Milo Ventimiglia). Denny is an ambitious race car driver who has his sights set on racing Formula One. Denny brought Enzo home when he was just a puppy, naming him after the founder of Ferrari. Racing is a huge part of Denny’s life. When he’s not helping out his former teacher Don Kitch (Gary Cole), he’s out racing on the track, or studying his dashboard camera footage from previous races, trying to perfect his craft. Enzo quickly forms his own love of racing, coming to the track with Denny, or watching classic races on TV. Denny and Enzo form a tremendous bond of love. So when Eve (Amanda Seyfried) first enters the picture, Enzo grows a bit jealous…until he discovers that there is always enough love to go around. As the family grows, and they experience tough times and heartaches, Enzo is always there for Denny, by his side and looking out for him.

The Art of Racing in the Rain is a moving story of love, the bond between a pet and its owner, and never giving up on your dreams. There have been many recent films that follow the innermost thoughts of a dog as he observes the world around him, but this one felt a bit different. There are the comedic moments where Enzo observes human behavior with a naive, child-like wonder, but also some far more dramatic moments where Enzo gets frustrated with the fact that he’s a dog and that he’s not allowed in places like hospitals where the rest of his family are allowed to go, or that he doesn’t have the ability to speak or grab onto things when his family members are in trouble. He feels helpless and useless at times, and expresses this to the viewer. At the same time, he constantly talks about his bond with Denny and the Swifts, and his love of racing.

The film is truly told through Enzo’s eyes, with many scenes viewed from Enzo’s height or perspective. Also, the viewer only sees events that Enzo could have witnessed—if he wasn’t present, then we don’t see it. So, in a scene where Enzo is accidentally left home alone to fend for himself for days, we don’t ever really see what’s going on with the other characters during that time—we just experience Enzo’s panic and delusions. While Enzo is a big focus of the film, at the same time, there is a lot of human drama as well. Denny struggles to find the right balance between two loves—his family and racing—despite being encouraged in his pursuits by his wife. And just when things are looking up, tragedy strikes, turning Denny’s world upside down. But the one constant who is there for him is Enzo.

This film should appeal to both pet owners/lovers and racing fans. The bond between Denny and Enzo will surely pull at the heartstrings of any pet owner, especially witnessing that relationship from the dog’s point of view. But the film also does an excellent job at representing the thrill, excitement and realities of the racetrack. Whether it’s Enzo witnessing a race for the first time, Denny speeding around the track, seeing the pit crew rapidly changing the tires, or just the excitement of the crowd. As Denny explains titular Art of Racing in the Rain, it is clear that this is also a metaphor for life itself—controlling a seemingly-uncontrollable situation by preemptively taking action…steering into the skid before the rain causes you to skid and lose control.

FOX’s Blu-ray release provides solid picture and sound. The picture is clean and detailed, with no sign of grain or imperfection. The film is primarily dialogue-driven, but there is also the excitement of speeding cars at the racetrack, and the audio track captures both nicely.

The Blu-ray comes packed in a standard HD keepcase along with a cardboard slipcover. Inside is the HD digital copy redemption instructions and the Blu-ray disc. The bonus material includes an audio commentary by director Simon Curtis, plus about 34 minutes of behind-the-scenes featurettes with the cast and filmmakers.

What’s Included:

Film: (1:48:49)

Blu-ray:

• 1080p / Widescreen 1.85:1
• Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, English Descriptive Audio 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1, French Dolby Digital 5.1
• Subtitles (Feature and Commentary): English SDH, Spanish, French

Digital:

• HD Digital Copy redeemable via Movies Anywhere

Extras:

• A Journey to Screen (5:48)
  Author Garth Stein talks about the various writings about reincarnation and doggy heaven—combined with his own racing experience—that came together to inspire him to write the book. Racing instructor Don Kitch Jr. talks about how his lessons were integrated into the film. Director Simon Curtis and producer Tania Landau talk about receiving the book from producer Patrick Dempsey, who discusses getting the rights for the book, while screenwriter Mark Bomback talks about adapting the novel, and star Milo Ventimiglia (“Denny”) talks about the script.
• Directing the Art (5:09)
  The cast and filmmakers discuss working with the director and what he brought to the film. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director Simon Curtis, producer Tania Landau, screenwriter Mark Bomback, animal trainer Teresa Ann Miller, and stars Amanda Seyfried (“Eve”), Milo Ventimiglia, Ryan Kiera Armstrong (“Zoë”), Kathy Baker (“Trish”) and Martin Donovan (“Maxwell”).
• Enzo Cam (4:39)
  The filmmakers talk about telling the story from the dog’s point of view, both through narration as well as the camera itself, and the rule that if Enzo couldn’t have seen it happen, we don’t see it in the film. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with author Garth Stein, screenwriter Mark Bomback, director Simon Curtis, and director of photography Ross Emery.
• Behind the Wheel (6:12)
  The cast and filmmakers talk about making sure the racing is portrayed in a realistic and satisfying way, not only in the driving but also with Denny’s career progression. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director Simon Curtis, producer Patrick Dempsey, second unit director Jeff Zwart, production designer Brent Thomas, and star Milo Ventimiglia.
• The Dog Stays in the Picture (6:19)
  The cast and filmmakers talk about working with Parker the dog. Includes behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with director Simon Curtis, author Garth Stein, animal trainer Teresa Ann Miller, VFX supervisor Neil Eskuri, producer Tania Landau, and stars Milo Ventimiglia, Ryan Kiera Armstrong and Amanda Seyfried.
• Enzo’s First Ride (5:24)
  The cast and filmmakers are on the set filming the scene where Enzo finally gets to experience his first ride on the racetrack. Includes interviews with racing instructor Don Kitch Jr., second unit director Jeff Zwart, director Simon Curtis, and star Milo Ventimiglia,
• Audio Commentary by Director Simon Curtis (1:48:49)
  Director Simon Curtis provides an interesting and informative commentary throughout the film, providing behind-the-scenes stories about the production, and giving his insight on the story, characters, and actors (both human and canine).
• Theatrical Trailer (2:12)
• Sneak Peek (7:04)
  Play All, or select from trailers for Where’d You Go, Bernadette (2:29), Breakthrough (2:25), and This is Us (2:10),

Final Thoughts:

The Art of Racing in the Rain is a sometimes heartwarming—and other times heart-wrenching—story of love, the bond between a pet and his owner, and dealing with the bumpy roads and rough weather that life throws at you, while also never giving up on your dreams. The cast is great—the bond between Enzo and Denny feels quite real, and that is thanks to both the human and canine actors. Fox’s Blu-ray release features solid picture and sound as well a some nice behind-the-scenes bonus material. This release comes recommended for pet lovers or racing enthusiasts, and especially those who fall into both camps.