Is it possible to offer a buddy movie whose protagonists are a man and a dog without necessarily falling into the big joke? This is the challenge that Channing Tatum wanted to take up with dog. In addition to starring there, the actor made his debut behind the camera by signing with Reid Carolin, also his production partner, the production of this feature film.
Posted at 8:00 a.m.
On the set, the tasks were relatively well defined. When he replied to his partner, a Belgian Malinois dog by the name of Lulu, Channing Tatum, who signs dog (Dog) as co-director, was also in charge of directing the canine star.
“And Reid had the job of leading me on his side!” said the actor during a virtual press conference held recently, at which The Press has assisted. When we’re shooting, it’s always usually a bit of chaos. Even as an actor, you never really know if what you’ve just done will turn out to be something great. In fact, I loved the whole prep process, more than directing while filming. And if I ever make another film, it is certain that I will not play in it! »
Inspired by a documentary
For both men, dog has a particular character. This fictional feature film is indeed inspired by a documentary produced for the specialized channel HBO five years ago by the company Free Association, which the tandem heads. War Dog: A Soldier’s Best Friend described how soldiers worked with their dogs during special military operations.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY ENTRACT FILMS
Channing Tatum and Reid Carolin on the set of dog (Dog)
“It’s a unique and fascinating culture,” says co-director Reid Carolin, who also wrote the screenplay. In this kind of battalion, a dog practically becomes a full-fledged soldier. »
Our goal was to tell an entertaining story while remaining as authentic as possible. We wanted to live up to those who inspired us.
Reid Carolin, co-director
Channing Tatum, who says he had dogs all his life, plays Jackson Briggs, a soldier who had to take a break after suffering a brain injury. Feeling ready to put on the uniform again, the veteran is first given a seemingly innocuous task by superiors who want to measure his abilities. Briggs is on a mission to bring back the dog Lulu who, on a mission with his master, performed heroic feats on the battlefields. The master having recently lost his life, Lulu must be brought back to Arizona in time for the funeral.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY ENTRACT FILMS
In addition to acting, Channing Tatum had the task of directing his canine partner on the set of dog (Dog).
“These dogs never stop and symbolize the best of their battalion, adds Channing Tatum. They are fearless and resist everything. They are almost superhuman! For the purposes of the film, three dogs were trained. »
On the way to some kind of healing
One of the themes discussed in the story is the physical and psychological health of military personnel. Having suffered a traumatic brain injury, Jackson Briggs, like many comrades in arms, did not return unscathed from his mission.
“In exploring this theme, we found that each member of an elite battalion is affected by something at one time or another,” says Channing Tatum. And if it’s not a traumatic brain injury, like Briggs, it could be something else. Concussions also threaten those who have to shoot heavy weapons over their shoulder. It’s so intense that the military has now put restrictions on the number of projectiles a soldier can fire within a certain period. We don’t know everything either. Not everything is reported. »
PHOTO PROVIDED BY ENTRACT FILMS
Channing Tatum’s playmate in dog (Dog) is Lulu, a Malinois sheepdog.
Ultimately, dog recounts the encounter between two living beings, indifferent to each other at first, who together find a way to a kind of healing.
“In a military community, a bit like a bubble outside the world, those who live there are used to repressing their feelings because their own survival is at stake,” explains Reid Carolin. A dog may have the ability to open them up a bit on their own. In this case, Briggs and Lulu rescue each other without even realizing it. »
dog (Dog in French version) hits theaters February 18.