Underdog

Doug Butler is a force of nature with a good heart and an indefatigable positive attitude. "Underdog" follows Doug on his long path attempting to make it to a dog sledding race in Alaska as he faces the daily challenges of running a family farm in Vermont, without any sugar coating.

You'll learn as much about the rigors of running a small family farm as you will about developing a dog sled team - on a shoestring budget.

Doug seems to be constantly in motion, so much so that I doubt that Tommy Hyde, who made the film, could keep up with him or get him to sit down long enough to talk about his situation, which works to our advantage, I think, as we see Doug being Doug which tells us what we need to know.

Very interesting and heart warming with a sharp edge of reality. Well worth watching.

Underdog is a heartwarming, heart-wrenching, hopeful, and hilarious vérité film. It shares Doug Butler's rollercoaster of a journey on his farm in Vermont and finding his way to Alaska. I found myself with tears in my eyes one moment, and then cackling alongside Doug the next.

The filmmaker beautifully captured the passage of time, and vulnerable moments with Doug, someone who clearly doesn't open up too often. Those glimpses into the hardships of Doug's life added a layer of complexity that make the high-points that much higher, and left me cheering Doug along at every turn.

Loved this film.

Doug Butler is captured in all his energy, humor, optimism and grace in the face of daunting challenges. Butler's comfort with the director allowed us astonishing access to the highs and lows of a dairy farmer's precarious existence. Like the best documentaries, the film often feels like a scripted narrative - a testament to the 300 hours of filming time and the filmmakers' skillful storytelling and editing.

Most importantly, Doug's story couldn't arrive at a better time in American life - we all could use some of his relentlessly big heart and good cheer. Share this film with others - it will stick with every person who watches.

Highly highly recommend!!! Very thoughtfully made film that gripped my attention and my heart from start to finish. Doug is a mesmerizing character and you can't help but cheer him on. Plenty of micro and macro themes to chew on after the credits roll too, so it makes for a good post-movie conversation. There's the inspiring storyline of Doug's indomitable optimism and sportsmanship. There's also a sober portrayal of the predicaments facing family farmers in Vermont and elsewhere in the U. S. Hyde doesn't shy away from these themes, but wisely let's the film do the talking so you can reach your own conclusions. I look forward to more stuff from Hyde! And best wishes to Doug, if you happen to read this!

This film really sits you down next to Doug with a serious glimpse into his life both in dairy farming and dogsled racing. These to livelihoods don't usually go together but in this films organization and direction they seem like a perfect fit. So many different emotions are felt throughout.

This film is so creatively and beautifully done with a consistent flare of humor and emotional moments. You are really along for the ride with Doug and the ride is an unexpected adventure to say the least. I am excited to see this film again! Thank you Tommy Hyde for introducing us to the legend that is Doug Butler.