The Art of Racing in the Rain

Tears. This is personal. I have a 2 year old naughty, loving, beautiful and mischievous golden retriever boy. A stranger at a local dog park struck up a conversation and asked me where I got my golden. Then proceeded to tell me that I've got to go watch The Art of Racing In the Rain. So I kept the idea tucked away in my to do list. Finally cpl weeks later I purchased it on my Prime account. Movie is very heartwarming. A little sad. Unfair. Hopeful. Profound. Thoughtful. Touches on life's moments that seem to grab us. Moving along life's gifts come and go stealing our hearts. Dogs are God's gifts to us, especially those of us who are alone in age, loss of our human best-friend, single, looking to complete a family, widowed or need love to give and receive. Watch it and relax. It brought tears to my eyes knowing one day my 2 year old golden will be gone. So I embrace all of his naughtiness and love him for his big sweet heart of gold.

The Art of Racing in the Rain is one of those films that rips your heart out of your chest, dangles it in front of your face, and ultimately gives it back to you. It is a very faithful adaptation of the original novel, with some changes that I personally thought were for the better. Milo Ventimiglia and Kevin Costner bring their A games to this film. You can feel a very strong connection between their characters Denny and Enzo the dog respectively. Though this film isn't the most groundbreaking out there, it is a very well-made, heartfelt retelling of an incredibly heartwarming story.

I read this book several years ago, and I remember crying like a baby in the Charlotte airport on a layover as I read the last two chapters. Tears of sorrow combined with tears of joy streamed down my face, and this little old lady came over to me and said, "Honey, are you ok?" I smiled and just said, "This book is so good!"

Flash forward to the movie, and I literally almost started crying at the very first scene. I hold the book in high regard, and the opening shot of Enzo just brought back so many good memories of the book. As I watched the movie, I felt the producers/director stayed very true to the message of the source material. Do I know scene-by-scene if they stayed true? No, I do not. However, the overall beginning to end conveys the major events that happen, and without a doubt, it was such an incredible struggle not to burst into tears during the final moments of the movie. I was not alone in this as I heard many sniffles in the audience. It was almost sold out on a Tuesday matinee!

The overall message is perseverance, love, loyalty, and being true to yourself. The story of Enzo is a heartwarming story, and I can't recommend this book and movie enough.

My thoughts:

The Art of Racing in the Rain is beautifully and sensitively directed by Simon Curtis, who deftly orchestrates the poignant moments with humor.

Milo Ventimiglia's "This is Us" fans will recognize and love his Denny Swift; he was perfectly cast in this role.

I especially love how the movie showed the evolution of Eve & Enzo's relationship.

Kevin Costner is not the first person I'd think of to be the inner voice of a dog, but he does a great job.

This movie is a gift to anyone who's ever owned or loved a dog.

I just got out of watching The Art Of Racing In The Rain

A seriously emotional movie for me, as I had to have my beloved family dog Rocky, put down on Monday, I knew I would cry watching this, and I did.

It is not what you think it is. It is not a racing movie, nor is it a children movie about a mischievous dog, its about the people and their relationships told through the eyes of the dog, voiced beautifully by Kevin Costner.

It has been 13 years since Milo Ventimiglia starred in Rocky Balbo, yet every time he smiles that crooked smile, I'm reminded of Sly. Amanda Seyfried puts in a touching performance whilst Martin Donovan is simply a guy you will hate.

This is a movie that is all heart, I laughed and cried watching it.