Fluke

I am a male of 37yrs who first watched fluke a few years ago. Recently i purchased both the D.V.D,The Video and also the book. Every time i watch this film,i cry like a 5yr old kid!!!Its so bad that i have to watch it on my own, and its a running joke amongst my friends...as they know the state I'm in whilst watching it!! This film is at first just another shaggy-dog story, but if you read into its meaning, it really makes you wonder about living life to the full, appreciating what you have in life, and realising that there are no 2nd chances... The film begins after he dies in the crash, and from here on in...it just gets worse!! First, he has to say goodbye to his Doggy-mum,which cuts me up every time....then he sees his friend Bella,the tramp, die. But the WORST part is when his old friend dies by the lake,after being shot..God this film is a KILLER at times!!! At this point i sob like a baby!! Then when poor Fluke finally tracks down his old family,he comes to realise that they would be better off being left alone, and move on.... The scene by the Gravestone, when she realises just who Fluke is, as he scrapes away the snow to reveal his name, is one of the most moving pieces of film I've ever seen!! But at the VERY end, something nice happens...he meets his old friend again!!!! This film is just SOOOOOOO BRILLIANT!!!!Gary Edwards

I remembered the commercials for this film. Oh boy. Another cute puppy movie. Then I heard Siskel & Ebert review it and was amazed that they LOVED it. It took a few years before I finally rented it, but I must say that I agree with them. Just like "Babe" is more than a cute animal movie, "Fluke" is more than a dog movie for the kids. A good bittersweet tale that makes me hope for reincarnation.

To someone picking up this little flick without bothering to go into it a bit more, you are probably expecting some Disney-like movie (Just look at the box cover) and the premise even suggest it: A man is reincarnated as a dog and goes on a search to find his family. Boy, was I surprised. Not only is the dog trying to find his family, he's out for revenge against the man who put him in the situation in the first place. Full of mature themes and gripping moments, this is one of those rare movies that will definitely make you think and- as stated by everyone else here- shed a few tears.

We follow Fluke from puppyhood to adulthood as he starts trying desperately to find out who he once was. After putting 2 and 2 together, Fluke does indeed set out on a journey to find his wife and son, much to the dismay of his ill-fated friend Rumbo, a dog who was also human. When Fluke finds them, he's living the good life- that is, until his crooked business partner comes in and crashes the party. Fluke is determined to make sure he won't do any harm to his family as he did to him. But is Fluke going by truth, or what he wants to believe?...

The main thing about this movie that hit me at first was the music. The beautiful orchestra soundtrack accompanied this film perfectly. There were a few times I watched the credits simply to hear the music. And of course, what's good music without good filmography to go with it? This movie has that too. Some of the most bright, natural filming can be seen with the dog as he braves mountains and rivers on his long journey, or during the more peaceful moments as he plays with his family out in the sunshine. All in all, the filming and soundtrack itself is definitely a step up from a few of the more well-known animal movies, like Homeward Bound for instance.

The story itself is very unpredictable, another thing I was not expecting from a movie such as this. Fluke's acts and visions will keep you watching to find out the real story behind his past. But while he's fending away his partner, he's trying to convince his family that he's more than just some old dog. Many of these scenes had me stop the movie just to pull myself together, such as when he did his "fatherly" duties of tucking his son in and laying on his side of the bed during the night.

Acting in the movie ranges from good to alright. It's not the best acting in the world, but the humans weren't the ones I paid attention to and even then, the dogs still had the best lines and voicing, despite the fact that they talked only for a short while. The little boy had to be the most irritating of all though, especially in scenes when he was distressed in any way. I also feel the lab scene could have been executed a bit better. That scene seemed to pass by too quickly or just put in the middle of the movie with no purpose, but it did help explain a major event, so I can't complain.

In conclusion: Fluke is a timeless gem and a very impressive attempt at a family drama from such an unknown director. The filmography, score, and plot itself made this movie one of best animal-oriented movies of the last century. Only the acting from the humans and a few of the sometimes out-of-place scenes hurt the movie just a tad, but not enough to stop me from giving this underrated movie the recommendation it truly deserves.

Fluke is directed by Carlo Carlei who also co-adapts the screenplay with James Carrington from the novel written by James Herbert. It stars Matthew Modine, Eric Stoltz, Nancy Travis, Ron Perlman, Bill Cobbs, Jon Polito and Samuel L. Jackson. Music is scored by Carlo Siliotto and cinematography by Raffaele Mertes.

Workaholic Thomas Johnson is killed in an auto accident and is reincarnated as a dog. As he grows from pup to adult dog he starts to remembering things from his human life and sets about piecing together exactly who he was and what happened to him.

It was a box office flop, a hard sell anyway with its cross genre themes, but MGM didn't know how to market it. Was it an animal adventure for the kids? A family drama message movie? Or a metaphysical bit of dalliance? Truth is is that it is all three, an engagingly thoughtful movie that is flavoured by fantastical whimsy whilst also beating a poetic heart. There's humour in here, too, especially when Fluke teams up with the wise and shaggy Rumbo (Jackson). But predominantly picture is about emotional beats, sitting in that void between genuine warmth and tragedy. It's unashamedly sentimental, but that's a good thing, and it's not just confined to the animal aspects of the story, this is still a very real human drama. The messages within are handled with care, there's no beating us over the head here.

Director Carlei disappeared from Hollywood after the failure of Fluke, which is a shame since he crafts a great picture of strength. His dog POV camera work is smart in bringing us into Fluke's world, and many shots are gorgeously framed and filmed by director and photographer alike. It's also admirable in how he handles the excellent canine actors (Comet as Fluke is mightily impressive and expressive), it's no disgrace to the human actors to say the canines own the movie. There's some implausibilities, obviously, and one or two moments are too surreal for their own good; a laboratory break out sequence is cheer worthy but Carlei overdoes it, but this is still a lovely and interesting movie. Just like the great John Herbert's novel is for adults, so is the film. You can watch it with the kids for sure, so long as you have the fortitude to discuss with them the film's inner workings. 8/10

'Fluke' isn't my favourite film, but it comes close. (Powder is my favourite movie) Usually a lot of animal movies come out with crazy and over the top antics, but this one, this is different, it has quite a unique and interesting plot, not just the average animal movie plot about a 'kid and his dog'. Oh No, 'Fluke' is different, its a lot more special than that. I cannot say that there aren't mistakes, but still when you watch you can feel the magic of the movie and you don't really notice anything wrong with it. Anyway, this is a very weepy film; it is bound to make you cry, if you are either a sensitive adult or a child. This film made me cry about three times, but then again I am a very soppy person when is comes to weepy movies of any kind.

If your wandering if its worthy of your viewing then I'll tell you now, it is completely and utterly worthy of anyone's viewing. If you see it in a video store and you haven't rented it out before, then rent it out, watch it, it's a brilliant film. The animal actors are superb, and I just loved this film, real tearjerker. Well I'm going to stop repeating myself and let you decide on your opinion on it. See it's a top movie! Oh and one more thing, the message in this film is quite a common message that is portrayed in a lot of films but the way this film does it, is very unique and powerful. Thanks for reading this!

9 out 10

Huge_Movie_Fan-‘Powder'-Movie-Lover!!!