The Art of Racing in the Rain

Based on a book by Garth Stein, The Art of Racing in the Rain, which unfolds from the perspective of a golden retriever named Enzo (voiced by Kevin Costner), details the ups and downs in the life of fledgling race car driver Denny (Milo Ventimiglia) – including his relationship with Amanda Seyfried’s Eve and his ongoing efforts at establishing himself in the competitive world of Formula One. Filmmaker Simon Curtis has infused The Art of Racing in the Rain with an unapologetically manipulative sensibility that does suit Mark Bomback’s syrupy screenplay quite well, admittedly, with the movie often aggressively formulaic execution offset, in its early stages, by a pleasant atmosphere and a series of better-than-expected performances. (Ventimiglia’s personable turn as the affable protagonist surely plays a key role in elevating the proceedings on a regular basis.) It’s fairly disappointing, then, that the picture eventually progresses into a disappointingly rote, by-the-numbers midsection, as Bomback places an often egregious emphasis on the central characters’ hackneyed (and entirely uninteresting) domestic issues and squabbles – with, especially, virtually everything involving Denny’s in-laws striking an eye-rollingly tedious note. Despite the inclusion of such wrongheaded material, however, The Art of Racing in the Rain nevertheless manages to rally for an effective and emotionally impactful third act that ultimately confirms its place as an erratic yet rewarding little drama.

*** out of ****