DARLING COMPANION

US, 2011, minutes, Colour.
Kevin Kline, Diane Keaton, Dianne Weist, Richard Jenkins, Mark Duplass, Elizabeth Moss, Sam Shepard.
Directed by Lawrence Kasdan.

Darling Companion was written by the husband and wife team, Lawrence and Meg Kasdan. Lawrence Kasdan directed the film. He made an impact early in his career with such films as Body Heat, The Big Chill, Silverado. At the making of Darling Companion he had not made a film for eight years, since Dreamcatcher.
This is definitely a film for dog-lovers, especially older dog-lovers.
The film has a very strong cast with Diane Keaton and Kevin Kline as a long-married couple with the spark gone from the marriage, she highly emotional, he very busy, conscious of his reputation as a surgeon. He works with his nephew, played by Mark Duplassd. The couple have a married daughter and another daughter whom they hope will marry soon. She is played by Elizabeth Moss.
On the way home from shopping, mother and daughter see an injured dog at the side of the freeway and rescue it. Mother becomes very attached to the dog, wants to keep it, her husband very unwilling. The daughter is attracted to the vet, which leads to engagement and marriage.
All might seem to be in order when the husband, on his mobile phone, lets go of the dog, Freeway, who runs off. The rest of the film is about the three day search for the dog, the resentment of the wife, the defensiveness of the husband, advice from the manager of the holiday home, a gypsy who says she has extra sight and gives opinions as to where the dog can be found. It isn’t. However, she and the nephew become attached and will probably marry. Added to the mix are the surgeon’s sister and her partner whom the family tend to dislike. There is also the local sheriff who is sympathetic to the search.
There are many adventures, venturing into other towns and finding suspicious characters, getting lost in the woods, with injuries and the need to be rescued.
The film has great strength with husband and wife being played by Diane Keaton and Kevin Kline. Dianne Wiest and Richard Jenkins play the sister and her partner. Sam Shepard is the sheriff.

1. A film for dog-lovers? A film about marriage, relationships, crises?
2. Colorado, the mountains and woods, the town, the holiday house, the various people in the community? Musical score?
3. The title, referring to Freeway?
4. The picture of the family, Beth and her edginess, Joseph and his work as a surgeon, in the hospital, busy, with his nephew, Bryan. The married daughter and her family? Grace, her studies, the hope that she would be married?
5. Beth and Grace seeing the dog, stopping, its look and dirt, taking it to the vet, the vet and his concern, extra attention? Taking the dog home?
6. At home, Joseph and his unwillingness, Beth and her emotions, Grace and her support of her mother, the vet arriving, extra work, walking with Grace? The passing of time, the dog still at home, Sam and Grace being engaged, the preparation for the wedding? The wedding ceremony? Their going on their honeymoon?
7. Penny and Russell arriving, Penny and her relationship with Joseph, brother and sister, their cantankerous mother at the wedding and her complaints? The family’s criticisms of Russell, as exploiting Penny, as being irresponsible? His explanations for his plan for an English pub in Nebraska? His asking for them to chip in? The negative reactions? Especially from Bryan defending his mother? The loving bond between Penny and Russell?
8. Joseph walking, the mobile phone, losing the dog? The recriminations and effects?
9. The search, the police, finding the sheriff, his fishing, kidney stone, taking him to hospital? His sympathy? Everyone becoming involved in the search, going out in pairs, Beth and Joseph bickering, lost, the injury, found? A time for them to take stock of their relationship? Bryan and Russell going to the threatening man and his dogs?
10. Carmen, her work of the house, providing for the wedding breakfast, her gypsy background, claims to having extra sight, Joseph and his scepticism, Beth and her beliefs? Their following her advice, the different places, the colour of houses…? The days passing, changes in attitude, Beth becoming more realistic? Bryan, with Carmen, infatuation, relationship?
11. On the plane, the carry-on of the upset passengers, seeing Freeway, the decision to turn back, Joseph and his feigning illness, the support of the sheriff?
12. Out walking, Freeway’s appearance, everyone reunited?
13. The happy ending, re-igniting the spark in the marriage, investing in the pub, the phone calls from the couple on honeymoon? Freeway as a catalyst for love and reunions?