PATRICK

UK, 2018, 94 minutes, Colour.
Beattie Edmondson, Ed Skrien, Jennifer Saunders, Emilia Jones, Cherie Lunghi, Meera Syal, Gemma Jones, Peter Davison, Adrian Scarborough, Emily Atack, Bernard Cribben, Tom Bennett.
Directed by Mandie Fletcher.

Who would have thought that a well-bred British pug would be named Patrick! But, he he is.

Review recommendations are easy this time:
- for dog lovers, of course.
- For dog non-lovers, of course not (except with the caution that Patrick might prove himself somewhat engaging by the end).

At the opening of the film, a genteel old lady is multi-coddling Patrick, spoiling him rotten (as they say). By contrast, Sarah, and we soon learn she is the old lady’s granddaughter, experiences her partner leaving, collapses in a complete mess, overeating, oversleeping in compensation. She goes home for her grandmother’s funeral, arriving late, picked on by her mother and her high-achieving sister, and, when the will is read, she learns that her grandmother has left her Patrick as a bequest.

In fact, Sarah does not like Patrick all that much and definitely does not want to take him home. But, she does. Initially, there is mayhem, a literal cat-and-dog fight, mess in the house, and in her neighbour’s house, while Sarah goes on her first day on her new job at teaching English in high school, and Patrick eats, and eats, anything and everything. Will there be any bonding?

Sarah is played by Beattie Edmondson, daughter of comedian Adrian Edmondson of the Comic Strip – and her mother, who does appear in the film, is Jennifer Saunders. There are quite a lot of character actors in small roles, Cherie Lunghi and Peter Davison (a one-time Doctor Who), as her parents, Bernard Cribbins as an old widower, Gemma Jones as a neighbour with the dog, Meera Syal as the school principal, Adrian Scarborough as the initially prissy and over-critical teacher. And there are some younger players, romantic possibilities, including Ed Skrien as a vet and Tom Bennett as Ben, with whom she entangles, literally, while taking Patrick for runs in the park.

A lot of the action takes place in the school while Patrick is at home. Sarah has a recalcitrant class but she also brings a klaxon to bring them to attention and tells them the plot of Jane Eyre in rap style. There is a girl with problems, Emilia Jones, whom she helps. There is a sympathetic fellow-teacher, Emily Atack. That is where we find Jennifer Saunders, in the staff room, offering a different range of cakes every day!

The plot also involves a fund-raising run, Sarah absolutely reluctant, with the most gawky running style ever seen on screen, pressurised to do the run – and, eventually, getting their… just.

The very British film, British humour, obviously targeting dog-lovers of every age.

1. A film for dog-lovers? For those not dog-lovers? The possibilities for their changing their mind – or their feelings? (And the final credits warning for care in deciding whether to have a pug as a pet or not?)

2. A very British comedy? The dialogue and the tone? The range of character actors and their contribution? British humour?

3. The introduction to Sarah, her boyfriend walking out, her life in a mess, eating, sleeping and compensating? The prospect of her job at the school?

4. The contrast with her grandmother, with Patrick, feeding, cuddling, walking? Her collapse and death? The family gathered at the estate for the funeral? Sarah late? Her mother’s criticisms? Her father supporting her? Her sister being snooty? Playing with the children? The reading of the will, Sarah inheriting Patrick?

5. Audience response to Patrick, the pug, his appearance, his manner, being spoilt by grandmother, his being dressed up formally for the funeral? Sarah taking him home? The landlord not wanting pets? Sarah and her complete dislike of having Patrick?

6. Patrick and his continually eating – everything? The fight with the cat and the mayhem? Sarah’s slippers and the mess in the house? The encounter with Celia and her dog? Walking, keeping it quiet from the landlord? Celia reluctantly taking him for the day, his eating her pudding, Celia giving him back? Patrick barking at all the cats and dogs going by, the landlord suspicion, ousting Celia?

7. The walks in the park, the encounter with Ben, the tangle? Later meeting him, the attraction? His help, the boat in lifebouys? His turning out to be the father?

8. Sarah going to school, being late, Mr Peters and his sardonic criticism, her insulting him and his hearing, as intended? The staff room, the friendship from Becky, Jennifer Saunders as the teacher and her always making cakes? The class, trying to teach Jane Eyre, the klaxon, their attention, then mucking around? Sarah and the device of telling the narrative like a rap story? The gradual improvement, finding the boys stealing the tires, her hold over them? Mr Peters and his criticism of her trying to get the students to like her rather than teaching them the subject? Becky and her pressure on Sarah to go in the fun-run?

9. Patrick eating chocolate, going to the vet, Oliver and the encounters in the park, his charm, no charge, going to dinner, his being late because he was watching Game of Thrones, talking about himself, her cutting him off? The later encounters, his charm, apologies, funding her in the run? Accompanying her during the run?

10. Sarah gradually getting used to Patrick, able to handle him? Becky and the offer of her brother’s boat? Moving in, painting?

11. The girl with the problems, her friend, her intelligence, controlling the class by getting them to breathe in to break the record? The exam, the roll call, her not turning up? Problems at home? Sarah visiting, meeting the mother the talk about the boyfriend and moving in, taking the girl for a walk, offering her the opportunity for an alternate sitting for the exam? Discovering that Ben was her father?

12. The visit to the family, her father’s birthday, the criticisms?

13. Late for the run, Mr Peters appreciating her, letting her start officially, her awkward running style, collapsing, Oliver helping her, the group waiting at the end, the principal and Mr Peters cheering her, Becky helping her, achievement?

14. Patrick, the confrontation with the cat, his going on the boat, taking downstream, getting off, running back home, not attacking the cat, arriving for the run finale? Sarah and her searching for Patrick, the notices, people helping her?

15. Happy ending – Sarah coming out of herself, achievement, exceeding the expectations of her family, succeeding at school? And accepting Patrick?

16. The audience liking Patrick – and those not liking him, coming to accept him?