Mike Smith
There are two kinds of people in this world. Dog people (guilty) and cat people. Dog people, please continue reading.
Meet Enzo. He is an older dog that has lived an amazing life. And, if you have a couple of hours to spare, he’ll share his story with you. Enzo (voiced perfectly by Kevin Costner) is chosen as a pup by Denny Swift (Ventimiglia), a race car trainer who aspires to one day drive in Formula One races. As the years progress, the two are inseparable, sharing adventures both behind the wheel and at home, Things get complicated when Denny meets Eve (Seyfried) and even more so when they have a daughter, Zoe (Ryan Kiera Armstrong). Eve’s parents, played by Kathy Baker and Martin Donovan, are well off and not happy with their son-in-law’s profession. Denny has begun to get some racing gigs, but they take him away from home for prolonged periods. Things get worse when Eve becomes sick. Can Enzo save the day?
An entertaining film that’s light on plot points, “The Art of Racing in the Rain” is the kind of film Walt Disney would make in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s (think “The Shaggy Dog”), though without such a dramatic backdrop. Ventimiglia – in the Disney version Denny would be played by Fred MacMurray – does his best with the material he’s given. I must admit that I’m really only familiar with Ventimiglia as Rocky, Jr. in “Rocky Balboa” and “Creed II.” I didn’t watch “Heroes” and, though my wife loves the show, I don’t watch “This is Us.” Considering a lot of his role is playing off of what Enzo is doing, he does a good job portraying a man who loves both his family and the art of going fast. Seyfried is fine in a very one-dimensional role, making the best out of what she’s been given. But the true star here is Costner. He’s always had the kind of voice that you wish your next “Book on Tape” comes with. It’s his story and he tells it with panache!
