Kicking the Dog (2009) User Reviews

With friends like these who need enemas??

[movieman_kev · 2/10 · 12 August 2009]

A group of friends spend their last summer the have before entering adulthood by....staying at home and having fairly lame parties, full of sexual stories of past escapades and hitting on girls. Oh those wild ones.

This movie is full of frank sex talk that i'd guess is supposed to be humorous, but the movie isn't on for long before it just becomes boring and tedious. It seems that the writer of this was attempting to channel Kevin Smith (old "Clerks" era Smith, the New Kevin Smith is too busy trying to channel Judd Apatow), but lacked the ability to successfully pull it off. What we get is an overlong, unfunny, exercise in tedium.

Eye Candy: Lorianne Dye get topless

My Grade: D-

DVD Extras: Just a theatrical trailer for this movie; and trailers for "Hide", "Stormforce", & "Brother's War"

There should be -Stars for voting on this movie!

[robk-18 · 1/10 · 11 May 2010]

I have to believe that all the reviews of this movie that have more than one star are written by those who were in the film or had friends that are in it.

It was like watching a porn movie without the sex scenes. A home movie of a fraternity party would have been more interesting. I found myself fast-forwarding just to see if I could find a nude scene or something to keep me interested in this crap of a film.

I hate to be harsh but this film is the worst film I have ever seen and would rather watch someone actually Kick a Dog than recommend anyone waste their time with this trash.

Silver Lining: the fast forward button on the remote!

Worst. Movie. Ever!

[adambattese · 1/10 · 30 December 2009]

I tend to over exaggerate about most things, it just makes the story more exciting, but in this case I am not.

This film was horrendous, obviously filmed with a budget of about $500 and staring bartender school drop outs. There is nothing nice I can say about it. The epic lack of plot is only out done by the sever lack of quality comedy, with mentions to used strap on dildos and dirty sanchezes, this movie obviously has been made by and enjoyed by people who have never been to high school let alone collage.

Or please prove me wrong, the next time you are having sex with some one and wipe a digit, which has been inside there anus, on their upper lip, make a movie about it. Just please do a better job than what these clowns did.

I will always remember this as the worst movie I have ever seen!

[azi-yikiel · 1/10 · 3 January 2010]

First off, I would like to start by saying that this movie deeply upset me, but not in a way where i thought it was emotionally poignant. No, this movie deeply upset me because I cannot believe that someone "Randy Scooter Lammey" thought that this piece of garbage would ever make a living soul laugh. You know what? I did laugh. I laughed at the fact that we were suppose to relate to a bunch of college guys, who thought that having five inch penises was something to brag about! How is that cool????!!! Oh and I'm suppose to relate to the character of Matt, a 25 year old player who in real life is actually 42? Oh and you know how every great comedy has that one fat guy who people always remember? Yeah well, in Kicking the Dog we are presented with two fat depressing failures who by volunteering to be in this movie have destroyed any possible chance to ever converse or interact with a woman. Their logic in this movie and existence in real life is unacceptable and and as a nation we need to castrate these two kids for walking off that set thinking they were ever remotely cool. I can seriously right a novel about why this movie should be lynched, if it was ever possible, but I don't think this movie is worth another second of my time.

Truly Funny With Unique Look at an Tired Genre

[carpenterleon48 · 8/10 · 13 October 2011]

The teen sex genre has been tired since everyone decided to rip off American Pie in the late 90s/easrly 00s. So it's refreshing when a movie comes along that somewhat re-writes the style - and it's actually funnier than most teen comedies - and I dare to say that it will appeal to a wider audience range - meaning from 14 to 40. What it lacks in plot it more than makes up for in laughs.

What we have is a group of friends who have just graduated college and are hanging out at a friends house. I don't know where the parents are at for what seems like 2-3 weeks, but it doesn't really matter. Unlike previous movies in this genre, these guys aren't desperately trying to have sex to lose their virginity - they're just acting like 22 year olds. They want sex, want to get drunk, want to have fun and want to hang out with their friends. And their conversations about life is so perfect and non-stop that you feel like you've been there.

The main story is that the lead actress (elizabeth schimdt is very good and offers an emotional aspect that offsets the boob jokes) is going to graduate school across country while her boyfriend declines a job offer to stay with her, not realizing she's leaving. He feels betrayed and she's confused. She carries these scenes, which saves this underdeveloped plot line. There is also some minor plot lines with some young eye candy as well as some innocent geeks - one of which steals every scene - sometimes with his words and other times with simple expressions.

It only slows a couple times, and never for long. The conversations and jokes come at you as fast as any movie - and much faster than any teen comedy - which makes up for the lack of a great plot (but tell me, how many teen comedies have a great plot) and the fact that too much of the movie is in 1 location. That may be my biggest complaint, I understand it was low budget, but 2 more locations could have made this movie, as they say at the end, "LEGENDARY!" I guess the haters just don't get it. I don't know how. I think of the scenes and just laugh.

Better Than Slacker

[markhansen401 · 7/10 · 6 January 2015]

First off, this is an independent film, basically in the same vein as two of the most famous - Clerks and Slacker. We all know Kevin Smith made Clerks and went on to a successful career. But you may not realize that Slacker was the first effort by Richard Linklater who's second effort was the legendary movie that began as a cult classic and is now a staple of every teen and 20- something - the great Dazed and Confused. Why am I mentioning this? Because I think that Slacker is one of the worst movies I have ever seen. It couldn't hold my attention for more than a few minutes and I only laughed two times. And yet Linklater went on to make an iconic movie about high school kids a couple years later. Lammey's Kicking The Dog, although rough around the edges (we'll get into that in a moment), is a hundred times better than Slacker - basically because it's really funny. I read a review that said something like "Linklater's sophomore effort was Dazed and Confused, which is a classic. Lammey's first effort is a superior movie than Linklater's Slacker, so I'm setting my Google alert so I don't miss his next film"

Basically that's how I feel. each went a different route with their low budget indie films. Slacker roamed around town, never staying on a character for more than a few minutes and never being very funny. Kicking The Dog stays in a single home and has a bunch of characters interact with each other in that house. But the key difference - The Dog is really funny. Both films went in these directions because of their budget. But someone saw that Linklater had potential and he went on to make D&C. As far as pure comedy goes, Slacker is not in the same league as KTD. KTD is funny and often hilarious. Show it to a group of 18 year olds and watch their reactions. Yes, the acting is up and down, as is the story. Staying in one house feels awkward at times. But if you just watch and listen to the comedy, it will keep you laughing.

Sorry it's not really a review. I just watched the movie after not seeing it for a few years and tried to see if Lammey made another and I stumbled upon the review comparing it to Slacker, which made me think. If you like teen sex comedies, watch it. You will laugh.

Fast Dialog, non-stop laughs

[williamsryan · 8/10 · 17 December 2011]

Very funny dialog-and-antics driven movie - but mostly dialog. Not the typical antics like "I have to lose my virginity this summer", or trying to see a girl naked, or get a date with the hottest girl, etc. Basically it's unlike the movie you think it's going to be. This may be because the box cover has NOTHING to do with the movie (not sure if this is a good or bad marketing ploy or why they didn't just use something from the movie).

It's a sex comedy based around friends just out of college with an older friend and some high schoolers. It has a few of the generic characters from these types of movies - the older guy who still hangs out, the hot high school girl, the geeky kids - but the main characters are somewhat normal - and are just trying to find their way in life while they reminisce about the good old days. And isn't that what we all do when we are settling down - we don't make new fun as much as talk about the fun we used to have?

Drawbacks - too much of the action takes place in 1 house. That's the only big one. Also could have sacrificed some of the stand-alone comedic scenes for a little more story, but that's not too big.

Positives - Very, very funny. Writer has a keen ear for dialog and humor. The actors, generally, are very good. More than half are memorable. Soundtrack is better than most movies, and there are a lot of songs since there are a lot of party scenes. It looks good - by that I mean, the quality is better than most lower budget comedies I've seen.

It's funny. Period.

More Than Good Enough

[ryanblaise-763-350110 · 6/10 · 12 August 2013]

That's how I would describe this little indie comedy that's almost a gem. It follows a group of friends - not quite the stereotypical group you find in most teen comedies - as they hang out for a week over summer. You have the younger hot girls who are impressed by the older guys - although there is only one older guy interested - and his slightly dry performance brings more than a few laughs as well as some laugh-out-loud moments. His younger brother and his friends are the ones who really want the girls, but don't realize they have no chance. Throw in a hilarious guy who wants footjobs and a job in a sex store (and dreams of little people), and this script almost never lets up.

The lead actress - Elizabeth Schmidt - brings a realness and tenderness to a role that isn't often seen in a sex comedy - and she truly is impressive and appears just as comfortable with her comedic timing as in her emotional scenes, which moves this movie beyond a typical sex comedy.

I had to rewind the movie a few times when I started watching it because the jokes were coming fast, often with little build up or space between. And some were just so funny or unique I had to hear them again. But be warned - you have to pay attention, if you don't, you're not going to enjoy this movie. I've seen enough bad teen sex comedies to know how they work - guys pursue hot unattainable girls, hi-jinx pursue and builds up to an uncomfortable funny moment every 5 minutes. Well, that is NOT Kicking The Dog. It doesn't rely on much build-up - just an impressive fast-paced script, quick editing, above average delivery and a unique take on everything "sex". That's right, I did say "unique".

Besides the fact you absolutely have to pay attention every second to get the jokes (90% are in the conversation) you also need to know the scenes take place in few locations, which is what ultimately keeps this movie from being rated higher. I feel as though it needed more unique hang-outs to put the actors in - or separate them from each other. I think that could have helped the overall look.

Basically, you;re going to laugh start to finish, you'll have to rewind it a few times to hear what you missed, and you'll be impressed by the touching moments...but you're going to wish you saw more places, or saw the cast out doing more.

Soundtrack - Very good. The songs used at the beginning and end are great! A few fast paced and a very slow song near the end.

Actors - Recognized one (Vedette Lim from true Blood), but a few others have done TV and movie work, so you may recognize more. Lead actors were all very good. A ton of actors with lines in this film.

Writer / Director - Randy Scoot Lammey. Not sure about the knickname - is it cool or corny? I guess if he's famous it's cool, otherwise it was a bad decision. His comedic writing is gold, but could tweak his storyline skills. Directing seemed adequate, but it's tough to judge.

BTW, even though there is almost no swearing in this film, I doubt you'll see it on USA anytime soon simply because of the topics - sex, sex, sex. And some little people.

I gave it a 6. I think that's fair. It's definitely above average - just because of the dialog and humor. The actors being tied to one major location holds it back. Some story lines could have been more developed.

It's worth a watch. A couple friends do quote it a lot. "you're not a little fella after all"

Awesome Indie Comedy

[ryanbt · 9/10 · 12 June 2011]

I've never felt compelled to write a review or even vote for a movie, but I found this movie so funny that I actually signed up for IMDb to write a review.

This may be the funniest movie I have ever seen. The first time I watched it was with about 5-6 of my buddies and we had to rewind it a bunch of times because we were laughing so hard we missed the next joke. I think we watched the dwarf jump onto the bed 5 times.It must have took us an extra half an hour just to watch it.

The humor is dead-on. The acting is way better than I expected.

The writer has an amazing ear for comedy - and the actors may have been even better. It can't be easy to get in-character for a footjob - but to make it seem real and funny is a testament to the cast. Now that I write this review, I think that's what makes the movie great - that there's a footjob, but it seems like they're both cool with it, not way over-the-top. It doesn't go for the cheap low-brow jokes, even though the topics seem to be low-brow.

Most writers would takes these topics and go for the lowest and simplest joke, with no thought and the movie would would sink into bathroom humor. Somehow, this writer takes material that's already low-brow and makes it rise above that and seem real and intelligent.

Funny and Generally Realistic

[bobw1842 · 8/10 · 19 October 2010]

Like most people, the box cover completely threw me off. The artwork is not a good representation of the movie - and in fact the two guys on the cover aren't in the movie as far as I can tell. I was somewhat stunned the first 5 minutes of the movie, since it was nothing that I expected - which was some hot girls prancing around a party and getting half naked. Then I started to laugh - and I kept laughing.

Honestly, I laughed more at this movie than maybe any movie I have ever seen. At times, I was almost ashamed to be laughing - but it was so perfect. Yeah, they say wiener and discuss sex in front of girlfriends - but it took me back to when I was 20 and did the exact same thing. And the conversations are perfect. Yes they're over-the-top at times - but didn't you have 1-2 guys in your crowd that went over-the-top because they knew it was funny? So, yes I laughed a lot - probably more than similar movies. That said, those other movies like Superbad, Amer Pie, Old School - are still better movies because they use more locations (which Kicking The Dog needed) which keep it more interesting, the characters/acting absorbs you more, and there is a plot - which is my main issue with KTD.

KTD needed a cool plot to become a top level movie. It's basically a 5/10 movie with 9/10 humor. But the super low budget gives it a bonus point. It's not like I ever thought, "where's the plot", because there are some, but nothing that sucks you in during those slower moments.

From the ratings, this is a love it or hate it movie. Like when Music Magazines do those "people's choice - best and worst bands of the year" and the same band wins both the best and the worst. That's how I see this movie. If you had similar experiences hanging out with friends, you will probably laugh your butt off and love this movie. If you didn't, then you will probably shut it off after 10 minutes. But there are some genuine moments (the girlfriend is cute and very good actress).

Very Funny for Indie Comedy

[larrythetableguy89 · 8/10 · 3 February 2011]

First off, if this was on a Hollywood budget, I would have rated it a 6. I considered giving it a 9 because of the budget, but settled on a reasonable 8. It is very funny and at times I caught myself rewinding the movie because I missed a joke because me or one of my buddies was laughing and couldn't hear it.

The context is somewhat simple - college kids (with a few high schoolers, as well as an over-the-hill hanger-on) party on 2-3 weekends and discuss sex while trying to have sex. It's very straight-forward and I've heard my friends have similar conversations many times. The writer has a keen ear for natural dialog and it's displayed with nearly every conversation, which are usually rapid-fire and funny. Even the few argument scenes come across very good, which I definitely didn't expect from this movie (thanks to Elizabeth Schmidt, who we should see more of).

Occasionally you feel trapped inside the house - since nearly every scene happens in a single location. But just about the time you think it's going to drag, the tempo picks up, a location changes, or something bizarre happens (cue the dwarf-3some dream sequence).

One nice thing about this movie is that the girls actually remind me of girls I hang out with. They're cool, can hang with guys, and are not simply an object to be conquered, although the guys are spending most of their time trying to hook up. And maybe that's why it seems so natural - because the guys are being themselves around the girls - having fun and trying to have sex, not just one or the other.

It's not for everyone, but it's worth a look because it you like the humor, you may rate it higher than I did. It also has a very impressive soundtrack, although I haven't found the songs for sale.

Funny Scenes and Story but Lacks Compelling Plot

[robertlazy08 · 8/10 · 18 October 2010]

Kicking The Dog is basically a story about a group of friends who are hanging out and telling stories about the "good ol' days" while either trying to grow up, trying to recapture those glory days, or wanting to enjoy those moments for the first time. If you "get the humor" you will find it hilarious most of the time.

It's funny because it perfectly captures the conversations and odd situations that arise while in your high school and college. I've never seen another movie or writer that manages to perfectly capture the conversations AND the humor of the topics, which are mostly sex. Most movies seem like the writer has an idea about a situation that would be funny, but is generally unrealistic. This is exactly the stupid sh!t that happens, and it is funny.

But it lacks a compelling plot, which isn't necessarily needed. The characters, conversations and scenes push the movie forward, but a more compelling plot would have helped me enjoy the characters more; although it actually moves at a fairly good pace most of the time. It just seems like it needs more of a story to make me become attached to the characters.

Basically, you will laugh and be entertained, if you get the humor, which I think most people between 15-35 will. It also as a ton of borderline great quotes.

Surprisingly Hilarious

[markdetw8 · 9/10 · 16 September 2013]

Admittedly I expected a typical straight-to-DVD teen sex comedy with a few laughs and some hot naked girls. What I got was a movie that made me laugh almost constantly from beginning to end, and the times I wasn't laughing was because there was actually a real, tender moment on screen, which I didn't expect from a movie that opened with a nipple joke. Seriously, the serious moments are unexpected, but a highlight of a movie that's all about sex.

The storyline is thin and underdeveloped, but that's not important to your enjoyment of the film. Would it be better with a little more development of a couple story lines? Yes, but if you like to laugh, you won't mind that the plots are a little thin.

The story revolves around a group of friends and their younger high school age siblings who are spending time together while parents are on vacation. They're old friends and nothing is off limits as they discuss, brag and reminisce about the good times. It's all sex, but without the typical vulgarity. i would say the words used - like 'weiner' - are actually typical when telling sex stories in mixed company. The main character, Sachem, tells a lot of the stories, to the dismay of his girlfriend (played to perfection by Elizabeth Schmidt), while agonizing over whether he wants to move across country. He appears to be ignorant and rude, but he's trying to push her away, which will make his decision to move much easier. He's torn between his love and his dream and I think this plot line is done very well.

Meanwhile everyone else is trying to get laid. The older brother is hilarious as the guy who shouldn't be hanging out, but loves the girls who love him back. The older girls don't fall for his schtick, but the younger girls are instantly in love. There is a crazy guy who has an odd sexual fetish and a younger overweight kid who doesn't say much, but when he does, it's hysterical. The girls are all hot -and there are 6-8 of them.

If you like to laugh, and don't mind sex jokes, this movie is for you. I think the reason it's so funny is because it wasn't made to be a by-the-numbers teen sex comedy straight to DVD ripoff. It's an indie film shot in someone's house who had no barriers and probably didn't have to answer to anyone and just made a hilarious movie. And if you're worried about the "indie" aspect, don't be - it was shot on film, looks professional, has a good soundtrack - and most of the acting is very good. I'd dare to say the acting is better than most teen movies.

Funny Movie You Can Relate To

[beerpongoutlaw · 10/10 · 18 August 2009]

I was attracted because of a combination of the movie poster and the low-budget production story (like Clerks) and left hoping this filmmaker gets a chance to make a movie on a Hollywwod budget. It had the rare ability to keep me entertained and laughing for 90 minutes - even my girlfriend laughed at most of the scenes - and she threatened to refuse to watch it after the opening scene! If you liked a movie like Dazed and Confused - with no real point, just cool scenes and conversations - you will enjoy this little gem called Kicking The Dog. If you don't "get" these movies, and never spent your weekends drinking beer with buddies, getting too drunk to hook up, reminiscing about the good times and generally having fun, you also won't see the absolute perfect humor in this movie either. Some people just don't understand getting drunk and having fun. If you do, you will quote this movie forever. "Just sit back and enjoy the best 5 inches this side of the Mississippi!!" It's not Clerks and it's not American Pie. Yes, it's conversation, but this is real conversation that buddies have when there's nothing else to do except get drunk and try to hook up - and it's so real it's hilarious. The conversation in Clerks was funny for different reasons. And AP had a $10 million budget, not $50k, so it should be held to higher standards, although I truly find Kicking The Dog as entertaining as Pie or Clerks.

Basically a bunch of friends get drunk, discuss sex, poke boobs, play drinking games, discuss sex, get drunk, get a footjob, have fun and a few even have serious issues with their relationships (but don't worry, they're getting drunk too). Plus the acting is amazing for a low budget film - actually probably better than any teen movie since Pie.

An independent American Pie/Porky's for a new generation

[jmsyjr · 8/10 · 14 May 2009]

This little gem of an indie comedy is filled with many one-liners that will surely be shared among friends for months after viewing.

I first saw a clip on you tube. I thought to myself, "Any scene in any movie that involves using mayonnaise as lubrication has GOT to be a funny flick!" I then decided to buy it from Mr. Lammey's website (who, by the way, is an awesome guy) and received the film quickly thereafter.

I watched the movie with some friends with some mixed reactions. DON'T watch this movie if you have a large woman around that can't take jokes about women of the same order. It had some pretty ridiculous moments and some of the jokes are a bit facetious BUT, the same can be said of all high school/college based comedies.

If you enjoy slapstick and/or teen humor, this movie should go right up your alley.

You will be amazed how some people use their feet!

Like an Indie Superbad

[michelleatnova · 10/10 · 24 August 2009]

People may compare this to Clerks or American Pie, but it's much more similar to Superbad - if Superbad had twice as many characters and took place in one house. It is low budget, and does have some flaws, but for pure laugh-out loud moments, it is tough to beat Kicking The Dog. It's got a few great characters, attractive cast, boobs, sex, drinking and a ton of hilarious quotes and quips. It's definitely for high school and college kids, because they'll understand.

Basically the story revolves around Satchem deciding whether he should pursue a job across country and leave his girlfriend behind, who also may be moving away, or stay home. Meanwhile, his best friend gets a job at a porn shop and develops a footjob fetish. Then his other buddy, who is great as the cocky older bro, is trying to hook up with every girl, including his younger brother's best friend. Then the three high school kids - and the big guy turns in a star-like performance - try to meet girls and get panties, but discover some "toys".

It's a great dorm room movie.

Funny but Needs a Bigger Party

[mikegentry · 8/10 · 20 October 2010]

I'm not sure I would refer to this as a "party" movie, as is suggested in the advertisement. As someone else noted, they throw a fairly lame party - but they big "party" isn't really that important to the script - and that is somewhat of a flaw. The script could have used one big plot point - and a huge blowout party at the end of the movie to tie everything together and add some anticipation would have helped.

Instead we get the younger kids trying to deem it a "no panties"

party, which is actually funny. And the older guy inviting young girls to the party, which leads to a funny scene where he removes her bra without removing her shirt - and his expression is priceless. Although some funny stuff happens at the party, and there is a good emotional scene with the lead actress, I think it should have been the main plot point, and that would have made this movie more appealing to the mass audience.

It is funny, and many times downright hilarious. I'd recommend it to people who enjoy party movies - or basically anyone under 27. You will be entertained for 90 minutes, and most movies have trouble accomplishing that feat - and being entertained is why you watch a movie.

Refreshing and Funny

[jaredwash45 · 8/10 · 18 February 2011]

The movie is funny, but like another reviewer said, it could use more locations and better plot and story - BUT that doesn't mean it's not funny. The movie is very funny, I can't take that away from it. It's just that it would be a better movie if it had a more intriguing storyline. It has more laughs than most comedies - especially ones it will be compared to like American Pie and Superbad, but overall, it's not quite as good as those movies.

It's refreshing because it may be the first "teen" comedy where nobody undergoes a big transformation. There are geeks, but they don't get the girl. One of the girls befriends the geeks, but that is all. Another geek loses the hot girl to his older brother (much older).

The main characters who are in relationships seem to realize they are in love, but they don't know where their relationship's are headed because they just got out of college and are still trying to decide what they want to do in life.

I laughed every time the one big geeky kid was on screen. He was perfect. The older brother, although possibly too old for the role, was perfectly arrogant and cool. The guy who works in the porn shop should have had a bigger role and may be the funniest person in the movie. The main girl who goes to college gives a very touching performance at times, especially for this movie - and this may be the saving grace for this movie - it can go from midgets, footjobs, strip poker and finding sex toys to a very serious discussion about what lies ahead in life - and most comedies can't do this realistically, or don't have the balls to do it at all.

You'll laugh. You won't cry (unless it's from laughing), but you will find the serious scenes a nice touch.

Often Hilarious, Always Funny

[craigerdb · 10/10 · 28 October 2009]

This is definitely a "you get it or you don't" type of movie, much like Southpark, Family Guy, etc. You will love it or hate it. If you're into sex, boobs, footjobs, etc, and want to see these topics handled in a realistic fashion (for probably the first time ever in a teen comedy), this is the movie for you. And the way the writer handles these topics is what makes the movie so good, natural and appealing. Every conversation and scene reminds me of high school and college - even the arguments (which offer a nice aside from the sexual humor).

Any movie that can keep my attention for 90 minutes must be interesting. Any movie that I want to watch again, must be very good. And the fact I quote it, much like Superbad, means it is exceptional. Then, when it's finished, you realize the filmmaker was able to do this while keeping 95% of the action in and around a single house. That's a credit to the writing and acting.

And the midget-dream scene is fascinating.

Raw, Honest, Funny, Impressive

[wrightsville12 · 9/10 · 27 May 2012]

First saw Kicking The Dog about 3 years ago and watched it a bunch with friends. Just watched it again for the first time in about 2 years and was compelled to write a review because, well, people need to see this movie.

It opens with nearly every character being introduced within 30 seconds - while they're having some beers and telling stories on a break from college. You have Satchem, who seems to have a story for every occasion and the love of his life, Julie, who somehow tolerates this behavior. The womanizing Matt, played with laid-back gusto by Carl Evans. Josh and his almost-girlfriend Jen who are both confronting peculiar issues with sex and relationships and three high school kids who just seem to be amazed by it all, including Joe Spellman who turns in an inspiring performance as a kid who may not quite take himself seriously. And throw in Vedette Lim, who fans of True Blood will recognize, plays a sexy but too-mature-for-this-crowd friend.

Satchem and Julie appear to be headed in different directions - Satchem to a job across country and Julie to graduate school, although Julie has no idea about his offer. Matt, more than a few years older than everyone else, is a cross between Wooderson in Dazed and Confused and Stifler from American Pie - think if Stifler was as laid back as Wooderson. All he cares about is girls, and has no conscience, and some of the best one-liners ever in a sex comedy. (telling a girl that a certain favor she did was "right on" while tapping her on the shoulders)

Josh decides to take a job at a porn shop where he develops a fetish that his new girlfriends indulges in since she refuses to have sex with him. She was a slut, but is now a nice girl, or at least she wants to be a nice girl. He also has one of the best dream sequences I've ever seen in a movie. I don't want to give it away, but it's freaky and hilarious.

The young guys try to meet new girls and are responsible for much of the sexually-innocent humor.

This movie reminds me of college and post-college parties - telling stories about the good times, which were generally times when we were drunk, stoned and having sex or trying to have sex. Sachem tells stories about these times to large groups and his girlfriend gets mad, which actually leads to some well acted and written arguments - on par with the comedy. The writer has a keen ear not only for comedy but also conversations and arguments, and Beth Schmidt delivers her lines with frustrated love in a manner that makes you realize how much she truly cares for Sachem, and is willing to give him too many chances to change.

Kicking The Dog can be considered an immature sex comedy, possibly because they say weiner and discuss sex like they're bragging, but there isn't a lot of sex. In fact two of the most experienced characters practically avoid it. And I wonder does this make the movie more mature - in that they're waiting for the right moment to have sex - or does it make it more immature, in that the characters had a lot of casual sex when they were younger and now regret what they did and can't associate sex with someone they love. It's a deep issue for a movie like this, where you can get caught up laughing for what seems like minutes at a time, but it's definitely an underlying theme. And the younger characters are headed down the same road as the older ones - searching for casual sex. And the young characters who are in love will only have their hopes crushed.

There are a few almost great performances. The comedy is dead-on and the writing of the conversations is perfect. Plot? Not so much a plot as a "theme" throughout, as I just discussed. The theme is basically, "when will you be mature enough to make love rather than have sex".

To me this movie is like punk music - it's raw, bare bones and in-your- face. If it tried to be more than that it would fail, like if the Ramones tried to be more like Led Zeppelin. And that's probably what makes this film so good - the filmmakers, producers, actors, etc knew to keep it simple and just give us what we want - laughs with some touching moments.

Very Funny But Here is What I'd Change

[phillipshr · 8/10 · 5 January 2021]

First saw this in college about 10 years ago and thought it was one of the funniest movies I had ever seen. Me and my roommates watched it as much or more than Dazed and Confused! I would have given it a 9 or 10 back then. I was moving into a new apartment and found my old DVD and decided to watch it again.

It does stand up to the test of time, probably because of the quick funny dialog and some very unique scenes. Although i swear "Friends with Benefits" stole an entire scene (bedroom oral scene under the covers).

My older self wishes it changed a little bit of the script and maybe explained some of the characters a little better, but that's not a big deal. The main thing that could be updated is the I the story between the main character Sachem and his girlfriend Julie (great portrayal by the actress btw). This needs some more time devoted to explain what's going on and the reason. Sachem says a lot of funny stuff at her expense, and when I was 19 I thought it was hysterical, but now that I'm older and married it seems unnecessary at times. I think the crazy stories could have been given to another character and the relationship between those two could have been given more time. Again, don't let this keep you from watching it, especially if you're under 30 and definitely if you're under 25.

Funny And Why People Are Polarized About This Movie

[jasonjohnson35 · 8/10 · 16 June 2011]

This is a very, very funny movie. The dialog is fast, but natural. the jokes are non-stop. But that may be why, judging by the comments and votes, people either love it or hate it. If you like this type of humor, or maybe had a similar life as these character in your teens and 20s, you probably won't stop laughing and you'll watch it multiple times. But if you don't enjoy the humor, then there's even more of it to hate.

The other issue may be that the plot is handled like the jokes - very quickly and with little build up. It works great for the comedy and conversations, but the plot needs more build-up, more time - and it's a shame because the female actresses who are involved in those plot lines are very, very good. If this movie slowed down a little bit and sacrificed a few jokes for more character development and storyline, I think it would have been one of the biggest low budget films in recent memory. But I got it at Redbox, so it must have got some type of exposure, even though I never heard of it till I was bored one night.

If you don't mind laughing at boob jokes and enjoy conversations about sex and want to reminisce about the good times, you'll enjoy this movie.

Crude But Very Funny

[lonnieroberts97 · 8/10 · 7 January 2010]

It's a little crude but what it lacks in budget it more than makes up for in laughs. Actually, the only aspect that points to it being low budget is the lack of locations (nearly all scenes are around one house) and no recognizable actor. But I laughed as much as any movie I've seen in a long time. Is it The Hangover or Superbad - No, but it also is said to have a $75k budget, not $20-40 million. It may be polarizing - if you "get" the humor and had some fun in high school and college - you will probably love this movie. If you're uptight and didn't go out boozing with buddies, you probably won't understand it.

The guy getting yelled at because he brought a condom to a party is perfect and an experience I had in college. Or snooping around at a party and finding the parent's sex toys! I had a friend steal a Mom's toy. We kept it in the car for 2 years and would harass the kid every time he hung out with us.

I would suggest it to anyone who had fun in their teens/20s and likes to laugh. Watch it with some friends and a few beers. Want to get drunk? Drink whenever you see a character with a beer You won't last long. BTW, that's real Victory Beer!!! I love that stuff.

Funny and Cool

[rorymac32 · 9/10 · 9 November 2009]

Very funny movie, and NOTHING like the current straight to DVD American Pie, Van Wilder or National Lampoon teen flix. Those movies revolve around a ridiculous plot of kids trying to get laid, throw a party, etc. - with horrible, unrealistic writing. Kicking The Dog is much more like Superbad, the original American Pie or possibly Clerks.

There is no ridiculous plot - just friends hanging out, telling stories and getting drunk while trying to hook up with some new fresh girls. There is a hilarious plot involving a footjob (and a midget), and a couple very serious plot lines about girlfriends, which make this movie very real. The main female character stole the show. All the girls are hot. There are some very memorable characters, and you will remember them all from your high school and college days.