As it turns out, the guy in question is writer Jon Katz (Jeff Bridges), who is not only suffering from a midlife crisis, but also from writer's block.
Jon takes in a rescue dog offered to him by one of his readers. The dog is Devon, a young border collie with issues - and I mean serious issues. Jon has two gorgeous Labradors of his own, who are well trained and obedient. Devon is the opposite, and seems impossible to train.
Jon's wife has moved out to give them 'space'. We never see this character in the film and Jon only has telephone conversations with her. His daughter Emma comes to visit, but she too has a difficult time reconnecting with her father.
With Devon becoming a terror to the neighborhood, Jon decides to rent a farm in the country, where he hopes to train Devon, and find inspiration to write. What follows, is big character development for both man and dog.
As a big dog lover, I instantly connected with the movie, the characters, and off course the dog(s). This is an entertaining movie that never becomes silly, unbelievable or sentimental. It felt realistic and relatable, with a simple premise.
