'Strays' (2023)

Editor’s Note: Many parts of this article include mature language.

Strays is a 2023 live-action, young-adult movie that serves as the anti-version of a human-dog relationship. This article will discuss some elements of the movie and how they are related to anti-love.

This live-action movie is centered around Reggie, a dog, who becomes a stray. His former owner, Doug, is selfish and cruel, which is something Reggie doesn’t recognize at first. However, with the help of another stray dog named Bug, Reggie discovers that his former owner isn’t the loving owner he thought he was and realizes he is in a toxic relationship.

Viewers can tell that Doug is a heartless sleazeball from noticeable clues in many scenes. The way Doug overdoses on marijuana irresponsibly and cheats on his ex-girlfriend emphasizes him as the main antagonist.

The main conflict of this movie symbolizes the anti-love between a human and a dog. This element is something viewers rarely see in movies that feature dogs in starring roles. This movie serves as an counterpart to the traditional human-dog bonding depicted in most films. In addition, the movie’s title, Strays, symbolizes a dog’s freedom on the city streets without any owners, thus emphasizing the anti-love.

The anti-love is further emphasized by mature dialogue, drugs, and some references to nudity. For one, the word “penis” is mentioned and referenced many times. Second, Doug’s personality as a drug addict and sex offender shows viewers the theme of anti-love through his reckless actions. Third, mature dialogue is what makes this movie a rated-R film, as viewers don’t see the topic of abuse in other movies with dogs in them. In fact, one mature joke is about the dog chewing on his former owner’s penis.

This movie is labeled a tragedy due to a bad event that Doug experiences. This is intended for mature audiences.