The Dog Problem (2006)

Director:

Scott Caan

Writer:

Scott Caan

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Eat. Sleep. Therapy. Repeat.

Plot:

In Los Angeles, a depressed writer named Solo has writer's block after a successful first book of which he's ashamed...

Plot Keywords:

Dog | Dog Park | Strip Club | Mask | Stripper

Cast

Giovanni Ribisi	...	Solo
Lynn Collins	...	Lola
Scott Caan	...	Casper
Kevin Corrigan	...	Benny
Sarah Shahi	...	Candy
Tito Ortiz	...	Frank
Kimo Leopoldo	...	Ted
Brian Goodman	...	Joe the Guard
Jennifer Carpenter	...	Redheaded Waitress
Laura Katz	...	Late Night Waitress
Joanna Krupa	...	Taffy
Crispian Belfrage	...	Jeffrey the Butler
Med Abrous	...	Brad
Melissa Keller	...	Escalator Girl
Liz Carey	...	Angry Ketchup Waitress
Jimmy the Dog	...	Spot
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Don Cheadle	...	Dr. Nourmand
Lara Coulter	...	Strip-club patron
Danny Minnick	...	Stripclub Goer
Mena Suvari	...	Jules
Curt Clendenin	...	Strip-Club Patron (uncredited)
Melvin Jackson Jr.	...	Customer (uncredited)
Steve Jones	...	Himself (uncredited)
Hana Mae Lee	...	Girl in Cafe (uncredited)
Ali Pomerantz	...	Judy the Vet Girl (uncredited)

Directed by
Scott Caan

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Scott Caan

Produced by
Jesse Johnston	....	co-producer
Stephanie Lewis	....	co-producer
Brent Morris	....	line producer
Jonah Smith	....	producer
Palmer West	....	producer

Original Music by
Mark Mothersbaugh

Cinematography by
Phil Parmet

Film Editing by
Jeffrey M. Werner

Casting by
Emily Schweber

Production Design by
Cory Lorenzen

Set Decoration by
Missy Parker

Costume Design by
Rebecca Gregg		(as Rebecca Bentjen)

Makeup Department
Johann Benét	....	makeup artist
Barbara Lamelza	....	key makeup artist
Tamara McNaughton	....	key hair stylist
Danielle Lyn Saunders	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Cynthia Garcia Walker	....	unit production manager
Stephanie Lewis	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ben Bywater	....	second second assistant director
Melissa Lekus	....	second assistant director
Jim Simone	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Steven Barr	....	set dresser
Todd Daniels	....	assistant property master
Emily Dawson	....	set dresser
Roger Dertinger	....	property master
Kevin 'Chevy' Martinez	....	leadman
Lindsey Winger	....	swing
Amanda Weaver	....	swing intern (uncredited)

Sound Department
Gregg Barbanell	....	foley artist
Alan Freedman	....	adr mixer
Robert Getty	....	supervising sound editor
Danielle Ghent	....	dialogue editor
John Hays	....	boom operator
Micah Johnson	....	assistant sound
Derek Marcil	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jared Marshack	....	foley editor
Diane Marshall	....	foley artist
Stu Mckee	....	utility sound
Matthew Nicolay	....	additional sound mixer
Eric Raber	....	sound effects editor
Alec St. John	....	sound re-recording mixer
Alec St. John	....	supervising sound editor
Lucy Sustar	....	foley mixer
Dennis Twitty	....	assistant sound editor
Pawel Wdowczak	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Tom Ceglia	....	special effects coordinator
Albert Lannutti	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Howard Nourmand	....	title designer

Stunts
Walter Scott	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Edgar Arellano	....	gaffer
James Atkins	....	best boy grip
Dennis L. Baker	....	electrician
James Banfield	....	set lighting technician
Christopher Bernal	....	best boy electric (as Chris Bernal)
Ron Elliott	....	loader
Mike Flores	....	best boy grip
Patrick Fogarty	....	camera department intern
T.S. Hale	....	dolly grip
Keith A. Jones	....	second assistant camera
Benjamin Kilmer	....	grip (as Ben Kilmer)
BJ McDonnell	....	Steadicam operator
BJ McDonnell	....	camera operator
Rory Muirhead	....	first assistant camera
Michelle Opseth	....	additional second assistant camera
Vince Palomino	....	key grip
Mark Patnesky	....	additional second assistant camera
Roberto A. Ramirez	....	electrician (as Roberto Ramirez)
Mike Reyes	....	grip
Marcel Schoettel	....	best boy electric
Fred Sellers	....	grip
Stephen Tachera	....	lighting console programmer
Deron Tse	....	grip
Sam Urdank	....	still photographer
Michael Weeks	....	best boy electric (as Mike Weeks)
Wade Whitley	....	first assistant camera
Kevin Wilt	....	grip

Casting Department
Peter Alwazzan	....	background casting
Samantha Kern	....	extras casting assistant
Jennifer Levy	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Karen Cortes	....	key set costumer
Sarah Lee-Taylor	....	key costumer
Kip Ren	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Bob Fredrickson	....	color timer
Brian Kibbie	....	negative cutter (as Brian Kibbe)
Chris Petrus	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Amanda Brammall	....	assistant music supervisor
Robert Casale	....	music engineer (as Bob Casale)
Robert Casale	....	music producer (as Bob Casale)
Van Coppock	....	music engineer
Chris McGeary	....	music editor
Mark Mothersbaugh	....	music producer
Amanda Scheer-Demme	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Corey Askins	....	transportation coordinator
Josh Sarfaty	....	driver
Greg Taylor	....	transportation captain
Chad Wadsworth	....	driver: production van

Other crew
Justin Anderson	....	production assistant
Kathy Archer Buck	....	assistant accountant
Drew Baker	....	office production assistant
Dan Beal	....	location scout
Joe Cappelletti	....	adr voice director
Patrick Caughey	....	runner
Sharon Cingle	....	script supervisor
Paul Cozzi	....	location assistant
Guin Dill	....	animal trainer
Darci Dunnagan	....	office production assistant
Cynthia Garcia Walker	....	production accountant
Kristina Goodman	....	production coordinator
Ryan Janata	....	set production assistant
Shannan E. Johnson	....	assistant to director
Brooks Kephart	....	production assistant
David Kraemer	....	set production assistant
Heather Long	....	animal trainer
Stanley Longstreet	....	location scout
Peter Madamba	....	script researcher
Mary Helen Phelan	....	key set production assistant
Eric Pilarcik	....	location manager
Mike Schlegel	....	craft service
Jet Shaw	....	animal trainer
Steve Solomon	....	animal trainer
Cindy Swartz	....	set medic

Thanks
Johann Benét	....	acknowledgment

Production Companies

• Dog Problem LLC
• Thousand Words

Distributors

• Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2007) (United Arab Emirates) (all media) (Middle East)
• THINKFilm

Other Companies

• Widget Post Production  sound post-production

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some sexual content and nudity

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Dog Problem LLC

Goofs:

Continuity: When Solo and Casper are having breakfast in the diner Solo's plate keeps switching position on the table between shots. First it is in front of him, then it's to his right, and then it switches back again.

Quotes:

Solo:Life is a delicate negotiation.

Soundtrack:

Walking in L.A.

Decent, but really just because of Ribisi.

I've always felt that Giovanni Ribisi is the most underused (along with Chiwetel Ejiofor and Zooey Deschanel) and one of the most talented actors working today. Further proof of that is his fantastic performance in this light-hearted, mediocre independent comedy directed and written by Scott Caan. The film centers around a broke, self-centered and hopelessly depressed writer named Solo (Giovanni) who after a year of seeing a therapist (Don Cheadle) five days a week decides to get a dog. Getting this dog begins a wild adventure that involves his best friend (played by Caan), a stripper whom he grows a strong affection for (Lynn Collins), her friend (the criminally underused Sarah Shahi), a gangster whom he owes money to (Kevin Corrigan) and a spoiled rich girl straight out of My Super Sweet 16 (Mena Suvari).

It's a fun film about the true wealth of finding love with some genuinely hilarious scenes scattered throughout. I've never liked Scott Caan as an actor; I always find him playing the same arrogant, dirtbag character and I really don't like his sense of humor so that didn't help me in trying to enjoy the film. Also, while the subplots with the gangster (who we never find out how he got connected to Solo or why Solo owes him money) and the spoiled girl offer some great opportunities for Giovanni to show off his comedic talent, their appearance in the film ultimately feels like pointless filler. But the film manages to succeed due to the great work by the always underrated Giovanni Ribisi who adds so much charm, quirk and hilarity to every film he's in that it's impossible not to love him and it is pretty entertaining throughout.