©Year of the Dog

Molly Shannon and Peter Sarsgard star in "Year of the Dog."

In the movie "Year of the Dog," fans of Mike White will recognize the kind of quirky, obsessive characters that inhabit many of the films he's written, including "School of Rock," "Nacho Libre," and "The Good Girl." In his directorial debut, White is revealing another side of himself as well: someone who cares deeply about animals.

"Year of the Dog" is a dark comedy. It features Molly Shannon (famed "Saturday Night Live" comedian) as an ordinary woman whose life takes some extraordinary turns after the untimely death of her devoted companion, her beagle Pencil.

Everyone who's lost a pet will recognize the depth of the pain she experiences. What may be surprising, even shocking, is the road she takes as a result. Peggy starts by trying to find homes for pets in shelters and ends as someone who has made a life commitment to help all animals. Along the way, she—and the audience—are exposed to an astonishing array of animal issues, including fur, hunting, factory farming, animal sheltering and more.

Character Arc

Peggy's journey is not without some major potholes. In fact, Peggy cares a bit too much and a bit unwisely, and crashes before coming to a saner place.

Although she is hardly alone among the movie's off-center, exaggerated characters, Peggy's obsessions intermittently invite comparison to the most unflattering stereotypes of animal advocates, something White recognizes. One of his friends asked him why the character of Peggy couldn't be more balanced and mainstream. The answer from White, the dramatist: "What's the story there? As someone who likes to write eccentric characters, that version of the story is for somebody else to write." 

But White clearly sees Peggy as a sympathetic character, someone who realizes that animals are her passion, and ultimately claims it.

"I like that she's a complicated protagonist," he said. "But I think no matter what, in the end you're rooting for her and you're happy for her. I pushed the pendulum in one direction, and in moments you're worried for her and what she's going to do. But it's important that in the end, she's in a good place."

Writing from Experience

The event that changed Peggy's life, the death of Pencil, is not pure fiction. A few years ago, White bought a house that came with a stray cat who became a member of his family. When the cat suddenly died, he was deeply affected in ways he didn't expect. Even in his grief, however, he did recognize that there was a story lurking there, and it became the heart of "Year of the Dog."

Other aspects of the film have some autobiographical origin. Like Peggy, White is a vegetarian, a decision triggered by feelings about his cat, and his other pets that led him to think more about the suffering of all animals. He believes the relationship with a pet can be a trigger for others as well.

"Having a pet, and bonding with that animal, and seeing that a pet has a personality and suffers and has a rich emotional life really opened me up to the fact that all animals have that range of emotions. That sensitizes you to the suffering of other animals, whether it's the overpopulation of companion animals, or the way corporate farming treats animals … all the things that are touched on in the movie. They're all important things for people to think about," he said.

Making a Difference

White says it's gratifying to hear that the movie has affected some people's view of animals. And he knows it had a very tangible effect on people who worked on the project. Part of the movie was shot in a working animal shelter, surrounded by lots of dogs who needed homes.

"Even the hardiest and crustiest of our crew, it started to get to them. And a lot of dogs were adopted that day," he said.

"Year of the Dog" probably won't be the last Mike White movie to deal with animal issues.

"Animals are a huge part of my life," White said, "and I don't see that changing. So since I write stuff that's personal, I can see this is something I'll come back to. It's kind of fun to have an adult, contemporary movie that talks about people's special relationships with animals."

"Year of the Dog" is in limited release now and opens widely mid-May.