My Dog Stupid

Henri is going through a mid-life crisis. Who's to blame for his failures, lack of libido and back pain? His wife and four kids, of course. Just as he's taking critical stock of his life, of all the women he'll never have, of all the cars he'll never drive, a huge, ill-behaved, obsessive dog decides to move into the house, much to his delight but to the dismay of the rest of the family, and especially Cécile, his wife, whose steadfast love is beginning to crack. Henri, a middle-aged author, has been suffering from writer's block for years. He feels increasingly misunderstood by his wife and four grown-up children and dreams of a new beginning. When an ugly, badly behaved dog appears in his garden one day, Henri decides without further ado to take it in. An unexpected friendship develops - but Henri's family and neighbors are anything but enthusiastic. —ARD