Paws in the City
Adapted from Stefanie London's novel The Dachshund Wears Prada, Paws in the City has more bark than bite. The TV-movie casts Emeraude Toubia as failed social media consultant Issa, whose downfall we see early in the film. Needing a job and running into the new CEO of a publishing house whose grandmother left him a troublesome dachshund Camilla who seems to take to Issa, Theo (Carter Jenkins) hires her on the spot (despite his hatred of publicity in general and social media especially).
There are problems in the film, although most of them are rather cute romcom problems able to be solved without much effort in under 90 minutes. Issa's "big mistake" that leaves her client embarrassed and turns her into an Internet meme isn't her fault. And far from the "hellhound" the book describes, Camilla is a bit mischievous especially when left alone where she might rummage into boxes or piss on items belonging to those of questionable character. Our two bad girls, it seems, are simply misunderstood.
In her new role as dog chaperone, while enjoying Camilla's company and making use of her social marketing skills, Issa create small Internet stories featuring the dog which she shares only with her family and a few close friends.
Larger issues at play that fall outside the rather cute problems for our couple who are destined to end up together, are Theo struggling with finding the proper direction to his company, his hermit lifestyle, hatred of publicity, and how quickly he can take offense when he feels slighted. As for Issa, she and her sister Dani (Isabella Villalba) are working with an immigration lawyer to get her mother into the country (pretty much of which takes place off-camera).
Despite the cushy new job, and growing feelings for Theo, Issa enters Camilla into a social media contest without telling him in hopes that the prize money will pay all legal fees. Of course the truth comes out, incriminations ensue, and Theo is forced to take a hard look at his life (both before and after Issa) and decide where to go from here. His choice of choosing Emeraude Toubia over her mostly-cute betrayal is, of course, a no-brainer.
Toubia is lovely, the dog is cute, and there's enough of a chemistry between the two leads not to object to them ending up together. Could the film have gotten there in less of a schmaltzy way? Sure, but changing the main character's ethnicity and weaving in Issa's family and their culture does add at least the smallest amount of spice to the mostly paint-by-numbers tale allowing a hint of social commentary to be present (even if not explored).
- Title: Paws in the City
- IMDb: link
