Strays

From Old Yeller to Marley and Me, the big screen has seen countless explorations of the devoted companionship between doting humans and their cuddly dogs. Strays shows that maybe the feeling wasn’t always mutual.

This raunchy revenge comedy from director Josh Greenbaum (Barb and Star Go to Vista del Mar) flips the concept of man’s best friend on its head. But while it might deserve credit for audacity, even the least discerning moviegoers will realize quickly it’s more bark than bite.

Testing the limits of canine cuteness, the sophomoric humor rooted in low-brow jokes and bodily-function gags yields some scattered big laughs — such as a reference to humping “regular style” — while straining to be outrageous.

The story opens with a naïve Border Terrier named Reggie (voiced by Will Ferrell) detailing his loyalty to his owner, Doug (Will Forte), the abusive stoner who certainly doesn’t reciprocate the love.

One of Doug’s unsubtle attempts to separate leads to Reggie becoming lost in a dark alley, where he’s taken under the wing of Bug (Jamie Foxx), a cynical and streetwise Boston Terrier who has embraced the routine of a homeless stray.

Gradually, Reggie is convinced that he must exact vengeance on Doug to preserve his pride, if only he can find his way back home. Bug and fellow outcasts Maggie (Isla Fisher), an Australian Shepherd with a strong sense of smell, and Hunter (Randall Park), a timid and therapeutic Great Dane, are alongside for support.

The winning batch of misfit mongrels is complemented by an enthusiastic voice cast. Yet perhaps the empowered pups would be more adorable without the creepy anthropomorphic mouth movements.

Meanwhile, the screenplay by Dan Perrault (“American Vandal”) could work better as a shorter sketch. At feature length, the broad one-joke premise wears thin, despite a few clever observations about viewing life from a pooch’s innocent perspective, such as one highlight involving fireworks at a carnival.

Bonus: when all of your characters are dogs, you can say “bitch” all you want without the risk of being offensive. Films involving roosters or donkeys can’t be far behind.

At any rate, amid the heavy doses of puppy philosophy, Strays conveys a half-hearted compassion toward animals and the adoption process. At least that’s more worthwhile than its endorsement of ownership for anything on which you urinate.

Rated R, 93 minutes.