'Pick Of The Litter' A Review

Pick Of The Litter is a documentary that follows five potential guide dogs from birth through rigorous training and their eventual placement. The film uses psuedo reality TV competition format as the five doggos progress through various levels of training with various volunteers and specialized trainers. A graphic shows that only around 1/3 actually make it to being guide dogs. The film intercuts fly-on-the-wall footage with interviews of two perspective seeing-impaired individuals waiting for guide dogs as well as various interim caretakers.

The "will they make the cut" angle is nice enough and provides some necessary pacing but it's the people that populate the process that are really fascinating and moving. All dedicated with various degrees of success into shaping the potential pups into guide dogs. There's certainly many emotional moments, the five doggos inevitably pull the heart strings, it's clear how much good the dogs can do as guide dogs but also as brief companions for their various keepers. There's a lot of hope in the film and a lot of fun. Further explanation or description would simply spoil the low grade excitement and suspense.

In our current time bloated by vitriol, hyperbole, and aggression the world can seem too big, too cold, it can be too easy to despair. Now more than ever we need small stories, sincere stories, this is the latest example of the inevitable resurgence of sentiment. The world stage may be too broad, too bleak, but real day-to-day good people trying to make a difference is the grease by which the real world turns. Yes, this is a feel-good movie about puppies but it is also an example of human compassion and goodness. An example we need now more than ever.

See It.