“We had to protect the dogs. We did exactly what we were supposed to do. If we had to do it over again, I’d do the exact same thing.”
- Bruce (Jake T Austin)
In the family comedy-adventure “Hotel for Dogs,” Andi (Emma Roberts) and her younger brother, Bruce (Jake T Austin) live in a strictly no-pets household and are fast running out of ways to keep their perpetually hungry dog, Friday, under wraps. When they accidentally stumble on an abandoned hotel that is already home to a couple of resourceful strays, Andi has an idea. She taps Bruce’s mechanical genius for turning everyday objects into mechanical marvels, and, with the help of their friends in the neighborhood, transform the down-and-out hotel into a magical dog paradise - not only for Friday, but for every stray they can find.
But when the barking dogs make the neighbors and the suddenly out-of-work local dog catchers suspicious, Andi and Bruce have to use every invention at their disposal to prevent them from finding out “who let the dogs in.”
Besides Roberts and Austin, “Hotel for Dogs” features a comedy ensemble that includes Kyla Pratt, Lisa Kudrow, Kevin Dillon and Don Cheadle in this smart, funny family adventure that demonstrates just how far love and imagination can take you.
Dreamworks Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies Present In Association with Cold Spring Pictures A Donners’ Company/Montecito Picture Company Production “Hotel For Dogs” starring Emma Roberts, Jake T Austin, Kyla Pratt, with Lisa Kudrow, Kevin Dillon and Don Cheadle. The film is directed by Thor Freudenthal from a screenplay by Jeff Lowell and Bob Schooley & Mark McCorkle. Based on the book by Lois Duncan. The film is produced by Lauren Shuler Donner, Jonathan Gordon, Ewan Leslie and Jason Clark. The executive producers are Ivan Reitman, Tom Pollock and Jeffrey Clifford. The director of photography is Michael Grady. The production designer is William Sandell. The film is edited by Sheldon KahnACE+ The costumes are designed by Beth Pasternak, CD.G. The music is by John Debney. This film has been rated PG for brief mild thematic elements, language and some crude humor.
ALL ABOUT “HOTEL FOR DOGS”
Andi (Emma Roberts) and her younger brother Bruce (Jake T Austin) have a secret - a furry, adorable and always hungry Jack Russell Terrier named Friday. When they can no longer keep their beloved pet in their small apartment, with a strict no-dogs allowed policy, the siblings will do whatever it takes to make a new home for him.
That’s the premise of “Hotel for Dogs,” an inventive urban fairy tale based on Lois Duncan’s beloved children’s book. Passionate dog-lover, activist and film producer Lauren Shuler Donner felt the book’s strong message about the importance of family - however unconventional it may be - made the novel an ideal property to bring to the big screen.
What stood out for her was the fact that the story presented ample opportunities for humor and adventure. “‘Hotel for Dogs’ is as much an adventure as it is a comedy. Andi and Bruce have to ingeniously find a way to hide their own dog, Friday, and eventually, every stray dog they come across,” says Shuler Donner. “The more dogs they rescue, the more dangerous it becomes for them. So Bruce has to keep coming up with new inventions to keep the dogs happy and quiet.”
The comedy, she continues, “comes from the dogs’ personalities and interactions - like one who likes to chew everything and the dog who howls if he can’t look out the window, which all become running jokes that get funnier and funnier. I sensed that working with the dogs would give rise to some happy accidents on the set - and I was right. And then, of course, there were the fun machines Bruce puts together from stuff the rest of us would regard as junk. They’re all so clever, you just have to laugh in appreciation.”
“As you can tell,” laughs Shuler Donner,” I’m a big dog lover. My husband and I rescue dogs. We have three now. So, right away, that part of the story spoke to me.
“And I love kids as well,” she continues. “These kids cause a bit of havoc because they are willing to do anything to stick together. Until these dogs come into their lives, they are afraid to connect to anyone else. When they set out to fight the system and rescue the dogs, they ultimately end up being saved themselves.
“There’s a key scene in the film in which Andi tells her brother that they really should find Friday a real family, and he insists that they are a real family,” she says. “Eventually they adopt all these dogs and they do become the real family he’s talking about. So family is where you find it, family is the gathering of those closest to you.”
Making his feature-film directorial debut, filmmaker Thor Freudenthal was drawn to the way the film’s themes spoke to the importance of a sense of belonging. “It draws an interesting parallel between the kids and the dogs,” says Freudenthal. “Although I was aware that it was a risk to jump into directing my first feature working with both kids and animals, I recognized the importance and relevance of the story and thought it was worth it.”
Producer Jason Clark had worked with Freudenthal on both “Stuart Little” movies, for which Freudenthal served as lead storyboard artist. His ability to produce CGI characters with lifelike personalities and emotion told Clark that Freudenthal’s acute attention to visual detail made him a perfect candidate to direct “Hotel for Dogs.”
“I was fascinated by Thor’s creativity and his ability to create characters and moments that rely on visuals rather than dialogue,” explains Clark. “I knew he would be able to imbue the dog characters with qualities we would all fall in love with.”
Shuler Donner was determined that “Hotel for Dogs” stand out from other family movies visually and believes that Freudenthal’s experience in animation gave him a unique edge. “We viewed a short film he directed and, within three minutes, we knew he was the guy,” she says. “It was the way he framed shots, the way he moved the camera, the use of color, the use of light. He’s very visually savvy and very specific.
“And we wanted to make sure we had somebody who got along well with kids, who wasn’t too intimidating or gruff,” the producer continues. “He’s a real sweetheart and the kids took to him right away.”
Executive producer Ivan Reitman observes that Freudenthal’s work has a special feeling that will set the film apart from more run-of-the-mill family fare. “‘Hotel for Dogs’ is a great story and very funny,” he says. “It’s a terrific idea and we wanted someone who could tell the story in a way that would appeal to an entire family - to parents, adults and teenagers, as well as to kids.”
Shuler Donner adds: “Our mandate was that this had to be a film that parents like just as much as the kids. You laugh a lot and maybe you do cry a few times, but it never crosses over to the gooey side. The kids and animals are on a wild adventure and having fun. The dogs are so cute, the kids are so engaging and the inventions are so clever, that the parents will enjoy it.”
Adds producer Ewan Leslie, “One of the things we loved about Thor was his whimsical approach to the movie. As an artist, he wanted to create a world that was grounded but still visually captivating to parents and kids. He was very interested in creating mood and character using color and texture, and he focused on the tiniest details that the rest of us might have missed. There were several ideas that Thor really fought for that the rest of the team didn’t think were as important. Thor was often right, and that attention to detail elevated the movie way beyond your average family fare.”
The secret ingredient in “Hotel for Dogs,” according to Reitman, is that in addition to being very funny, it has a deep emotional core. “These days it’s kind of refreshing to see a story like this told in live action, rather than in animated form,” he says. “It’s a bit of a throwback to the great family movies of the ‘60s and ‘70s, like “The Nutty Professor” and “The Shaggy Dog.” There’s something special and magical going on.”
Clark concurs: “I’m sure it will make audiences laugh, but it will also engage them emotionally. I see the heart of this movie as the real connection between these two lonely kids and the animals. Ultimately, there is something very real at stake here and that’s a strong reason to root for these kids to succeed. The movie is funny, exciting and has real heart, so I think it will work with audiences of all ages.”
THE “HOTEL FOR DOGS” ACTING FAMILY
For the central role of Andi, the fast-talking, protective older sister, the filmmakers chose rising young star Emma Roberts. “We basically needed to find someone who could carry a whole movie,” says Freudenthal. “To find someone who can do that at such a young age is extremely difficult. Emma came in and was amazingly professional. She understands the language of filmmaking and it was impressive to witness her level of professionalism and preparedness. She makes it look so easy on film.”
“Finding the right actress to play Andi was very important because the character has to be tough and protective of her brother but also vulnerable and very sympathetic,” says producer Leslie. “Emma is one of those young actors whose face just lights up the screen and she has the ability to play a wide range of emotions without any dialogue. The camera just loves her.”
“Emma is fabulous,” says Shuler Donner. “When it came to the dramatic scenes, she nailed them. What I didn’t expect was her sweetness, the way she cares for Jake Austin, her co-star, and in the movie, the way she cares for her brother, Bruce. Her heart grounds the movie.”
“Emma has star dust,” says Clark. “She is an incredible and charismatic actress who can play the range of this part because Andi is someone who is always hiding her pain in an upbeat, optimistic and glib way. Emma can act the con man, but she also allows you to see underneath to the real pathos of a kid looking for a real home.”
Roberts was excited by the role, especially the character’s emotional growth during the course of the film. “Andi is definitely a bit of a tomboy but is cautious and very protective of her little brother, Bruce. Through this adventure, the dogs and the new friends they make, they get something they’ve never had before.”
“Both Andi and her brother have great strength of character because they’ve had to take care of themselves and figure out how to navigate life on their own,” notes Freudenthal. “While she really wants to be a conventional teenager, what Andi ultimately learns is to be proud of who she is.”
To play Bruce, Andi’s little brother and the movie’s master inventor, the filmmakers conducted a nationwide search for an actor who was fun and could emphasize the whimsical side of this boy genius. They found their Bruce in Jake T Austin.
Producer Clark remembers meeting Jake and recognizing qualities in him that perfectly suited Bruce. “Jake came in really late in the casting process after we had seen close to 80 boys and he was amazing on every level. He played the emotional beats very well, felt the role and also understood timing. When there was a joke or comedic line, he always understood when to give or to hold back.”
Austin had just the right combination of innocence and wisdom we were looking for, according to Shuler Donner. “We needed someone who was a little lost and looking to his sister for guidance and yet super-smart, so that you believe he can concoct all these inventions. Jake is right on the cusp of something. He has a sort of savvy without being precocious.”
Although Bruce is a mechanical genius, director Freudenthal adds, he still had to have a particular level of whimsy. “Jake has a glint in his eye and a way of looking at something in front of him and instantly understanding it. He is someone who lives in his head, wants to learn constantly and thinks in ways other kids his age might not.”
For his part, Austin says he enjoyed inhabiting the character. “I really had to visualize and imagine what it was like to be Bruce and be a bit shy and nerdy. He was different from any other character I’ve played so far.”
Joining Roberts and Austin are three other young actors, who help them transform the abandoned hotel into a home for four-legged creatures. The characters of Dave and Heather, two local pet store employees, are played by Johnny Simmons (“Evan Almighty”) and Kyla Pratt (“Fat Albert”). Mark, a comically awkward teenager who works at a nearby market and befriends Andi and Bruce, is portrayed by Troy Gentile, who previously appeared in such comedies as “Nacho Libre” and “Drillbit Taylor.”
In the film, Andi and Bruce’s social worker, Bernie, is their most dependable adult lifeline. “Bernie bridges the gap to the adult world,” explains Freudenthal. “He is their anchor. He’s a disciplinarian, someone they take very seriously but also have a rapport with.”
Academy Award nominee Don Cheadle was intrigued by the dynamic between Bernie and the kids. “When I read the script, I appreciated the way my character talked to the kids, because that’s how I talk to my kids, pretty straight- up and honest.”
The relationship between Cheadle and his younger co-stars mirrored that of their characters, according to Emma Roberts. “Bernie and Don are a lot alike because Don is very sweet and, when he talks to you, he doesn’t talk down because you’re a kid. He talks and laughs with you the same way that Bernie does with Andi and Bruce.”
Cheadle was at the top of the producer’s wish list for the role, says Shuler Donner. “It turned out his daughter is a big fan of Emma Roberts,” she says. “And he had done enough serious movies recently that he felt comfortable putting some lighter fare into the mix. We were very lucky. I mean, you could literally hand Don the phone book and he would give it intent and make it believable. He was just amazing. And the kids rose to the occasion. He made them even better.”