Fluke starts off with a bang: a gorgeous series of shots culminating in a spectacular point of view collision that vies with virtual reality in its breathtaking effect. The movie quickly downshifts to a heel-high perspective as we see, hear, and nearly feel the slurpy licks of a mother dog cleaning her pup. Point of view is what this odd and uneven little movie is all about. With a fledgling director (this is Carlei’s second feature, his first in the U.S.), a terrific cast, and some fine cinematography, Fluke teeters between shameless, manipulative melodrama and a story that is heartfelt and very human — despite its canine focus. Fluke explores a puppy’s growing realization that, not too long ago, he had only half as many legs. And with this realization comes a disturbing sense of vengeance and a need to find and protect the human family he left so unexpectedly. What Carlei captures perfectly, and what gives Fluke its affecting moments, is a sense of uncanny canniness that the “lower” animal world so often displays. That and a neat little plot twist (not to mention a touching rescue scene involving a chimpanzee and a terrier) make Fluke an interesting, offbeat family movie. Unfortunately, the movie suffers from the use of a sweeping musical score that crescendos constantly, signifying nothing, and enough cute animal shots to prove that adage about too much of a good thing. But on the way home, I had a wonderful, spirited discussion about reincarnation with two curious eight-year-olds who will never look at another living (or dying) thing in the same way again.
This article appears in June 2 • 1995 (Cover).