Production
Car Dogs was directed by Adam Collis, a film professor at Arizona State University (ASU), and developed through a partnership between private equity investors and ASU. Collis arranged for 85 ASU film students and 15 recent graduates to participate as interns on the production, working alongside a professional crew to gain practical filmmaking experience. [4] [5]
The screenplay was written by Mark Edward King, a former ASU student, who originally conceived the story as a short film about a group of salesmen attempting to break a one-day sales record. Collis encouraged King to expand the concept into a feature-length script, noting that the single-location setting would suit a low-budget production. He also emphasised that car buying was a broadly relatable theme in American culture.
Casting director John Jackson, known for his collaborations with Alexander Payne, helped assemble the film’s cast. One major revision involved reimagining a role initially written for a young “Ben Affleck–type” into one for an older Mexican-American salesman, leading to the casting of George Lopez.
Filming took place on an abandoned car lot in Scottsdale, Arizona, under the Screen Actors Guild Low Budget Agreement. Collis declined to reveal the budget but described it as modest while not a micro-budget project. [6]
Reception
Critical Response
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Car Dogs holds a 54% rating based on 2 critic reviews, with an audience score of 50% from user ratings. [7]
Bill Goodykoontz of the Arizona Republic awarded the film 3 out of 5 stars, noting that while the story is familiar, the cast makes it “a lot more pleasant to spend time on this lot than a real one.” He highlighted Josh Hopkins’ performance as particularly effective, calling him “excellent at making Reynolds devious, while still showing his skills as a salesman”. [8]
By contrast, Mike Massie of Gone With the Twins was far more critical, rating the film 2 out of 10. He described the dialogue as “entirely ordinary” and the story as “dreadfully average,” arguing that the authenticity drawn from the writer’s car sales experience did not translate into entertainment. [9]
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