Genndy Tartakovsky’s “Fixed” shouldn’t exist.
It’s a traditionally animated, R-rated sex comedy about a dog who, on the eve of getting snipped, embarks on an unhinged odyssey in the big city. The best way to describe it is probably Spike Lee’s “25th Hour” mixed with Disney’s “Lady and the Tramp.”
For a while, it seemed like nobody would actually get to see “Fixed.”
It was a long-held passion project for Tartakovsky, whose “Hotel Transylvania” films have made more than $1 billion for Sony. He wanted to do something radically different and, after years of prodding and pitching, Sony finally let him off the leash. The film was conceived as a co-production between Sony (who would make the movie) and New Line Cinema (who would distribute it), but after the movie was finished, New Line Cinema backed out, sending the movie back to Sony who then had to find a suitable home for “Fixed.” For a while, the movie only existed in that nebulous zone that so many projects in the streaming era have found themselves – fully completed but in jeopardy of being locked away forever, potentially due to tax incentives or other corporate tomfoolery.
But thankfully, “Fixed” was rescued and it’s finally coming out from Netflix later this year after its big premiere at Annecy. God help the parent who sees the cute animated dog on the home page and clicks play for their family movie night.
“Fixed” stars Adam Levine as Bull, a bloodhound mix who still has his balls (who he nicknames Napoleon and Old Spice). Bull has a tightknit friend group – there’s the macho Rocco (Idris Elba), a boxer who looks strong but has a sensitive side; Fetch (Fred Armisen), a dachshund whose humans dress him up for Instagram followers; and Lucky (Bobby Moynahan), a neurotic and dim-witted beagle. There’s also Honey (Kathryn Hahn), a show dog who lives next door to Bull. (And who is Bull’s not-so-secret crush.)
When Bull learns that his humans are going to have him fixed, after picking up cues that other dogs at the dog park described, he figures that his family doesn’t actually love him. Instead of sitting put and letting himself get mutilated, he sets out on a quest to start a new life on his own, where he can do (and hump) whatever he pleases. And Bull obviously gets the rest of his gang involved in his shenanigans – because of course he does.
“Fixed” loosely takes on the contours of one of the gross-out comedies that were so popular in the early 2000s. When Tartakovsky first started talking about the project, he cited movies like “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” as inspiration. And you can see that in “Fixed,” to a degree. It’s a filthy story of friendship, personal growth and deeper understanding, but it’s structured like a wild-night-out escapade where anything goes. And it really is insane how far Tartakovsky takes it – you really have never seen so many balls and buttholes, especially ones that are so lovingly animated (by hand, no less). The movie climaxes – pun intended – with a truly hilarious gag that you have to see to believe. This man got away with murder.
But Tartakovsky is never merely aiming to shock. And one of the more surprising things about “Fixed” is just how heartfelt it is. You get the camaraderie of the gang, which was based on Tartakovsky’s old friend group, and their good-natured ribbing feels familiar and warm instead of pointed and cruel. And Bull’s relationship with Honey is sweet and sincere, particularly towards the end of the film when they actually talk about their feelings. (Don’t worry, there’s still some messed up stuff after that.) As one character says in the movie, “It’s sweet and horrific, all at the same time.”
“Fixed” was clearly a scrappy production, with animation studios Renegade and Lightstar Studios really doing some incredible work, at a time when 2D feature animation in the United States has all but been abandoned. But that scrappiness is a feature and not a bug. And Tartakovsky, one of the greatest and most influential figures in modern animation, still pushes things considerably – and we’re not just talking about the amount of juvenile humor on display. There’s a shot towards the end that circles Bull and Honey that is one of the most jaw-dropping pieces of animation you’ll likely see this year, as astounding for its technical mastery as it is for the feeling it evokes.
It’s clear that “Fixed” is, very much, a movie that is not for everyone. But those who do get on its particular wavelength will be rewarded by one of the most original and surprising animated features of the past few years. It may be chiefly concerned with its main character’s balls, but it’s got a ton of heart too.
