Roxy & The Man: A Feel-Good Movie About A Furry Little Friend

When the credit roll says that the film has been written and directed by Roxy’s Dad, you know you’re in for an emotional ride. For, Roxy is an adorable little Boxer who becomes a soulful companion for our Mr Jesus Ramirez (Paul Rodriguez). Writer-director Joey Medina surely knows how to tug at your heartstrings. But, with Roxy & The Man it feels more than just a sentimental take; there’s something deeply personal about it–as if the maker has experienced life for the second time through and because of Roxy. 

Ramirez is on his last leg, or so his doctors conclude. There’s an experimental treatment available for the Vietnam veteran which he vehemently refuses. He has better plans–to meet his maker and dear Esmeralda at the earliest. Medina has a wonderful style of narration. Usually films of this genre are crafted for dramatisation. The dialogues, music, setting is inevitably dripped in shades of melancholia, but not Roxy & The Man. This film is evenly paced, despite its ups & turns, the credit of which can be shared with editor Jack Sherman. The dialogues are chirpy, peppered with wit, sarcasm and humour. When Ramirez’s daughter Carmen (Andrea Pazmino) and son-in-law Stuart (Claude Stuart) dash in after hearing the news of his terminal cancer, you’d expect a tear-jerking moment, but instead what you get is a heavily layered, deadpan confrontation between the duo. The conversations are easy-flowing and filled with banter.

It wouldn’t be wrong to say that Rodriguez is the star of the show but as the title suggests, he is simply the “Man”, the true star is Roxy, who becomes the pivotal turning point for this otherwise easily tragic film. In comes Roxy and we see Ramirez’s life light up. The film is truly easy on the eyes, but heavy on the mind. Medina smartly injects the harsh reality of abandoned pets, the pain of their aging and the loneliness often endured in cages. What begins as a company for a terminally ill man soon becomes a life lesson for us all. 

DoP Steven Rimlinger’s camera captures some amazing shots of Roxy–our pretty eyed girl. That, along with Svetlana Krylova’s composition, we get a warm, sunshine-filled short. The film consistently steers away from overly dramatising any scene. There’s an easy chemistry between Ramirez & Roxy. The scenes don’t look overly forced or punctured for intense effect. Instead, Medina maintains the rhythm throughout the timeline.

Roxy & The Man isn’t educational; Medina doesn’t even attempt to make it one. It’s a tribute, a love note for a man’s best friend. Highly recommended even if you have never owned a pet.

Watch Roxy & The Man Short Film Trailer