Casper in Heavy Petting

by: Duane Breckenridge

The film “Heavy Petting” is not your typical romantic comedy. Sure, many films have the basic love triangle formula, but since this film includes a dog, there is a certain uniqueness to it. Most people have seen the film in which man meets woman and they both fall in love, then eventually someone else enters the equation and thus a dilemma is created. “Heavy Petting” is about a man (Charlie) that appears to have met the woman of his dreams (Daphne). However, as he grows fonder of her, he realizes that he must compete with her new pet dog (Babydoll). An unexpected turn happens further into their relationship when Charlie finds himself falling more in love with the dog. Charlie's dilemma leads him to contemplate whether if he truly loved Daphne to begin with or all he originally needed was a dog for a best friend. Charlie must indeed make a choice, but he does not want to lose them both.

The film is directed and written by Marcel Sarmiento. This marks his first feature film. Before making the switch to film, Sarmiento gained experience by collaborating on a series of off-Broadway plays. In my opinion, “Heavy Petting” seemed like a script driven film, so you can definitely tell that Sarmiento's writing style came from the stage. The film also has that indie essence being that it was shot in very few locations in Brooklyn, NY. Also, it was filmed while dealing with adverse weather conditions at times, so one could imagine what the experience was like for Casper the dog. Sarmiento's aim in the film was the portrayal of the battle between man and beast, while each character is after the woman's heart. The film definitely portrays Charlie's character as the underdog.

The road to cinema stardom can be a rough journey. This is very true in regards to Casper the dog. Before she was on a movie set or in front of any camera, the border collie/ bull terrier mix was rescued by the organization known as Steve Martin's Working Wildlife. Working Wildlife's initiative is to rescue and recruit animals and train them to be in films, commercials, live events, parties, and parades. They are not just limited to dogs and cats; Working Wildlife also deals with a variety of animals such as birds, reptiles, and even bears. The trainers are specialized professionals who care for the animals that they work with. From bottle feeding to adult hood, much attention and love is given to every animal at Steve Martin's Working Wildlife.

Casper was rescued from an animal shelter in Southern California and was taken in by Nicole Zuehl, the Head Dog Trainer at Working Wildlife. According to Zuehl, Casper's personality did not resemble the one of a typical Hollywood animal star, but Casper's looks certainly could open the door to possible stardom. When Casper was found, it was apparent that she had a rough past. Zuehl claims that Casper had to overcome the likes of fear and insecurity while she was being trained. In order for Casper to make it big, she had to come out of her shell and Zuehl made that happen. By giving Casper the proper love and attention, she came alive and made tremendous strides with her ability to learn new things. Like every dog that is rescued by Working Wildlife, Casper made her own decision to be a movie dog. Casper loves her job and is quite enthusiastic. She is highly intelligent and considered one of the best dogs in the industry today.

Click on link for a sneak preview of "Heavy Petting"