ANNECY 2025: Fixed – Review
70 years ago Walt Disney released Lady and the Tramp, a film that has captured the imagination of generations for its whimsical portrayal of talking animals, all set within a doily draped world of nostalgia. Over half a century later, on what could be the same street Fixed takes the world of talking dogs and dramatically shifts the tone to tell a very different tale.
“From visionary director Genndy Tartakovsky comes “Fixed,” an adult animated comedy about Bull, an average, all-around good dog who discovers he’s going to be neutered in the morning! As the gravity of this life-altering event sets in, Bull realises he needs one last adventure with his pack of best friends as these are the last 24 hours with his balls! What could go wrong…?”
From the outset this film has a singular mission to make you laugh by being as crude as possible. Expect adult content, prepare for a lot of it and understand that it will be relenting and dialled up. This might take the fun out of it for people expecting adult animation to be sole domain of thought provoking, intellectual films – like spending time with chin stroking intellectuals in a wine bar. However, this film is like spending time with your drunken mates down the pub, you’ll have a good laugh but you won’t learn anything in the process.
Fixed – Courtesy Netflix
The crowning glory of this film is by far the animation. It’s everything that the ‘bring back 2D animation’ crowd have been yearning for over the years. The characters move in such a hilarious way, that heightens the film further, layering the humour. Even when the characters are still, the drawings as ridiculously funny. It is a film that oozes 2D animation appeal.
The cast are clearly invested, with Adam Devine perfect in the role of the pent up Bull and Idris Elba grunts and grows his lines as Rocco. It’s Katherine Hahn who steals the show as Honey, ensuring that by being just as dirty and crude as the boys that ensures this film has at least a slither of feminine energy. All the characters serve a purpose, and their camaraderie keeps the story moving, even when the gags wear thin.
Fixed – Courtesy Netflix
The gags are well delivered by the cast and expertly drawn by the crew, but I feel like i’ve seen or heard every one of them before, this is not a massive problem but it lands in the realm of stoner humour, so if you are expecting the combined efforts of this film to push boundaries or change the face of animation you may find yourself disappointed.
With thanks to Flow, Annecy 2024 was the year of the cat. A sophisticated film with a quiet, graceful sophistication befitting the feline attitude, took the festival and then the world by storm. Fixed makes 2025 is the year of the dog and they couldn’t be further apart by comparison. The latest from Genndy Tartakovsky forgoes sophistication, instead rolling around in the mud, slobbering at it’s own crotch and howling at passersby.
Through comedy, animation and writing Fixed is a film that is completely true to itself, which is a rare thing to see in the feature landscape. How the audience react will be down to taste. For some it’ll be a dogs dinner, for others it’ll be the mutts nuts. Either way it’s barking mad.
FIXED premieres globally on Netflix August 13, 2025.