Fixed premieres Wednesday, August 13 on Netflix. This review is based on a screening at the 2025 Annecy International Animation Film Festival.
A group of neighborhood friends decide to take one of their own on one last wild night out on the town to indulge in all kinds of debauchery and celebrate his final chance to really act like a dog. But this isn’t a bachelor party, or a group of men in their 40s getting their kicks. Instead, it's the setup for Fixed, a raunchy, R-rated animated movie about the bad behavior of literal dogs, one of whom is due to be neutered the next day. It’s a hilarious slapstick comedy with a throwback art style that feels like Ren & Stimpy by way of legendary Golden Age of Animation director Tex Avery. And Fixed has its own cartoon legend to tout: Genndy Tartakovsky, who previously gave us Dexter's Laboratory, Hotel Transylvania, and Samurai Jack.
From the very first frame, Fixed makes it very clear we’re not in Hotel Transylvania territory. In our introduction to protagonist Bull (Adam DeVine), he’s mounting a woman’s leg, the camera lingering on a pair of hilariously detailed testicles that bounce with a fluidity of motion typically reserved for the biggest action scenes of an anime. Turns out, Bull's family doesn't appreciate these little morning surprises, and as soon as his owner catches him in the act, Bull takes off on a humping spree around the house, going to town on a couch, a broom, even a bowl of yogurt. The family decides it’s time to neuter their pet, which throws him into an existential crisis of ludicrous proportions – like Samson knowing he has an appointment with a barber the next morning.
Fixed could just be the dog version of Sausage Party – an animated movie that’s entirely fixated on man’s best friends, their private parts, and what they do with them. Tartakovsky gets a lot of mileage out of that juvenile premise, imagining a raunchy world where dogs tell jokes about having sex "human style." But the graphic imagery loses steam rather quickly, despite the over-the-top energy with which they’re deployed. Dialogue is where Fixed falls flattest; it often feels like Bull and his friends are exchanging gags from a wrinkled back issue of National Lampoon. At least the cast makes the best of their lines, particularly Idris Elba – who’s eating everything he says as aggressive and enthusiastic boxer Rocco – or Kathryn Hahn, who dials up the charisma and innocence of her show dog, Honey.
What’s more effective is the physical humor, with art director Scott Wills and his Primal collaborator Tartakovsky bringing the eye-bugging, face-stretching takes of a Tex Avery or Chuck Jones short into the streaming era. A sequence where the dogs chase a squirrel down the street before tearing it into absurdly bloody bits is a highlight, showcasing Tartakovsky's skill for comedic timing and striking imagery.
But Fixed is more than a one-note, “CaN yOu BeLiEvE tHeY’rE dOiNg ThIs In A cArToOn?” joke. It shines brightest when it focuses on the dynamic between the dogs, the story of old pals recognizing the end of an era, or the romance between Bull and Honey. Tartakovsky knows how to balance disparate tones; here, all of the off-color laughs coexist with the story of two neighbors who are clearly in love but have let their collective insecurities keep them apart. It’s quite heartfelt, and leads to some funny misunderstandings worthy of a great rom-com. There's also a surprisingly tender subplot between one of Bull's friends and an intersex dog played by River Gallo.
Fixed may lack for winning dialogue, and the sex jokes overstay their welcome a bit, but it’s still refreshing to see an animated comedy that's steeped in character-based humor rather than tired pop-culture references. That it also boasts fantastic 2D animation in the vein of classic Warner Bros. cartoons makes this a rare movie in today's age, one worth seeking out for its craft if nothing else.
