A young couple have to adjust after adopting a rescued dog in The Heirloom. Eric (Ben Petrie) is a workaholic filmmaker, who gives in to the desires of her partner Allie (Grace Glowicki) to adopt a dog. The two drive to the airport to pick up the scared Whippet, Milly, who was flown in with an unknown past from the Dominican Republic. The two struggle to adapt to having a dog in their lives, particularly Eric, who has been trying to enforce an ideology of establishing himself as the leader of the pack.
The Heirloom Synopsis
The Heirloom is the feature directorial debut from filmmaker and actor Ben Petrie (Her Friend Adam, Blackberry). The film is loosely based on the experiences of Petrie and his real-life partner Grace Glowicki (Booger, Measures for a Funeral) deciding to adopt a rescue dog in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Initially, Eric and Allie’s adopted dog Milly spends most of her time hiding in their bedroom closet. However, the Whippet slowly opens up to Allie in particular, while Eric still struggles to adapt to his new status as a dog owner, while also working on a screenplay. Desperately, Eric decides to combine his two lives when he decides to make a film about his and Allie’s experiences adopting Milly.
My Thoughts on The Heirloom
The Heirloom is a dramedy about the challenges of raising a dog and how these challenges affect the relationship of the central couple. Ben Petrie and Grace Glowicki play the only, human, protagonists for the bulk of the film, though there is a voice-over cameo by Matt Johnson (Matt and Mara) as a Belligerent Vet, he has some opinions that he chooses not to express about Eric and Allie’s plan to switch Milly over to vegan dog food. The vegan dog food issue actually leads into one of the sequences later in the film that might be upsetting for dog-lovers to watch.
As a film based on the real experiences of Ben Petrie and Grace Glowicki, The Heirloom is a film that repeatedly blurs the line between reality and fiction. This includes recreating certain scenes we have already seen, except with Allie now overacting her reaction to adopting Milly. There is also one curious moment, where a boom operator walks into frame, and I am left wondering if it was done on purpose or if it was a mistake that chosen to be left in.
As a narrative, The Heirloom gives off a major mumblecore vibe, with Grace Glowicki being quite comparable to the early performances of Greta Gerwig. On the flip side, Ben Petrie gives off a major Jesse Eisenberg vibe, as the neurotic control-freak Eric. As the film progresses, The Heirloom becomes more a test of the state of Eric and Allie’s relationship, with the film climaxing with the latter giving a lengthy ultimatum.
The title of The Heirloom is in reference to how this film is intended to preserve this moment in time for Ben Petrie and Grace Glowicki. This is very much a film for dog-lovers, though I did get quite upset at some harrowing late-night vet visits depicted in the film. However, altogether, The Heirloom is an ode to the love we have for Man’s Best Friend.
Trailer for The Heirloom
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