Lawrence Kasdan's comedy strikes a note of rib-nudging blah coyness that feels very 1987.

While superbly acted, the dramedy plays out like a tepid "Big Chill" at best.

It meanders about as much as its eponymous pooch.

If you can stay awake, you'll see a performance by ­Keaton that is radiant in its simplicity, all ditheriness shaken off. She's still ­peaking - ­someone give her a great role.

The movie is not about the dog. It's about the people who find love, settle their differences, and get their priorities straight while searching for him. Still, when all is said and done, the dog is the only thing you care about in Darling Companion.