The Art of Racing in the Rain (2019)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
A professional race car driver and his loyal golden retriever navigate the complexities of life, loss, and the bond between man and dog.
The story
In Seattle, a professional race car driver named Denny Swift shares a deep bond with his loyal golden retriever, Enzo. While Denny strives to make it in the competitive world of auto racing, he balances his ambitions with the care of his aging companion. When Denny meets and marries a woman named Eve, their lives become intertwined with the challenges of family and the high-stakes world of racing. As Enzo watches over the growing family, he remains a constant presence in Denny's life, witnessing the triumphs and trials of a man pursuing his dreams while navigating the complexities of love and commitment.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The story follows Denny Swift, a professional racer, and his dog Enzo. Years of shared history lead them through Denny's marriage to Eve and the birth of their daughter, Zoë. Tragedy strikes when Eve is diagnosed with and dies from brain cancer. Following her death, a legal battle ensues over the custody of Zoë, during which Denny is arrested for an altercation with his former daughter-in-law's father. Amidst this turmoil, Enzo is injured in a car accident. Denny is forced to choose between his career and his family's stability. After a series of events leads to the dismissal of his charges and a reconciliation with his in-laws, Denny accepts a prestigious position with Ferrari. As Enzo's health fails, the two share one final race. Years later, a successful Formula One driver named Denny lives in Italy with Zoë, where he encounters a young fan who reminds him of his old friend, Enzo.
- First release year
- 2019
- Runtime (minutes)
- 109
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Simon Curtis
- Writers
- Mark Bomback · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Milo Ventimiglia; Amanda Seyfried; Kevin Costner · Enzo; Parker · Enzo; Kathy Baker; Martin Donovan; Gary Cole; Lily Dodsworth-Evans · Zoë
- Genres
- drama; comedy-drama
- Themes
- friendship; companionship; reincarnation; sacrifice
- Tone and mood
- sentimental; heartstring-tugging
- Premise and plot tags
- auto racing; pet-centric; father-daughter
- Source material / true-story basis
- the 2008 novel by author Garth Stein
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics, with some praising its emotional core while others criticized its reliance on cliches.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 43 · scale: 100 · review count: 31; PostTrak · score: 4.5 · scale: 5
- Production trivia
- The film was produced by Neal H. Moritz.; The film was released on Disney+ in September 2022.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
Your lists
Loading your lists…