‘Fixed’ Review: Genndy Tartakovsky Goes Doggone Wild in R-rated Animated Comedy With Heart and Balls
Time to send Genndy Tartakovsky to horny jail.
For years, Genndy Tartakovsky (Dexter’s Laboratory, Samurai Jack, Hotel Transylvania 1-3) has operated within the confines of family entertainment. Although he has produced mature works, like Primal and the final Adult Swim season of Samurai Jack, he has been sort of restrained. For years, the beloved Russian-American filmmaker has been panting like a dog to make his major passion project, Fixed, a fully 2D R-rated animated feature, into reality.
I genuinely thought it wouldn't see the light of day. Its extensive development cycle included Sony Pictures Animation giving him the go-ahead to produce it, a change of hands from distributor New Line Cinema, until big anti-animation daddy Zaslav reared his wax-candle head to Netflix. If you are a Tartakovsky-head, Fixed is the visionary artist going fully unleashed, unhinged, and horny on main. Imagine The Secret Life of Pets and Lady and the Tramp as a Judd Apatow comedy (without the excruciatingly long runtime). Yet, for a project that's been in the works longer than your average dog’s lifespan (17 years), I'll say, he surely made the funniest R-rated comedy of 2008 (complimentary)!
Image copyright (©) Courtesy of Netflix
MPA Rating: R (strong crude sexual content and language throughout, some drug use and violence)
Runtime: 1 Hour and 25 Minutes
Production Companies: Sony Pictures Animation
Distributor: Netflix
Director: Genndy Tartakovsky
Writer: Genndy Tartakovsky, Jon Vitti
Cast: Adam Devine, Idris Elba, Kathryn Hahn, Fred Armisen, Beck Bennett, Bobby Moynihan
Release Date: August 13, 2025
Bull (Adam DeVine), a bloodhound-mix, is a good-natured dog who spends most of his time humping at everything in the house. Yet, his horniness is compensating for his feelings toward his neighbor, Honey (Kathryn Hahn), an Afghan hound that is being trained to be a show dog and also harbors affection for him. He does have some friends at the dog park, including the self-assured boxer Rocco (Idris Elba), the dim-witted beagle Lucky (Bobby Moynihan), and the influencer dachshund Fetch (Fred Armisen), who dresses like a human and walks on his hind legs. The dogs see their friend Luther (Aaron LaPlante), who has just been neutered at the vet, to tell Bull about the signs that mean he's going to get fixed. The signs soon materialize for Bull as he learns his owners are about to get him neutered the next morning. Hurt and betrayed, feeling that humans don't love him, Bull ventures off into the city. He is accompanied by Rocco, Fetch, and Lucky, who offer to assist Bull in enjoying one final night out with his balls.
Fixed features gorgeous hand-drawn work in every frame
Tartakovsky's Fixed is a true representation of his visionary self, emphasizing his slapstick humor while maintaining his distinctive UPA-influenced style that has been present in his work for years, in every frame. Lightstar Studios and Renegade Animation's animators create breathtaking work that revives long-forgotten aspects of 2D animation and honors them. If you've been craving a traditional, hand-drawn 2D animated film, Fixed is a visual treat elevated by expressive movement. Tartakovsky and his longtime team, which includes character designer Craig Kellman and art director Scott Wills, fully realize a scope that feels related to the Hanna-Barbera and Chuck Jones days of slapstick animation. The movement is zippy, making for hilarious gags. The scope is solely related to the pets' perspective, as people are only seen up to their legs. It's Kellman, Wills, and Tartakovsky acting as though Chuck Jones did drugs with Ralph Bakshi and was commissioned to make a Looney Tunes movie out of it. The quality doesn’t reach that of larger productions like The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie, but it does come close. It features incredible ‘'in-betweening' work that feels so long forgotten in 2D animated productions. The animation is eye-pleasing, even at its grossest gags. Given that Fixed is set throughout a night, similar to Scorsese's After Hours, Wills and the background art crew demonstrate their versatility by experimenting with color-palette key lighting as the night progresses. It gives way to dazzling shots straight out of a children's picture book. Though in this case, you want to make sure that the book is far from any child's hands.
Comedy could use a little more bark than bite
Like a bowler who has finally let go of bumpers, Tartakovsky is exercising his distinct prowess in his dirtiest and edgiest mode yet. There's some sophistication behind Fixed, as its R-rated humor isn’t emphasized on lazy f-bomb uses, like Sausage Party and even 2023's R-rated Homeward Bound equivalent, Strays. However, to its disadvantage, Fixed is more concerned with delivering visual gross-out, shock humor that pushes your discomfort. At a certain point, Bull's balls, which are always on display, are the least of the raunchy humor's problems, as some of the crazier gags fall flat.
Fixed’s narrative influences – The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Lady and the Tramp – are heavily present within the film's overarching romance between Bull and Honey. Adam Devine and Kathryn Hahn infuse their voice performances with a loving charm, allowing them to showcase their comedic strengths in characters that share a fantastic comedic chemistry and warmth. The same sentiment is shared with the rest of the talented voice cast who embody their roles. Though, the adventure they embark (pun intended) on is sometimes dull and pedestrian, which is weird for a raunchy R-rated animated comedy. The film’s greatest set piece is a dog-run brothel. There are funny gags and the introduction of a stunningly designed intersex Dobermann named Frankie (River Gallo), but someone full of high-brained imagination like Tartakovsky could’ve put more weight in set pieces beyond that one.
The vision, narrative structure, and fine characters are realized, but the script is not. The dialogue is often middling and awkwardly timed. Since this is the first time Tartakovsky is exercising straightforward comedy, his and Jon Vitti's script would have benefited from a comedian's punch-up, specifically like Robert Smigel. Not just because he's Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, but his sense of humor aligns well with Tartakovsky's style (Cc: Hotel Transylvania 1 & 2). Fixed benefits from avoiding out-of-date pop culture references and attempting to be rich, but it doesn't have anything particularly memorable to offer beyond a few gross-out jokes. But overall it is compensated by its heartfelt soul.
Final Statement
Although Genndy Tartakovsky's Fixed may not have the loudest howl due to its shock humor and generic plotting, it’s still a solid comedy with “woof” thanks to its endearing characters and gorgeous hand-drawn animation.
Rating: 3.5/5
For full access to all articles on the website and member-only content, such as the complete archive and the Award Artisan Interview Series, sign up for a Rendy Reviews membership.
