by Gemma Williams
For anyone who has seen Fluke, and probably cried masses of tears over the film, it will be clear why this film is being mentioned. For those that don’t know, Fluke is a dog who used to be a man and was reincarnated when he met his untimely demise. Thomas, who is now Fluke, was a father in life to a little boy called Brian. The relationship between Thomas and Brian will be the focus of this article, though there are a wealth of topics to discuss related to this film.
For anyone who has seen Fluke, and probably cried masses of tears over the film, it will be clear why this film is being mentioned. For those that don’t know, Fluke is a dog who used to be a man and was reincarnated when he met his untimely demise. Thomas, who is now Fluke, was a father in life to a little boy called Brian. The relationship between Thomas and Brian will be the focus of this article, though there are a wealth of topics to discuss related to this film.
First of all, Fluke’s memory is a bit hazy of his human life, but he remembers enough that he can find his family. This does mean, however, that he forgets a lot of details about how he was as a person. He was a bitter, emotionally distant workaholic who never had time for his son and wife. He had the occasional sweet moment with Brian, like when he would take one of the army men Brian was playing with and hide it under a chair to announce his arrival. Later, he does the same as Fluke which upsets and confuses Brian who starts seeing parallels between this new dog they’ve taken in and his deceased father.
Fluke is a much better father than Thomas ever was, as not being able to interact with them in the same level makes him realise what he missed out in life. As a dog, he comforts his son and gets to know him like he never could have before, by watching over him as he sleeps, to protecting him from anything that threatens to cause harm.
Fluke is a much better father than Thomas ever was, as not being able to interact with them in the same level makes him realise what he missed out in life. As a dog, he comforts his son and gets to know him like he never could have before, by watching over him as he sleeps, to protecting him from anything that threatens to cause harm.
He still is not perfect though. He holds a grudge against his old colleague and best friend who is now in a relationship with his wife, and who he blames for his death. The ensuing jealously causes Fluke to act out in ways that put himself, his friend, and his family in danger. That was not his best moment as a father. He rationalised his behaviour by stating that he was trying to protect his family from a dangerous man, until he realised that perhaps he was the dangerous one.
This is a sad, heartfelt film with a lot of social issues hidden within it, one being that of the relationship of a father and his children. It shows what is really important in life, and it’s not work. Poor Brian had to lose his father due to recklessness and lack of thought and again later when Fluke decides that his family are better off without him complicating their lives further but he does ensure that they are safe and taken care of before he tries to reveal his identity to them in a more obvious than he did previously, leaving the question of whether his family truly understood and believed that this dog was their lost father and husband.
Was Thomas a good father? No. He wasn’t the worst but how can you compare something like this? You’re either good or bad; that’s all that kids see. Was Fluke a good father? Absolutely. So if you’re a father and you’re reading this, don’t let work take over your life. You have people at home who care about you and want you there with them, as you, not as a dog!
This is a sad, heartfelt film with a lot of social issues hidden within it, one being that of the relationship of a father and his children. It shows what is really important in life, and it’s not work. Poor Brian had to lose his father due to recklessness and lack of thought and again later when Fluke decides that his family are better off without him complicating their lives further but he does ensure that they are safe and taken care of before he tries to reveal his identity to them in a more obvious than he did previously, leaving the question of whether his family truly understood and believed that this dog was their lost father and husband.
Was Thomas a good father? No. He wasn’t the worst but how can you compare something like this? You’re either good or bad; that’s all that kids see. Was Fluke a good father? Absolutely. So if you’re a father and you’re reading this, don’t let work take over your life. You have people at home who care about you and want you there with them, as you, not as a dog!
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