My Life as a Dog

My Life as a Dog (1985) is a coming-of-age comedy-drama film that tells the story of a 12-year-old boy named Ingemar who is sent to live with his aunt and uncle in a small rural town in Småland, Sweden, during the summer of 1959. Ingemar's mother is terminally ill and his older brother Erik is sent to live with their father in another town. Ingemar is not allowed to bring his beloved dog Sikkar with him and the dog is placed in a kennel. In the town, Ingemar encounters a variety of eccentric characters, including Saga, an assertive tomboy his own age who becomes his love interest. He also befriends Mr. Arvidsson, an old man living downstairs who gets Ingemar to read to him from a lingerie catalog. As the summer progresses, Ingemar's mother's health takes a turn for the worse and she is hospitalized. Ingemar and his brother go to stay with their uncle Sandberg in the city, but his wife thinks the boy is mentally disturbed. After his mother dies, Ingemar is sent back to Småland. The film follows Ingemar's journey as he deals with the loss of his mother, the absence of his dog, and the changing world around him. He reflects on the experiences of others and his own personal loss to reconcile a life that is sometimes tough. Throughout the film, Ingemar tells himself that it could have been worse, reciting several examples such as the story of Laika, the first creature sent into orbit by the Russians, who was killed when she was sent into space. The film ends with a radio broadcast of a famous heavyweight championship boxing match between Swede Ingemar Johansson and American Floyd Patterson which Ingemars wins, causing the whole town erupt with joy . The film received critical acclaim and was nominated for several awards, including Best Director and Best Screenplay at the 68th Academy Awards

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Some movies that have similar genres and were produced around the same time as My Life as a Dog include The Breakfast Club, Peggy Sue Got Married, Heartburn, An American Tail, Pretty in Pink, Hannah and Her Sisters.

My Life as a Dog was released in theaters on May 1, 1987.