DARLING COMPANION is the story of Joseph and Beth, a surgeon and his wife, who have been married for many years and have two grown daughters, Grace and Ellie. On a wintry day in Denver, Beth and Grace save a bedraggled lost dog from the side of the freeway. Their daring rescue sets in motion a series of comedic and emotional events that touches everyone in their circle. Beth, who's struggling with an empty nest and a distracted, self-involved husband, forms a special bond with the dog. In addition, the highway encounter unexpectedly changes the course of Grace's life. A year later, Beth, Joseph and their extended family gather for Grace's wedding at their vacation home in the mountains. The rescued dog, now named Freeway, is part of the family. After the wedding, Joseph takes Freeway on a walk in the woods. Distracted, dealing with a medical issue on his cell phone, Joseph loses sight of the dog when Freeway chases after some wildlife. As night falls, a frantic search begins for the lost canine. Irate at her husband for losing the dog, Beth enlists the help of the few remaining guests: Joseph's sister Penny; Penny's new boyfriend Russell; Penny's son, Bryan, who is also a surgeon in medical practice with his uncle Joseph; and Carmen, the beautiful and mysterious caretaker of the vacation house. What follows is an adventure for each member of the search party, taking them in unexpected directions - sometimes comic, sometimes harrowing, and sometimes deeply emotional. The characters scour the rugged, majestic terrain in search of the dog and encounter various colourful characters living in their small mountain community. The journey exposes tensions between partners, siblings, parents and children. New love ignites, old love is tested, and personalities clash. DARLING COMPANION is a story about commitment, family and the lengths to which we will go to support those we cherish. From Lawrence Kasdan, whose movies include The Big Chill and Grand Canyon comes the third instalment in the exploration of his generation.
