Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
Carl Fredricksen reluctantly agrees to go on a date with a lady friend—but admittedly has no idea how dating works these days. Ever the helpful friend, Dug steps in to calm Carl's pre-date jitters and offer some tried-and-true tips for making friends—if you're a dog.
Carl's Date is a charming Pixar short revisiting beloved Up characters. The plot is sweet and simple — Carl nervously prepares for a date while Dug offers endearingly canine advice. It's warm and functional but slight, as expected of a short. Voice acting from Ed Asner (posthumously) and Bob Peterson is genuine and touching. Cinematography is competent Pixar polish without standout visual ambition. Novelty is moderate — it revisits familiar characters rather than breaking new ground, but the dog-perspective dating advice conceit gives it a distinct comedic hook. The ending is gentle and satisfying without being memorable. A solidly above-average short that lives on goodwill toward its source material.