I should have known better because of the bad reviews I read in the paper as well as got from friends, BUT.... 
Well, it's always better to see something for yourself if you don't trust what's said to you. It was just unfortunate that what you read were, in your opinion, true. I haven't seen this myself but it's been in my invisible list of should-see's (not must-see's) in my head. Anyway, I kinda like Diane and John. Not my faves, just like.
...Who owns the dog, then?