Firehouse Dog

I gave it such a high rating not b/c I think it's such a great movie, but b/c it did what a family/kid movie is supposed to do - make you laugh, keep the kids' (and my) attention, and not make you fall asleep.

It did all of those things. Based on some of these reviews here, I expected it to absolutely stink. But my kids who are 4 and 6, and I thought maybe too young for this type of movie, were riveted. They liked the silly humor, and when the father and son had their screen time together my son cuddled with me and was obviously moved. And I didn't feel like pulling my hair out and I never checked my watch.

All of this made for a fun, worth-the-matinée-price, movie experience. On top of it, my husband took the kids to see this movie last week; so this was my first time, and their second - and they sat still through it the whole way.

Funny, sweet, enjoyable movie.

4 out of 10? What? Who the hell is voting on this, people who enjoyed "Dude, where's my car?" or Canadian's who want to have a chip on their shoulder about film-making in their own country, if other comments on this site are to be believed. Well, personally I don't care where the film was made, I watched it with my family and I enjoyed it. Yes, it's Disney style corny, but the funny bits are funny, the touching bits are touching and ultimately you're routing for the dog and the fire crew.

Starring the underrated Bruce Greenwood and a decent supporting crew the film is fun for the family as the story of a pampered Hollywood pooch who learns what being a dog is really all about moves at a decent pace with gags that children will enjoy with a few extra bizarre touches for adults as well.

and for those people who give it 4, have you people seen Batman and Robin, Cool as Ice, of the abysmal Legends of the fall. Personally I suggest you watch these first before slating this.

6 out of 10.

I was surprised when I saw the rating and thought about not going and seeing this movie. But, my wife and I were looking for a movie to take the children to see - difficult to find these days. We went and were pleasantly surprised by the total movie experience. Laughter throughout the theater during many parts of this film. Sure, some plot scenarios were far fetched but for a family movie, a comedy and a dog star type movie this movie was excellent. I have learned that the dog is an Irish Terrier - what a fantastic personality this animal has. I sincerely encourage everyone of all ages to see this movie. Look at it as a fun family film - not as an Oscar winning drama of great significance but certainly much better than the rating indicates.

Shane has some problems. As a middle schooler, he has been doing poorly on exams. This is because his single parent father, Marc (Bruce Greenwood) is a captain in the fire department and is one the job a great deal of the time. In addition, Shane's uncle died in a fire about a year ago and his father is still mourning the loss of his brother. No wonder Shane is suffering from lack of parental attention and direction. But, one day, a dog is rescued by the fire department on top of a burning building. Shane and his father take the dog home. Unknown to them, this is no ordinary mutt but a movie star canine who was lost during a parachuting screen shoot. Although Shane does not like the dog at first, the little furry one is talented and wins over the boy's heart. And, he also becomes a great fire dog, leading to the rescue of another fire captain. But, will the real owner of the dog come back to claim him? And, just who is setting all of these fires in an already decaying neighborhood? This is a terrific family movie. Yes, it is implausible, at times, but it does not matter in the least. The adorable dog of the film is smart, talented, and will melt hearts. The cast, although mostly unknown actors, is also just right for the film. The costumes, sets and movie production values are fine, too. Then again, many children and adults are interested in fire fighting and this flick has plenty of minutes devoted to battling blazes. In short, if you want to get a new and worthy film for your family's enjoyment, this is a terrific choice. It will have everyone cheering and clapping for the brave little canine and his taller companions.

This is a movie the kids are sure to enjoy, yea it has the same plot most movies of this genera have, bad guy, good guy, and a animal hero, with a couple added new things in it. Over all its worth a rental if nothing else. The best actor is the "Dog" , not to say the human actors were that bad but the movie focuses on the mutt and that's what you should get out of it. It will probably be a rental fairly quickly and that is what i would recommend for those not willing to fork out 60$ bucks to take the family. As an adult i thought it was a half way decent film, not boring even if it is a bit predictable. If you like animal acting type films , you should like this one.