Il cane pompiere

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.

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.

I used this comment on a thread somewhere in here, and just thought I'd add my two cents on a quick review:

I went to the theater with the intention of seeing "Meet the Robinsons" but it was sold out, so with a choice of "Blades of Glory" and "Firehouse Dog", I opted for the dog flick.

I wasn't disappointed. It is a cute film, sure there are the boring and not-so-brilliant crude fart jokes, but the film is not so much about the dog, but about the relationship between a father and son, as they both work through a serious life altering event that they both experienced in the recent past.

In the story there is a bit a mystery and sleuthing involved, drama, humor and some silliness with the dog that I didn't find it too over-the-top. The relationships of those who live and work at the firehouse are also part of the story and the fires add some excitement and adventure.

I enjoyed the film, but wouldn't call it a blockbuster or anything. The kids in the theater were attentive throughout and everyone there seemed to enjoy it also.

This was not a bad film. It features the typical pampered character finds himself in a slightly reduced setting, except in this case the character is a dog. The Hollywood pooch finds himself in a firehouse about to be torn down after an aerial stunt goes wrong, and they adopt him, and he saves the day in more ways than one. I loved all the stunts involving the dog, and the rescue scenes were well-executed, as was most of the film. Of course, the kids grows throughout the movie, as when he first meets the dog he hates it but grows to love it, and develops from rebellious to responsible. I think I studied this theme in college literature classes. This was overall a good movie, and I recommend it.

*** out of ****

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.