A private detective is killed, then comes back to earth, as a dog, in order to solve his own murder. Yet, with the murder and all, it's not really a children's film despite starring Benji (and having the same director as the Benji movies). Apart from the fact he's now a dog, the rest is played curiously straight. Lots of time spent with Benji searching for clues and piecing it all together (Chevy Chase narrates his thoughts). So it's a comedy then? Not especially. There are comic moments, more silly than funny, but the scenes and pace are generally long and spacious. It's basically a rather pedestrian murder-mystery story that just happens to have a dog at the centre. So who is the movie aimed at? I don't really know. Too adult for most children, yet too childish for most adults. I guess Generation-X-ers like myself who like 80s nostalgia and are generally happy to watch Chevy Chase would enjoy it, but that's a small audience. Best thing about it is marvelling at the training, intelligence and capability of Benji the dog. The opening song is also quite cool in an off-beat yacht rock kind of way. Kind of guilty pleasure movie. I enjoyed it more than I probably should have.
