Beethoven

This was almost like an old-fashioned type of nice movie "the whole family will enjoy," as the stupid trailers used to always say. They aren't always right about that, but they are with this one.

BAD NEWS - The "bad news" was (a) the silly ending, (b) some silly-stupid scenes earlier in which what you saw could never really happen, and (c) the three kids were annoying and bossy at times.

GOOD NEWS - The "good news" is, of course, "Beethoven," the lovable Saint Bernard who is a lot of fun to watch, especially with all his facial expressions. Also, it's a very entertaining story and there is absolutely nothing offensive, language-wise, in here.

OVERALL - This was popular enough to spawn some sequels, none of which were close in caliber to this one. A good family film worth viewing, but mainly if you like big, lovable dogs.

I really liked Beethoven. Of course it isn't perfect, it does have a silly ending, the plot does have its low points and the script was a tad weak in places. However, it is a charming, fun and entertaining family movie. I myself am mortified at the 5.1 IMDb rating. I seriously don't think it is as bad as all that. It isn't perfect, but it has a sense of fun. The cinematography is lush and very beautifully handled, and the direction was secure. Charles Grodin is an enormously talented actor, and I enjoyed his performance here, and Dean Jones seems to be having fun too. The child actors are appealing, and the music is lovely. I think the real star is Beethoven himself, whoever trained that dog should be told he/she did a wonderful job. With Beethoven, the film is fun, charming and very entertaining. And there are many memorable moments here. All in all, a very pleasant family film, I recommend it. It is not perfect, but it is one of the better family films out there. 7/10 Bethany Cox

A lot of critics didn't like Beethoven, but they must be Scrooges. How can you not love this big, ungainly, lovable beast? At least the movie going public certainly liked him.

This St.Bernard puppy escapes from dognappers who take him and others from a pet shop. But even as a puppy he's resourceful and he wonders into a typical suburban home and is made welcome by the family and I mean the kids Christopher Castile, Nicholle Tom, and Sarah Rose Karr. Even their mom Bonnie Hunt kind of takes to him. What's a dad like Charles Grodin to do.

But as Beethoven grows older his clumsiness causes a lot trouble. He does have an instinct for sorting out some bad people and dealing with them. The kids get it, the parents don't.

Dean Jones is the villain here, a veterinarian who 'kills' his charges but secretly uses them for mad scientist like experimentation. Jones who was the all American hero in so many Disney films in the 60s and 70s looks like he's having a great old time as the Snidely Whiplash of scientists. He's got a pair of mooks for henchmen in Michael Tucci and Oliver Platt. In the old days they'd be played by Allen Jenkins and Edward Brophy.

This movie has little kids and a big dog in it. Now only the most hard hearted could resist that.

I do not how the hell one of my all time childhood favourite films is rated 5 but I can tell you this film is one of the greatest family films of all time even watching it again all these years later.

Great film about family love, awesomeness and man's best friend. I made an IMDb account just so I could make a review to defend this film as I was shocked to see it had such a low rating when in reality this film is an all time classic. Understanding the bond between man and animal really helps you tie into the emotional connection the family has with the dog.

10/10 as a family film / comedy. Will be watching with my kids for sure and you should too.

The title canine is an adorable Saint Bernard puppy who escapes when bumbling, idiotic criminals Harvey and Vernon (Oliver Platt and Stanley Tucci) rob a pet store of their inventory. Beethoven makes his way into the house of the Newton family, immediately endearing himself to the children (Nicholle Tom, Christopher Castile, Sarah Rose Karr) and wife / mother (Bonnie Hunt). The dad (Charles Grodin) is another story. He's not a real dog person, but reluctantly agrees to take on the pup as a pet. In your typical Hollywood fashion, havoc ensues, as the puppy grows into the destructive, messy (but also very loving) big brute that Grodin knew would result. The main plot concerns a thoroughly evil veterinarian (Dean Jones, in a hilarious performance) who collects dogs for test purposes.

Watching this as an adult, you can see the flaws more clearly. Sometimes this is genuinely groan inducing, sometimes predictably silly. (You can tell that co-writer John Hughes, who uses his pseudonym of Edmond Dantes, was still getting Home Alone out of his system.) It's also easier to sympathize with George, even though Grodin brilliantly portrays him as a fastidious grump who craves order in his life. He actually makes his family get up at seven in the morning on Saturdays. Another word of advice is that this isn't totally harmless; some people, not just the younger children, might find certain scenes objectionable.

Overall, though, "Beethoven" is passable family entertainment without being exceptional in any way. It may hit you where you live, however, if you're a dog person like this viewer. The perfectly cast Grodin is well supported by a cast that also includes TV stars David Duchovny and Patricia Heaton as a snotty yuppie couple, and familiar character players like O-Lan Jones, Nancy Fish, and Richard Portnow. A 10 year old Joseph Gordon-Levitt makes his film debut as a schoolchild. It's particularly fun to see Jones playing the raspy voiced bad guy. Beethoven himself is quite engaging and sweet; some of the best scenes here have him making little journeys around town.

Followed by a mind boggling SIX sequels.

Seven out of 10.