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My Dog SkipRating:
Release Date: 03 February, 2004 Retail Price: $14.98 OUR Price: $12.99 You SAVE: $1.99! Cast: Complete Cast (11 total) |
My Dog Skip Reviews
I was an only child. He was an only dog.
I am not a dog-lover in any way shape or form. Cats, in my personal opinion, are the greatest pets that anyone could have. Their ability to be self-existent is reason enough to put them ahead of dogs any day. So, many of you may be asking, why would I rent a film like this if I didn't like dogs? Two reasons. First, I am a sucker for anything known as cinema, and two, there was quite a bit of popularity surrounding this film at the time of its release. I remember hearing that Kevin Bacon could possibly win an award for his outstanding performance in this film and that it was one of those films that will make any person with a heart break into tears. Oh, and I guess there was a third thing ... rumor had it that Clint Howard was in My Dog Skip, and for those that know me, I cannot pass up the opportunity to see Ron Howard's little brother in action! So, I submerged myself into this film one fateful night and watched a clich� Hollywood story with some very decent acting attempt to pull at my heartstrings and moments of nostalgia. I must admit, some of the rumors were correct. Bacon, as well as others did some phenomenal acting in this little film, but it was the story that ultimately disappointed me. I needed creativity, spontaneity, and excitement, alas, all I found was a simpleton story that could easily be found in any book dealing with dogs, pre-teens, summers, and social climbing while suffering from the classic Old Yeller syndrome.
My Dog Skip doesn't hold back in using every classic Hollywood trick in the book when building the relationship between Willie and his dog, Skip. From the dog becoming a part of the community to eventually saving lives while teaching lessons, My Dog Skip does not promote originality at all. You could see the director, possibly with some note cards, talking to his crew about how other Hollywood hits like Turner & Hooch, Benji, or any of the Lassie series (either television or film) did it, and he would not like to stray far from the devices that these similar films used. Would it have harmed director Jay Russell to be original, to take a stronger stance on developing the author Willie Morris' words a bit stronger. This could have been a sensational film about friendship during the troubled years of America (i.e. the War and apparent racism in Mississippi), but instead Russell skirted around the issues and penetrated our hearts with a cute Muniz and a dog that was prepped for the camera. I apologize about my cynicism towards this feature, but I witnessed a lack of respect as I watched this film for both the patrons in the audience and the time it was attempting to portray. I wanted to see more honesty behind the script, instead of clich� Hollywood moments. Even though this was developed as a "children's film", I believe that more should have been explained about the circumstances surrounding Dink, more should have been developed about the bootleggers, and more needed to be developed about the scattered racism in town. Russell attempted to paint this beautiful image of rural Mississippi in 1942, but it felt that instead of using paint he used candy to gloss over some of the rougher edges. There is a point when we must realize that children can accept the facts of our nation, and that a boyhood friendship can still grow strong even during times that we are not proud of.
What is friendship? According to My Dog Skip, friendship is helping an insecure someone reach a better point in their life. Friendship means always being the initiator, while ultimately realizing that this same person may never repay the favor. Do you not agree? These were the "life lessons" that I learned from this film. This is another hearty mistake that I believe hurt Jay Russell's feature. Here we have Muniz unable to cope with the social struggles of life without the help outgoing and energetic Skip. If it weren't for this dog, Willie Morris may never had broken free of those insecure shackles of life. Yet, somehow, no praise is generated for this dog at the end. Without giving anything away, the final note of this film is rather depressing, not due to the events that occur, but due to the actions of Morris. I nearly shed a tear because I felt horrible that this dog was so exhaustingly great to this boy, yet Skip is slowly forgotten. This is how I interpreted the final scenes, perhaps others saw it differently, but why was Willie Morris missing from the final moments? Could someone help me?
While I may not have great ideas to share about the plot of this film, I did think that the acting was a par above your typical "dog befriends boy" films. Muniz does his job well considering being hired mainly for the "cute" element. I do believe that over time Muniz looses that childish look that he could have literally patented. He kept my eyes on the film, but it was Kevin Bacon's role that kept me glued to the screen. Kevin Bacon continues to prove that no matter what part you give him, he will stand up and ensure that he gives his undivided attention to the character. He will take you away from seeing Kevin Bacon on screen, and force you to see the character he is trying to create. In this film, it is Willie's stern (yet human) father Jack Morris. I believe an entire film could have been centered on Bacon's portrayal and possibly been better than what we witnessed here. Diane Lane again demonstrates her ability to play the "every woman" role. She needed to be handed more in this film to broaden her character. Not enough meat was given to her to chomp on, which hurts one of the pivotal scenes early in the film. Luke Wilson, well, he plays Luke Wilson. If you have seen any of his films, than you have seen his portrayal in this feature. He needed to reach deeper into the Born on the 4th of July moments to truly capture his character. Dink is Luke and Luke is Dink. Enough said. Then, I cannot end without giving credit to Clint Howard. He had too small of a role in this film and brought some brief moments of enjoyment to this reviewer. Clint Howard is an undiscovered gem in Hollywood. While his brother hogs the spotlight, Clint can honestly stand on his two feet in my book. It was his portrayal of Millard in My Dog Skip that strengthened this mediocre film.
Overall, I didn't like this film. I cannot stress the fact that due to director Jay Russell's lack of ability to take risks, My Dog Skip eventually transformed into another typical "dog helps boy become popular" story. There was no creativity or originality of the story (which in my eyes was too candy-coated even for the youngest of viewers), nor was there any respect for Skip near the end of the film. The only plus I can give this film is for Kevin Bacon reaching higher with this small role than most actors would have. This was one of those films where I believe the acting was directly in line for what it needed, but alas, the story was nowhere to be found. Can we not be more creative in this genre Hollywood?
Grade: ** out of *****
An answer
As for the reviewer below who asked "but why was Willie Morris missing from the final moments? Could someone help me?" certainly I can help. It was because Willie Morris was called off to attend Oxford University, England, which is, of course, overseas. Sometimes by neccesity you have to leave behind things you love.
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