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GOOD BOY! (PG)

Plot Summary: A dog astronaut and a human boy try to save all dogs from being recalled to their home planet for failure to conquer earth.

Reason for the Rating: Some mild crude humor.

Now this is a funny movie. The premise of GOOD BOY! is that a dog astronaut from the canine home planet around the dog star, Sirius, has been sent to earth to investigate rumors that the dogs sent here have not conquered the planet but have instead become (gasp) pets.

Through a technological mishap, a human boy is accidentally given the ability to understand not only the dog astronaut, Hubble (voiced by Matthew Broderick, Inspector Gadget), but all dogs everywhere. Because of his love for dogs, the boy, Owen Baker (Liam Aiken, Road to Perdition), vows to help the neighborhood dogs shape up in time for the planetary inspection by the Greater Dane (voiced by Vanessa Redgrave, Crime and Punishment).

This is a special effects movie, but it’s easy to forget that. Talking dogs and flying saucers. But the dogs’ mouths move so naturally and appropriately for the words they’re saying that it looks completely normal. Jim Henson Productions provided these special effects, which are every bit as good as the ones in Cats & Dogs.

While on the one hand this is a comedy about talking dogs, on the other hand it’s a rather serious look at loneliness, friendship, and loyalty. Owen Baker doesn’t have any friends. His parents live in homes while they refurbish them, then sell and move on to the next house, so Owen never gets time to put down roots. He loves dogs and wants one of his own. Through a comic series of events, he ends up with Hubble.

The earth dogs are in trouble because they haven’t subjugated the humans and conquered the planet, and unless Hubble and Owen can pull off a miracle, the Greater Dane will order a global recall and take all dogs away from earth forever. Owen makes a heartfelt plea to save the dogs, saying that what dogs and people have achieved—love and loyal friendship—is a much greater thing than mere conquest.

There are many laughs in GOOD BOY!, mostly from the antics of the neighborhood dogs and the perfectly matched line deliveries by the voice actors, among whom are Cheech Marin, Brittney Murphy, and Carl Reiner. The sequence in which the earth dogs try to defy gravity—by jumping off chairs, couches, and diving boards—will have your whole family in hysterics.

This may be the mildest PG-rated movie I’ve ever seen. I’m honestly surprised it wasn’t rated G. There are a few instances minor crude language and one dog flatulates repeatedly. Also, there is a male couple living in the neighborhood, but nothing is ever made of this in the movie. Besides these things, it is a safe movie to take all but the youngest children to.

The real find here is Liam Aiken. It’s a rare child star who can carry a movie the way Aiken does. That’s partially testament to first-time director John Robert Hoffman’s direction and a great script, but most of it is due to Aiken’s strength as an actor. His physical comedy; his line delivery; his expressions of concern, surprise, and joy—not to mention that million-dollar smile—make this young man an actor to watch.

FamilyFans.com Recommends: Get the kids in the car and go see it. This is a wonderful tail (er, tale) of love, humor, and devotion the whole family can enjoy together.

After the Show…If members of your family choose to view this movie, use these questions to spark discussion about it afterward:

---In the movie, two bullies pick on Owen. Have you ever had bullies pick on you? What are some good ways to deal with bullies?

---Do you think it would be fun to talk to animals? What do you think your pets would say if you could understand them?

---Owen and Hubble learn a lot about friendship in this movie. What do you think true friendship is? Is there someone you need to show this kind of friendship to today?

Jefferson Scott