IslandGuru Who payed the critics

SparkMore n my opinion it was a great movie with some interesting elements, even though having some plot holes and the ending probably was just too messy and crammed together, but still fun to watch and not your casual movie that is similar to all other ones.

ChanFamous I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

Alistair Olson After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

Claudio Carvalho In 1942, in Yazoo, Mississippi, the lonely and outcast boy Willie Morris (Frankie Muniz) is the only son of the harsh war veteran Jack Morris (Kevin Bacon), who lost his leg in Spain, and the housewife and lovely mother Ellen Morris (Diane Lane). Willie Is bullied by three schoolmates and his only friend is his older neighbor Dink Jenkins (Luke Wilson), who is a baseball player and idol of the town. When Dink goes to Europe fight in World War II, Willie is alone again. However, on his ninth birthday, Ellen gives a dog to her son despite the protest of Jack. Willie gives the name of Skipper "Skip" that becomes his best friend. Skip helps Willie to have friends and to get close to the girl Rivers Applewhite (Caitlin Wachs), for whom he has a crush, changing his life for better. "My Dog Skip" is an adorable tale of loyalty and friendship based on a true story. It is beautiful to see the world through the eyes of a child while he is growing-up. Enzo the Dog is so cute and steals the show. "My Dog Skip" is a wonderful film for the whole family and I only regret that it took me fifteen years to see this movie. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Meu Cachorro Skip" ("My Dog Skip")

Python Hyena My Dog Skip (2000): Dir: Jay Russell / Cast: Frankie Muniz, Kevin Bacon, Luke Wilson, Diane Lane, Clint Howard: Family film about how a pet can teach children values in life. It teaches friendship, responsibility and the unavoidable awareness of death. It isn't for young children due to adult issues. It regards a dog Skip given to a boy on his birthday. Kevin Bacon and Diane Lane play his parents. Bacon received a Purple Heart having lost his leg in the war. Luke Wilson is cast as a football player called off to war and the impact it has on him when he returns. Fine setup becomes disjointed with an ending that may be too depressing for its intended audience. Directed by Jay Russell as a homage to Old Yeller and that is not a compliment. He details the relationships to render realism. Frankie Muniz as Skip's owner with great enthusiasm and energy. Bacon plays off the insecurity resulting in a war injury. Lane plays his wife who brings Skip home without prior approval. Wilson realizes that despite failures that Muniz still believes in him. Clint Howard makes an appearance as one of the villains that enter in an unnecessary subplot. This turns out very much as expected with a stern message in tact. Well crafted film that doesn't always work but it conveys a strong message regarding life and important things we overlook. This film should not be one of them. Score: 6 ½ / 10

Uriah43 Frankie Muniz plays a shy boy named "Willie Morris" growing up during World War II in the small town of Yazoo, Mississippi. Being shy and the fact that he is much smaller than the local boys his age causes him to be bullied and lacking any friends except a much older high school neighbor named "Dink Jenkins" (Luke Wilson) who he idolizes. When Dink enlists in the Army and is sent to Europe, Willie is left all alone. Realizing just how lonely he is his mother, "Ellen Morris" (Diane Lane) decides to get him a dog over the objections of his father, "Jack Morris" (Kevin Bacon). It turns out that "Skip" is just what he so desperately needs as they soon become inseparable companions through all of life's challenges. Anyway, so much for the basic plot. What I enjoyed about this film was the way it conveyed the importance this particular dog had on this young boy's life--sometimes without him fully realizing it until much later. Now, this movie certainly isn't perfect but it still manages to entertain fairly well. In short, it's an enjoyable bit of sentimentality that is suitable for all ages. Slightly above average.

Jackson Booth-Millard The title made it obvious that the story revolved around a dog, and I saw clips of the film at the time, I assumed it was maybe something funny like Beethoven, or something sweet like Marley & Me, I had no idea it was based on a true story, from director Jay Russell (Ladder 49). Basically, set in 1942, in Yazoo City, Mississippi, Willie Morris (Frankie Muniz) was a lonely boy and the only child of sometimes harsh and stuck up father Jack (Kevin Bacon) and charming and chatty mother Ellen (Diane Lane) with only a few friends, including neighbour and local sports hero Dink Jenkins (Luke Wilson) who goes to war. On Willie's birthday, against the wishes of his father, he is given a new puppy as a gift so he can have good company growing up, he names the dog Skip, and the become firm friends very quickly, playing with each other all the time. Willie does want to make some friends in and out of school though, and he does have some of the boys including Big Boy Wilkinson (Bradley Coryell), Henjie Henick (Daylan Honeycutt) and Spit McGee (Cody Linley), but they do eventually leave him alone and even allow him to become part of the gang doing something scary, which he does. The Narrator (Harry Connick Jr.), i.e. a grown up Willie explains that Skip helped him get through the best and worst parts of his childhood, helping him to make three friends and meet girlfriend Rivers Applewhite (Caitlin Wachs), but they do have a falling out when the boy's first ball game comes along. Willie is upset with a returned Dink not coming see the game and it going wrong that when Skip is there to try and cheer him up the boy hits him in frustration, and after the game he is unable to find his dog. Skip is in the graveyard where bootleggers Junior Smalls (Peter Crombie) and Millard (Clint Howard) are hiding moonshine alcohol in a crypt, the dog is hit with a spade by one of them just when Dink and Willie find him in the graveyard, the moonshiners are arrested, but the dog is hurt. Time passes as Skip is lying in the veterinary hospital and everyone is unsure as to whether he will survive, Willie sobs that he will never have a friend like his dog again if he dies, but Skip awakens and happily licks his friend's face and hands. The film ends with Older Willie (Michael Berkshire) leaving home to attend Oxford University in the United Kingdom, the narration explains that without Skip he would have no real childhood, and it is explained that Skip stayed and was cared for by the parents, sleeping in Willie's room, until he tragically died and was buried under the elm tree. Also starring Mark Beech as Army Buddy, Susan Carol Davis as Mrs. Jenkins and David Pickens as Mr. Jenkins. Muniz, who became Malcolm in the Middle the same year, is appealing as the little boy, Bacon and Lane are good as the sometimes concerned but supportive parents, and Enzo the dog is the sweetest character that steals all scenes he appears in. The story, based on a real one, is simple and easy to follow with all the right moral messages and family feel, I will admit it is corny at times, but that is part of the charm, it is a likable biographical drama that everyone can relax with. Worth watching!