My Dog Skip (2000) Reviewed by Eugene Novikov http://www.ultimate-movie.com/ Member: Online Film Critics Society
Starring Frankie Muniz, Luke Wilson, Kevin Bacon, Diane Lane. Directed by Jay Russell. Rated PG.
Boy-and-his-dog tales are one of the oldest staples in Hollywood. From Lassie to Old Yeller to Shiloh, they've defined the "family movie" and captured the hearts of generations. My Dog Skip, the latest in the genre, is one of the best films of its kind. It's remarkable because it doesn't patronize or condescend -- this is truly a family movie, not a kids' movie. With its distinctive, unsentimental tone, it's a moving experience that never descends into melodrama and hokum. My dog's name is Phil. He's a cocker spaniel. While not the trained movie pet Skip is, he's a hell of a dog. This movie made me realize how much I value my pet -- my friend, my companion. Before he found fame on the popular new tv show Malcolm in the Middle, young Frankie Muniz played Willie, a boy growing up in 1940's Missouri. He's not very social; all the kids at school make fun of him and the bullies cruelly taunt him. He doesn't have any friends his age; his birthday party invitation list consists of his parents and grandparents. His only companion is neighbor Dick Jenkins (Luke Wilson), an athlete whom all the kids in the town look up to.
That all changes when, for his birthday, Willie's mom (Diane Lane) gives him a puppy. Willie names the terrier Skip but his dad (Kevin Bacon) thinks that he is not ready for a dog and tries to take Skip away. Mom and Skip win out in the end, however, and Willie gets to keep the dog. The two quickly become best companions and with Skip's help, Willie wins the friendship of the people who made fun of him most vigorously as well as the affections of the prettiest girl in school.
There is also a subplot about moonshiners who, for some reason, hide their booze in an old cemetery crypt. It does little except create vital conflicts for the dynamic duo of Willie and Skip to deal with. There's so little lip service paid to these scenes that the movie all but acknowledges the subplot as a mere plot device, thereby making it especially convenient for us to ignore it. My Dog Skip tackles the age- old concept of a dog being a boy's best friend but it takes it one step further: Skip isn't merely Willie's friend, he's his key to society. The dog opens up new possibilities for him, helps him make friends, enjoy childhood. This isn't necessarily a case of a boy moving up in the world simply because of possessions either: once he's in he stays in with character, heart and compassion. While the dog is given its fair due, by the end of the film most of the emphasis has been placed on the human. We really feel that Willie has been changed forever. And we see why.
Muniz is a wonderful actor mainly because of his penchant for downplaying crucial scenes. He's a real kid rather than a movie kid and anyone who's ever been in his situation can identify with him. He doesn't come off as a phony. Kevin Bacon does come off as a bit of a phony -- too thoughtless at first (sometimes, puffing his cigar, he seems genuinely malevolent) and then becoming a caring father too quickly. But I suppose this is what the character would seem like to a grown man remembering his childhood.
The end of the film brought tears to my eyes because it hits the nail squarely on the head. If a pet has the more of an influence on a person's life than most of the humans, it does not mean that he is antisocial. As anyone who has ever had a dog knows, a canine is often the most steadfast, loyal friend you'll have. They can change your life, mend your heart, listen to your troubles and lift your spirits. My Dog Skip is about a dog that taught a troubled young boy how to live.
Grade: A-
©2000 Eugene Novikov
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