Before I review this movie, let me give you some background. I was 8(nearly 9) when Firehouse Dog came out. My Grandma loves dog movies and so she took me to see it in theaters. I remember really enjoying it, and I even bought the DVD when it came out (as did she).
For off-topic and personal reasons, I no longer own my old copy and my Grandma lost hers. A couple years ago, she got it for me for Christmas, however we actually just finished watching it. Is it as good as it was 14 years ago? Well....hold on.
Firehouse Dog is about a boy named Shane, played by Josh Hutcherson(a big child star at the time), who's father is an occupied firefighter. One day, Shane meets a stray dog that annoys him. When the firefighters think that he has no owner, they decide to take him in.
The dog adjusts to the firehouse life, but as it turns out he is an actor who got lost. (As a film buff who enjoys puns, I must admit that I loved the film titles- The Fast and the Furriest and Jurassic Bark among them.) Is he fit for acting, or firefighting?
Firehouse Dog, on the whole, is a decent movie. It made me laugh a few times, it's mostly entertaining, and the acting is fine. (No one was getting Oscar nominations, but it was good for what it was.) It is for these main reasons that I am giving the movie an 7/10.
But as you can see, this movie does not live up to the expectations that nostalgia laid upon it. For one thing, there are some poop jokes that my adult self doesn't care for. (For instance, the dog poops into a stew that the firefighters are about to eat.) The dog also passes gas a few times- which rarely works for me. (Blazing Saddles is the only exception I can think of at the moment.)
I know this movie is aimed at kids, but so is, for example, Willy Wonka, and that is still a great movie and it's not dependent on such humor.
The movie never really lost my interest, but I did like some scenes more than others, if that makes sense. I also give movies a 9 if I liked it but didn't LOVE it. Firehouse Dog gets a 9 for being good and not great, and loses another 2 stars for the juvenile humor. My Grandma actually gave it a 10, but she mentioned this is more of her kind of movie. (Note that she gave Citizen Kane, a movie in my top 10, a 7.5/10. Make of that what you will.)
So, back to my original question- Is Firehouse Dog as good to me now as it was 14 years ago? My answer, unfortunately, is no. I felt torn as the movie ended- I had laughed a few times and I got teary at the end, but on the whole, my enjoyment was more out of nostalgia than quality.
As for my recommendation- it is two-fold. If you are seeing if a kid(middle school and younger) should see it, or you're looking for a pick for family movie night with kids that are young, sure. It'll be a good time for them and alright for the grownups accompanying them.
If you are looking for entertainment as a lone adult and dog movies are not your usual go-to, this one should go to the doghouse.
Firehouse Dog is a cute family movie that is strictly for the family. If that is what you are looking for, congratulations, you have a contender. For families, this movie is a treat. For adults, this movie will be a bone with no meat. Satisfying perhaps, but not fulfilling.
Reverse Recommendations: As I said, Josh Hutcherson was popular at the time this came out. Better movies of his include: Bridge To Terabithia, Little Manhattan, and RV.
Note: Because of Grandma's enjoyment of it, I decided to put the DVD in her collection. I thought about keeping it, but I decided I just didn't like it ENOUGH to do so.
For off-topic and personal reasons, I no longer own my old copy and my Grandma lost hers. A couple years ago, she got it for me for Christmas, however we actually just finished watching it. Is it as good as it was 14 years ago? Well....hold on.
Firehouse Dog is about a boy named Shane, played by Josh Hutcherson(a big child star at the time), who's father is an occupied firefighter. One day, Shane meets a stray dog that annoys him. When the firefighters think that he has no owner, they decide to take him in.
The dog adjusts to the firehouse life, but as it turns out he is an actor who got lost. (As a film buff who enjoys puns, I must admit that I loved the film titles- The Fast and the Furriest and Jurassic Bark among them.) Is he fit for acting, or firefighting?
Firehouse Dog, on the whole, is a decent movie. It made me laugh a few times, it's mostly entertaining, and the acting is fine. (No one was getting Oscar nominations, but it was good for what it was.) It is for these main reasons that I am giving the movie an 7/10.
But as you can see, this movie does not live up to the expectations that nostalgia laid upon it. For one thing, there are some poop jokes that my adult self doesn't care for. (For instance, the dog poops into a stew that the firefighters are about to eat.) The dog also passes gas a few times- which rarely works for me. (Blazing Saddles is the only exception I can think of at the moment.)
I know this movie is aimed at kids, but so is, for example, Willy Wonka, and that is still a great movie and it's not dependent on such humor.
The movie never really lost my interest, but I did like some scenes more than others, if that makes sense. I also give movies a 9 if I liked it but didn't LOVE it. Firehouse Dog gets a 9 for being good and not great, and loses another 2 stars for the juvenile humor. My Grandma actually gave it a 10, but she mentioned this is more of her kind of movie. (Note that she gave Citizen Kane, a movie in my top 10, a 7.5/10. Make of that what you will.)
So, back to my original question- Is Firehouse Dog as good to me now as it was 14 years ago? My answer, unfortunately, is no. I felt torn as the movie ended- I had laughed a few times and I got teary at the end, but on the whole, my enjoyment was more out of nostalgia than quality.
As for my recommendation- it is two-fold. If you are seeing if a kid(middle school and younger) should see it, or you're looking for a pick for family movie night with kids that are young, sure. It'll be a good time for them and alright for the grownups accompanying them.
If you are looking for entertainment as a lone adult and dog movies are not your usual go-to, this one should go to the doghouse.
Firehouse Dog is a cute family movie that is strictly for the family. If that is what you are looking for, congratulations, you have a contender. For families, this movie is a treat. For adults, this movie will be a bone with no meat. Satisfying perhaps, but not fulfilling.
Reverse Recommendations: As I said, Josh Hutcherson was popular at the time this came out. Better movies of his include: Bridge To Terabithia, Little Manhattan, and RV.
Note: Because of Grandma's enjoyment of it, I decided to put the DVD in her collection. I thought about keeping it, but I decided I just didn't like it ENOUGH to do so.