Hollywood's hottest canine commodity has gotten hopelessly lost after wandering away from his master, and now the former movie star has become the beacon of hope for a small-town firehouse on the verge of collapse. Rex is the dog that every child in America has fallen in love with. A pompous A-list barker whose list of perks overshadows that of even the most esteemed Hollywood actor, Rex 's fate takes an unexpected turn when a skydiving stunt goes awry and his handlers assume that their
cash-canine has perished as a result. Now, despite being very much alive, the former doggie diva has become just another mangy stray wandering the streets in search of a home. Lost in an unfamiliar city and pursued by animal control, Rex seeks refuge in a run down building that soon goes up in flames. Shane Fahey (Josh Hutcherson) is a rebellious preteen whose single-parent father, Connor (Bruce Greenwood), is struggling to care for his son and cope with the death of his brother, the former captain of the local fire department. Pressed with the responsibility of getting the crumbling inner-city fire house back in working order while helping his 12-year-old son deal with the untimely loss of a beloved family member, Connor just can't seem to convince Shane to keep his grades up and stop ditching school. Upon rescuing the unidentified Rex from the four-alarm blaze, Connor attempts to teach young Shane the meaning of responsibility by charging him with the task of locating the dog's owner. Despite an initial clash of personalities, the headstrong mutt and the disobedient adolescent soon form a strong bond. Subsequently adopted as the scrappy fire department's new mascot, Rex proves just the catalyst needed to reenergize the dejected firefighters and reform the once-tenuous bond between father and son. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Firehouse Dog is a run of the mill kids film. Adults will be fairly bored by it, and how many kids like it depends on how much they like goofy animal tricks.
the filmmakers' decision to use CGI to amend the otherwise enjoyable canine performance is an object lesson in unnecessary effects used simply because they're available
The all sub-plot story is a veritable self-help manual for tweenies-a sort of Se7en for ages seven-and-up-with greed, pride, sloth and envy bested by humility, team work and fair play.
Breezy, silly and energetic, this canine frolic won't win top prize at Crufts, but it should offer an alternative to Pottered-out parents with young pups to please.
The dog is as cute as you'd expect, while Hutcherson gives a characteristically believable performance. Adults may not be quite as enamoured, but Firehouse Dog should keep them awake to the end
As well as potty humour, this canine Backdraft has its share of adult moments. Mostly, though, it's family fun, with Hutcherson showing he's the go-to kid for sensitive loners.
I myself growled and whimpered like an abused canine after a couple of hours of this sub-Lassie silliness, though the film threw me the occasional choc-drop in the form of a gag.
Todd Holland's film manipulates the prickly issues with scant regard for emotional credibility. The sentimentality is ghastly, but Rex has his moments.
I remember this being a pretty good movie, but what I remember most about it is since I saw it, I call burps "mouth farts." LOL! Major brownie points and props for that!
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