Hotel for Dogs
Review - Kathryn Ryan for The Mungles on Movies
Dogs. They come in all different sizes from big to small, fat to skinny, hairy to hairless. No matter what type of dog it is, they still are known as "Man's best friend". But what happens when dogs don't have a man to be a best friend to? Nickelodeon Studios answered that question with the family film, Hotel for Dogs.
Based off of Lois Duncan's 1971 children's book, the story follows Andi (Emma Roberts) and Bruce (Jake T. Austin) a sister and brother in the foster care system. Their current foster parents (Lisa Kudrow & Kevin Dillon) do not allow pets in their house so the kids must hide their dog, Friday, by any means necessary. One night Friday runs into an abandoned hotel, where they find two other dogs are living. They realize that these dogs have nowhere else to go and no way to get food, so Andi and Bruce decide to set up shop for the dogs to stay there. Bruce is a whiz kid and invents different contraptions to take care of the dogs while they are away. The siblings eventually get help from two teens who work at a pet store. More and more stray dogs come for food and shelter, but how long can the kids keep their secret hotel safe?
Hotel for Dogs is a movie with a great all around feel. The central message about how important family is, not matter how big or small, really stays consistent through the film. Children will laugh at all the right parts and enjoy the puppy humor. One of the downsides to the movie is that the dogs are more memorable than the actors.
A warning to parents: it is not the content that you should be worried about. The movie is rated PG, and the reason is because of mild rude humor and mild language. It is a relatively safe and clean movie. What you should be worried about is whether your child will want a new puppy after seeing this movie, much like the way Marley & Me has caused the adoption of golden retrievers to raise dramatically. Cuddly dogs of all sizes are in this movie, and one is bound to tug at your child's heart strings.
This movie is a great pick for a family film. All your children will love it, and the adults will get a few good laughs too. Be prepared parents for questions about getting a puppy! I give this movie 3 out of 5 paw prints. |
