I have a theory: Any film that begins with the phrase `based on a true story' is saying to us, `If this were a work of fiction, you'd never believe it. So we need to let you know that what we are about to depict-more or less-actually happened.'
`My Dog Skip' begins with such a phrase, and soon you see why. The movie, based on writer Willie Morris' memories of growing up during World War II in Mississippi, portrays a smart little boy who has no friends (except the athlete who lives next story who's about to ship out to Europe). Worse, he is taunted daily by three boys. And his father-who lost a leg in the Spanish Civil War-takes his bitterness out on the boy by being overbearing.
Then the mother-over the father's protestations-gets the boy a dog, and his whole life changes. With Skip at his side Willie suddenly wins over the boys who pick on him, gets his father to warm up-and so on. No doubt this all happened, but the `based on a true story' frame admits that the audience might be winking and saying, `Sure it did. This must have been some dog!"
Anyway, this is a fine family film. The acting by Frankie Munoz (of `Malcolm in the Middle'), Diane Lane and Kevin Bacon (two of the most underrated actors in the industry) and Luke Wilson is good. It's a movie that is worthy of being rented and watched by the whole family.
`My Dog Skip' begins with such a phrase, and soon you see why. The movie, based on writer Willie Morris' memories of growing up during World War II in Mississippi, portrays a smart little boy who has no friends (except the athlete who lives next story who's about to ship out to Europe). Worse, he is taunted daily by three boys. And his father-who lost a leg in the Spanish Civil War-takes his bitterness out on the boy by being overbearing.
Then the mother-over the father's protestations-gets the boy a dog, and his whole life changes. With Skip at his side Willie suddenly wins over the boys who pick on him, gets his father to warm up-and so on. No doubt this all happened, but the `based on a true story' frame admits that the audience might be winking and saying, `Sure it did. This must have been some dog!"
Anyway, this is a fine family film. The acting by Frankie Munoz (of `Malcolm in the Middle'), Diane Lane and Kevin Bacon (two of the most underrated actors in the industry) and Luke Wilson is good. It's a movie that is worthy of being rented and watched by the whole family.