SEE SPOT RUN / (2001) * (out of four)
If you have seen the trailers, TV ads, or poster for the new family comedy "See Spot Run," you probably do not have great expectations for its quality. Unfortunately for Warner Brother, the movie turns out to be even worse than you might anticipate. This predictable, disposable production is complete with tons of desperate jokes dealing with dog poop, bad luck, inflated bubble wrap, fish tanks, clumsiness, an electrified dog collar, passing gas, and, or course, a canine sinking his incisors into a respectable man's private parts. "See Spot Run" proves to be painful for most adult audiences, and perhaps even a bit too amateurish for its target age group. This is just an all-around bad movie.
The story contains a few funny scenes and a hysterical performance by Leslie Bibb, but everything else is a complete waste of time and money.
The story opens with a powerful gangster named Sonny Talia (Paul Sorvino) becoming a victim of the wrath of a canine cop's painful bite. He is caught during an FBI drug bust and holds a grudge against the authority's dog for biting off one of his family jewels. Talia orders an assassination on the dog, who is loved by the FBI's dog handler (Michael Clarke Duncan, the gentle giant from "The Green Mile"). When the police find out about the animal's life is in danger, they immediately rush him into a version of the witness protection program.
The dog ends up in the hands of two bumbling nitwits, school-aged James (Angus T. Jones), and the much dumber Gordon (David Arquette). Gordon is baby-sitting James for a favor for his mother, Stephanie (Leslie Bibb), who finds herself out of town on business, but ends up in one amusing situation after another. Because Gordon has a conventional crush on Stephanie, he feels pressured into be a responsible individual for once. When the dog comes into contact with the targeted dog, his plan backfires and pandemonium ensue into one madhouse situation after another.
"See Spot Run" is a classic example of how low American cinema thinks of children. The filmmakers must really think their audience is moronic for them to push a movie like this our way. Look at the recent trend of horrible family comedies. From "The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas," to "Snow Day" to "The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle," Hollywood consistently demonstrates it sees little intelligence in today's young people.
There was a time when kids would realize "See Spot Run" for the trash it truly is; the time when "Beethoven" felt inspiring and funny, or when "Lassie" felt fresh and inspiring. Now, the modern withdraw in pet movies come as dimwittedness, vulgarity, and at the expense of the movie's characters. Is it really all that entertaining going to the theater to watch a character step in doggie poo, getting his head stuck in a glass fishbowl, and become entangled in inflating plastic wrap? Come on. Those things belong in the Saturday morning cartoons. People only except them here because the production as a whole is so childish. The film tries to be a live action cartoon, and David Arquette does a good job as the animation.
"See Spot Run" provides a few laughs, but at the same time we can feel our IQ dropping to the level of its imbecile characters.
If you have seen the trailers, TV ads, or poster for the new family comedy "See Spot Run," you probably do not have great expectations for its quality. Unfortunately for Warner Brother, the movie turns out to be even worse than you might anticipate. This predictable, disposable production is complete with tons of desperate jokes dealing with dog poop, bad luck, inflated bubble wrap, fish tanks, clumsiness, an electrified dog collar, passing gas, and, or course, a canine sinking his incisors into a respectable man's private parts. "See Spot Run" proves to be painful for most adult audiences, and perhaps even a bit too amateurish for its target age group. This is just an all-around bad movie.
The story contains a few funny scenes and a hysterical performance by Leslie Bibb, but everything else is a complete waste of time and money.
The story opens with a powerful gangster named Sonny Talia (Paul Sorvino) becoming a victim of the wrath of a canine cop's painful bite. He is caught during an FBI drug bust and holds a grudge against the authority's dog for biting off one of his family jewels. Talia orders an assassination on the dog, who is loved by the FBI's dog handler (Michael Clarke Duncan, the gentle giant from "The Green Mile"). When the police find out about the animal's life is in danger, they immediately rush him into a version of the witness protection program.
The dog ends up in the hands of two bumbling nitwits, school-aged James (Angus T. Jones), and the much dumber Gordon (David Arquette). Gordon is baby-sitting James for a favor for his mother, Stephanie (Leslie Bibb), who finds herself out of town on business, but ends up in one amusing situation after another. Because Gordon has a conventional crush on Stephanie, he feels pressured into be a responsible individual for once. When the dog comes into contact with the targeted dog, his plan backfires and pandemonium ensue into one madhouse situation after another.
"See Spot Run" is a classic example of how low American cinema thinks of children. The filmmakers must really think their audience is moronic for them to push a movie like this our way. Look at the recent trend of horrible family comedies. From "The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas," to "Snow Day" to "The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle," Hollywood consistently demonstrates it sees little intelligence in today's young people.
There was a time when kids would realize "See Spot Run" for the trash it truly is; the time when "Beethoven" felt inspiring and funny, or when "Lassie" felt fresh and inspiring. Now, the modern withdraw in pet movies come as dimwittedness, vulgarity, and at the expense of the movie's characters. Is it really all that entertaining going to the theater to watch a character step in doggie poo, getting his head stuck in a glass fishbowl, and become entangled in inflating plastic wrap? Come on. Those things belong in the Saturday morning cartoons. People only except them here because the production as a whole is so childish. The film tries to be a live action cartoon, and David Arquette does a good job as the animation.
"See Spot Run" provides a few laughs, but at the same time we can feel our IQ dropping to the level of its imbecile characters.