I knew that this film had a dog in it, apart from that I had no idea about the cast, plot or much else really, I did however know it was most likely going to be a cheesy film, from director John Whitesell (Big Momma's House 2, Deck the Halls, Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son). Basically crime fighting bullmastiff dog Agent 11 has been with the FBI in Seattle for a few years, trained by his master Agent Murdoch (Michael Clarke Duncan), and on one particular they are going after Mafia boss Sonny Talia (Paul Sorvino), who is taken to hospital after the dog rips off one of his testicles to be surgically replaced. Talia wants payback and tells his two bodyguards Gino (Joe Viterelli) and Arliss (Steve Schirripa) to kill the pooch while it is being transported for protection to an Alaskan training facility, but the dog escapes before they can catch him. Gordon Smith (David Arquette) who works as a mailman, and he like so many other mailmen hate dogs in the back or front yard as they are trying to deliver letters and packages, and he has volunteered for his neighbour Stephanie (Leslie Bibb) to look after her six year old son James (Two and a Half Men's Angus T. Jones). They meet Agent 11, and after a mistake involving a stuffed toy dog James thinks the real dog is for him, he is given the new name "Spot", but being trained by the FBI he is not a regular dog, he has been taught since being a puppy not to play or be distracted, so no catching balls or frisbees. While Gino and Arliss continue to look for the dog, Gordon understands James is getting very close to Spot, but he is constantly being annoyed by his presence, as time goes by though they are becoming successful in making himself a regular playful dog. After an encounter with the bodyguards in a pet store, the FBI realise Agent 11 is missing, and eventually they locate him and Agent Murdoch arrives to take his dog back, but the dog escapes again, only to come against Talia again as he attempts to kill the dog himself, but he is outsmarted, caught and arrested. In the end the FBI still try to take their agent dog back, but Spot is given the choice to go back with them or stay with his new friends, he chooses Gordon and James, but he licks Murdoch goodbye, and Stephanie, who has gone through hell, returns upset, but James helps out, and they kiss each other. Also starring Scary Movie 3's Anthony Anderson as Benny and Kim Hawthorne as Cassavettes. Arquette is the sort of actor who would choose to be in a film like this, but he is pretty good actually, Bibb gets her own giggles, Jones is cute as the boy, and the dog of the picture is obviously a good character himself, I can see the resemblance combination to Turner & Hooch and Home Alone, the story is simple enough, it obviously has the silly and boring moments, but overall it is fun, a cheesy but acceptable family comedy. Worth watching!
Review of See Spot Run
