Around our house, Friday is one of my favorite days of the week, because Fridays mean Family Movie Night! It's a win for me no matter the movie - either I can enjoy a good flick, or I
can snuggle up on the ottoman and sleep away a snoozer. Thankfully for me, my family loves animal films, especially dog movies, so I have quite a lot of informed opinions about these that I've decided I'll share from time to time right here. But let's be clear - these are only movies that most informed dogs would back me reviewing.
Let's take Old Yeller, for example. That's the 1957 Walt Disney classic, based on the book by the same name, about a family who takes in what they originally believe to be a stray dog. It's heartwarming - the dog earns the family's trust, and they grow to love it. It's as feel-good as they come, until . . . well, if you've seen it, you know. Zero out of 100 dogs would recommend this movie, as wonderful as many people think it is, because for dogs, it stops being heartwarming when - SPOILER ALERT - poor Old Yeller takes one between the eyes. Yes, it's great when Old Yeller helps with the cow and fights off the wolf - dogs of all ages cheer! Why can't that be the movie? Why the rabies? Why do old Disney movies have to have something tragically sad happen? Whoever decided that was good storytelling? What lesson does anyone learn from Travis shooting Old Yeller? Even the new puppy at the very end didn't help me un-hear the crack of the rifle. So this movie gets 1 of 5 paws - 1 for the courageous portrayal of that rascal mutt that really makes the movie fun for us canines, but no more paws than that due to the trauma inflicted.
OLD YELLER:
Now that we've got that straight, and you have some insight into my rating scale, let's move on to a movie worth talking about - Rescued by Ruby. Me and the fam checked this one out on Netflix the other week, and it was a winner. Oh, I do love a film based on a true story, and this one just has so much to love, it's hard to know where to begin. Grant Gustin stars as Rhode Island state trooper Daniel O'Neil. I've never heard of the guy, but then again, I was only born last year. Mom said Gustin was in two t.v. shows - The Flash and Glee. His character, Daniel, has always dreamed of joining the state police's K-9 search and rescue team, but he's nearly reached the age limit of 30 and has failed the test every time he's tried. As the movie develops, the viewer finds out that Daniel has had to overcome hurdles in his learning all his life. Enter Ruby, a crazy border collie that the local shelter just can't give away . . . because everyone keeps bringing her back. Dad says that'd be me, if he ever followed through on his threat to send me to the shelter here. I just loved that crazy Ruby, though. She's got spirit; a girl after my own heart, a canine comedienne.
Have you ever seen a police dog, though? I've never, but Mom said they're not normally border collies, so at first, it doesn't seem like Ruby would be a good fit. But, I mean, hey - they named the movie after her, and even a dog can figure out that means she's going to be rescued from the kill shelter by Daniel. But will they mesh? Their mutual ADHD certainly makes them kindred spirits, but will they be able to find a way to work it out? No spoiler alert this time; you'll have to check it out. Although, here again, I think the film title does give a lot away.
A few things I loved about this movie besides the story - it's a good family film. Big Brother was a little stressed by the action scene at the end, but he doesn't much care for suspense of any kind - not even fun suspense . . . Christmas morning is a killer! But there's nothing for parents to be afraid of here, no red flags for violence, language, sexual content, and I can't remember all the rest of the things Mom was rattling off when I asked her what kinds of concerns she has with movies when evaluating them for me and Big Brother. Second, the cast. Scott Wolf plays Sergeant Matt Zarrella (Mom says he was in a show called Party of Five, and she was happy to see him in this role), and Kaylah Zander plays Daniel's wife. We've never heard of her, but she gave the "supportive wife" role a lot of personality and was more than just an ancillary, albeit necessary, character. Gustin was super believable as the lovable human hero, and we were cheering for him. Mom wants me to note that one thing she loved about the movie was that it brought to light the fact that everyone's brain works differently. Some people may seem like a mess and destined to be unsuccessful, but if employers can work harder at seeing people as individuals, some of whom may need more support than others, they'd be surprised how many great workers there are. I just judge humans based on how they treat me, and I think me and Ruby have that in common. However, if I ever want to get a job, this philosophy about letting people - or dogs - be different would be key . . . say something like honoring a stick-eating fetish.
So there you have it, folks. Looking for a good family film loved by dogs and humans? Check out Rescued by Ruby - 5 out of 5 paws from this movie lover. If you don't like it, hit me back here, and I'll give you your money back for my review.
Rescued by Ruby:
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