Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

this is such an amazing movie and it is so sweet and it has such an amazing message! The actors in this are so great and they have such great chemistry together. This is a classic family film to me. The dog in this is so cute and so sweet and has such personality as well. The little girl in this is so sweet and this movie has such heart in it! Love this movie!

This is one of the best family movies I have ever seen. It is fun and totally entertaining, without being silly. It has very funny moments, but the humour is never contrived. The underlying story about dealing with past hurts and building new relationships is one that transcends age limitations. And the film has a very strong moral centre. Those with conservative values should find little to quibble about here. The acting is uniformly good to excellent, even from the newcomer Annasophia Robb. A great movie to watch and enjoy over and over. And the dog (that actually does smile) is amazing! The scene in the grocery store, which apparently took days to shoot, is positively hilarious. Hollywood needs to produce more films of this high moral quality.

This was a beautifully acted movie with plenty of atmosphere and very little in the way of "sap." I loved the diversity of the cast and the positive trajectory of the plot line. Dave Matthews was fabulous as Otis-- a real natural. The dog is too damned cute for words.Having grown up in Florida, I found the setting and the atmosphere to be very believable. It evoked a time and place that is too little seen any more-- small towns where a variety of people come together in the course of everyday life to interact with each other and make a community. The young actress who plays Opal is very gifted, and very beautiful, and the supporting cast-- including the incredible Cicely Tyson-- is consistently excellent.

At least if they're under 5...my 2&half year old loves this movie so much, & I've found it to be such a blessing that I just had to come here & give it props. Opal is great, Dave M. is cool, the story is wonderful, the music is perfect. My lil girl knows the entire script for this movie, & digs it more than Elmo or any other of the hundred or so kid movies in the house. Folks...your kids learn A lot from movies/television...when they're glued to good stories like this one, take it to heart. I found it amusing on here that a few folks were surprised this movie was only for young kids. I've never read the book but the movie could not have been put together any better.