I gave it a 7.5 out of 10

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

In 1942, in Yazoo, Mississippi, the lonely and outcast boy Willie Morris (Frankie Muniz) is the only son of the harsh war veteran Jack Morris (Kevin Bacon), who lost his leg in Spain, and the housewife and lovely mother Ellen Morris (Diane Lane). Willie Is bullied by three schoolmates and his only friend is his older neighbor Dink Jenkins (Luke Wilson), who is a baseball player and idol of the town. When Dink goes to Europe fight in World War II, Willie is alone again. However, on his ninth birthday, Ellen gives a dog to her son despite the protest of Jack. Willie gives the name of Skipper "Skip" that becomes his best friend. Skip helps Willie to have friends and to get close to the girl Rivers Applewhite (Caitlin Wachs), for whom he has a crush, changing his life for better. "My Dog Skip" is an adorable tale of loyalty and friendship based on a true story. It is beautiful to see the world through the eyes of a child while he is growing-up. Enzo the Dog is so cute and steals the show. "My Dog Skip" is a wonderful film for the whole family and I only regret that it took me fifteen years to see this movie. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Meu Cachorro Skip" ("My Dog Skip")

It's a simple film: no special effects, no complex camera movements, no explosions, or buildings falling down, monsters flying or running. No. Just a movie about a boy and his dog and how it's complex grow up, but can be fun, at the same time. "My Dog Skip" (2000) is one of that movies where you know will find emotional scenes or happiness moments, but even so you watch. Is it a predictable movie, maybe? Yeah, but this does not detract the shine of a story about a shy boy and his discovery of life. Willie Morris, or Will for his parents (because he don't have any friend of his age) it's a shy and alone boy, living on the calm town of Yazoo on the dark years of WWII. As he describe at the beginning: "Ten Townsend souls and nothing to do". Is this a nice place to live and grow? Not for Willie. Without friends, his life is empty and he's constantly annoyed by other boys. His parents try to understand the son, especially his father, described by Willie as a "soldier of Spanish Civil War, where lost part of his leg… and sometimes, I believe he's lost the heart too". His mom is sweet and understandable, trying to help her boy. Well, his life changes when he won a dog on his birthday. Called Skip, the animal will be the way of Willie understands himself and how to confront the world. Skip helps the boy to make friends, talk with his love girl and finally, be mature... grow up. This is the soul of "My Dog Skip". The director Jay Russell tries, at the first shoot, connect the story with his public. To be more specific: connect the characters with the public. When the dog appears, this important thing (connection) becomes more important. What does that means? It means that we'll care about the characters, their conflicts, problems… their lives. It's how if we could see ourselves on silver screen. To create a story, beyond the boy discover himself, Jay Russell adds a stolen of beers. The thieves are hiding drinks on the cemetery. But this part of the screenplay it's not so important than we discover how Will confront the life, the social problems (racism and racial segregation – we don't have to forget that the story takes place at 1940's) and moral conflicts (his best friend disinherits the Army and come back dishonored). All this things are seen by the point of view of a boy. It's a good movie, even if we know how will be the final, we see. Just because the director tried to connect the characters, the conflicts with the public. It's very grateful see this worry, a thing that, unfortunately, was forgotten by the directors and screen writers. "My Dog Skip" it's an old movie (have 15 years old), but must be revisited many times, just for understand how its important connect the story with public. Emotional, funny, sometimes sad, and the point of view of a boy about the growing… and how a dog can change the life forever. This is the soul of "My Dog Skip"!

The title made it obvious that the story revolved around a dog, and I saw clips of the film at the time, I assumed it was maybe something funny like Beethoven, or something sweet like Marley & Me, I had no idea it was based on a true story, from director Jay Russell (Ladder 49). Basically, set in 1942, in Yazoo City, Mississippi, Willie Morris (Frankie Muniz) was a lonely boy and the only child of sometimes harsh and stuck up father Jack (Kevin Bacon) and charming and chatty mother Ellen (Diane Lane) with only a few friends, including neighbour and local sports hero Dink Jenkins (Luke Wilson) who goes to war. On Willie's birthday, against the wishes of his father, he is given a new puppy as a gift so he can have good company growing up, he names the dog Skip, and the become firm friends very quickly, playing with each other all the time. Willie does want to make some friends in and out of school though, and he does have some of the boys including Big Boy Wilkinson (Bradley Coryell), Henjie Henick (Daylan Honeycutt) and Spit McGee (Cody Linley), but they do eventually leave him alone and even allow him to become part of the gang doing something scary, which he does. The Narrator (Harry Connick Jr.), i.e. a grown up Willie explains that Skip helped him get through the best and worst parts of his childhood, helping him to make three friends and meet girlfriend Rivers Applewhite (Caitlin Wachs), but they do have a falling out when the boy's first ball game comes along. Willie is upset with a returned Dink not coming see the game and it going wrong that when Skip is there to try and cheer him up the boy hits him in frustration, and after the game he is unable to find his dog. Skip is in the graveyard where bootleggers Junior Smalls (Peter Crombie) and Millard (Clint Howard) are hiding moonshine alcohol in a crypt, the dog is hit with a spade by one of them just when Dink and Willie find him in the graveyard, the moonshiners are arrested, but the dog is hurt. Time passes as Skip is lying in the veterinary hospital and everyone is unsure as to whether he will survive, Willie sobs that he will never have a friend like his dog again if he dies, but Skip awakens and happily licks his friend's face and hands. The film ends with Older Willie (Michael Berkshire) leaving home to attend Oxford University in the United Kingdom, the narration explains that without Skip he would have no real childhood, and it is explained that Skip stayed and was cared for by the parents, sleeping in Willie's room, until he tragically died and was buried under the elm tree. Also starring Mark Beech as Army Buddy, Susan Carol Davis as Mrs. Jenkins and David Pickens as Mr. Jenkins. Muniz, who became Malcolm in the Middle the same year, is appealing as the little boy, Bacon and Lane are good as the sometimes concerned but supportive parents, and Enzo the dog is the sweetest character that steals all scenes he appears in. The story, based on a real one, is simple and easy to follow with all the right moral messages and family feel, I will admit it is corny at times, but that is part of the charm, it is a likable biographical drama that everyone can relax with. Worth watching!

This ranks among the worst movies that I've ever had the misfortune of seeing. I thought the movie Fluke was alright and I loved Old Yeller, so it's not that I'm against animal movies as a rule; but the combination of six things meant that I could not enjoy this movie. a) The script was the worst I've ever endured. Does every line have to be cliché? I threw up five times. b) The acting job ranged from mediocre at best to laughable at worst. c) The many subplots were boring and never went anywhere in addition to having little to no meaning. d) The characters were annoying and unsympathetic (aside from the dog). e) The soundtrack was terrible and extremely repetitive, not to mention unoriginal. f) Overall this movie stole from all other animal movies in every way, shape, and form.The only thing about this movie that made me sad was that I wasted my time watching it, and that my stomach hurt from throwing up too much. Also, it would have been more entertaining if something actually happened. Movies that only have morals like "Everyone needs a friend" or "dogs are cool!!!" are bad, as a general rule.In conclusion only watch this movie if a) the only other choice is some other kind of torture, and even then, be careful, b) because you LOVE DOGS SO MUCH and you cry at all dog movies because you own a dog and it might die or you did have a dog and it died, etc., or c) because you are in need of a laugh and don't mind the side effect of throwing up. But in most cases, just don't waste your time and save your eyes, ears, and stomach.