Filipe Manuel Neto
**A simple and simple-minded film, forgettable, but decent enough not to be a bad choice for family viewing.**
There are, positively, dozens of films similar to this one, or with similar stories: here, we have the old story of the loyal dog that, after a life of luxury in the owner's mansion, meanwhile deceased, is forced to live among stray dogs to escape the ambitions of the heirs of fortune, who have to treat him well until they manage to get their hands on the money. The story isn't original in any way, and the movie wasn't meant to be a blockbuster, a statuette winner, or a milestone in anyone's life. It is a very humble film in its pretensions.
And if it is true that humility can win sympathy, especially when it is linked to some talent, the film gains a point in its favor here. In fact, it's well-made, satisfyingly entertaining, and very enjoyable to watch as a family. Of course, it's not a movie suited to very young children, but I think parents will be able to discern whether the movie is right for their particular child.
When I saw the film, by chance, on television, I saw it in its version dubbed into Portuguese (the language spoken in Portugal and in some African and Asian countries, not its sugary version spoken in Brazil, where the dubbing work is different), so I cannot properly assess the quality of the voices in the original version, which featured Big Sam, Pamela Adlon, Lucy Hale or Wilmer Valderrama. I can, however, say that I really liked the visuals, where the color, liveliness and sharpness of the animation were an important part of the visual beauty of the set. There are some pretty notable scenes, like the battle between the dogs and the squirrels.
Despite this, it is a generally forgettable film. The soundtrack has its moments, it's not unpleasant, and the sound effects are satisfying enough for the film it is. Being a family film, it is very restrained in humor and jokes exploring most of the more commonplace comic content involving dogs. Really, if you think about the oldest and most well-known dog jokes, chances are they're here, more or less, as we know and hear them hundreds of times. Dialogues are quite simple, there are no merits to highlight, and sometimes they can even seem underdeveloped.
