Disney’s latest incarnation of “The Shaggy Dog” takes a huge step away from the original movie which stared Tommy Kirk and Fred MacMurray. In the original film, young Wilby (Kirk) was changed into the titular dog by means of an ancient spell. The spell could be broken by an act of bravery. In this latest venture, Tim Allen plays Dave Douglas, a lawyer who spends too much time working and not enough time with his family. His daughter (Grey) has started rebelling (though nothing too horrible…in fact most of her energy seems to be channeled into protesting animal cruelty) and his son (Breslin) secretly yearns to try out and possibly star in his school’s latest musical, “Grease”. But, he’s stuck playing football because he thinks his dad wouldn’t approve. Dave’s wife loves him, but is fed up with all of the excuses and is starting to think that maybe their marriage just isn’t working.
Dave’s latest case involves a laboratory arson fire. The man accused of setting the fire claims that the company was doing horrible experiments on animals. The case is taking up much of his time and his family is becoming more despondent. Plus, his daughter (Grey) is angry because she believes the accused man, and tells her father he’s helping those who are being cruel to animals.
Unfortunately, the accused is right. This research facility has been doing tests on a dog they discover is over 300 years old. They feel the dog’s DNA holds the key to immortality. The owner of the facility is sick, and plans to use the serum they are trying to create to make himself well. But Dr. Kozak (Robert Downey Jr.), head of the facility, has other plans for the serum and plans to use it for himself. When the dog escapes, it makes its way to Dave’s house. The kids immediately want to keep the dog, but Dave disagrees and goes to take it out to the garage before taking it to the pound. The dog bites him and so begins the DNA transformation that will turn Dave into an identical looking dog a short time later.
Dave doesn’t know how long he’ll be a dog or if he’ll change back, so he makes his way home. The kids are thrilled to have the dog back (believing it’s the same dog their father has taken to the pound), but fear their father won’t let them keep him again (oh the irony!). Dave attempts to communicate with them via scrabble tiles and then the computer, but his attempts fail. While he’s a dog, he learns just how unhappy his family is and how much his misses being with them. He then must avoid the lab workers who not only manage to get the 300 year old dog back in custody, but then kidnap Dave himself to figure out what happened when he was bitten. Dave must figure out how to save himself, the dog and the other strange animals who were injected with the dog’s DNA and look rather…strange to say the least (one poor bullfrog ends up with a dog’s head, and so barks instead of croaks).
“The Shaggy Dog” is typical Disney family fare. No one gets hurt, there are chuckles along the way, and a lesson to be learned. It’s enjoyable to watch and even younger kids will enjoy seeing the adventures of the “Shaggy” dog.
Check out another review by fellow blogger Heather Long.
Rated PG for some mild rude humor
Starring: Tim Allen, Kristin Davis, Spencer Breslin, Zena Grey