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Air Bud: Golden Receiver (G, 1998)

common sense media says

Cute but more intense than other Air Bud movies.

parents & educators say
See 2 reviews | Review it

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that the fact that life goes on after a loved one's death colors the plot of this movie. Josh's moods reflect his disgust with the idea of his mom dating someone else. But he learns to trust again, which is an important lesson.

Positive messages: Josh is still mourning his father's death, but the good role modeling provided by his coach and his mom's new boyfriend help him to begin to move on with his life. Girls take a secondary role here, however. They are cheerleaders or are on the sideline.
Violence & scariness: Football is brutal, but not violent, per se.
Sexy stuff: Josh's mom dates after her husband dies. She is shown wearing short skirts and makeup when she goes on dates. She and Dr. Sullivan share a couple of kisses.
Language: "Fanny." "Kick butt."
Consumerism: Football teams, like Seattle Seahawks, Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49ers are featured. Mom drives a Toyota truck.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: The football coach eats food like he's got a food addiction!
Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

More on Air Bud: Golden Receiver

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
  • Families can talk about Josh's situation. Does life really go on when a family member passes away? How do we deal with death and still try to live a full life?
  • How is Josh coping with his dad's death?

What's the story?

What's the story?
Josh (Kevin Zegers) is devoted to his dog, Bud, who has proved that he has a penchant for playing basketball. What Josh does not realize is that Bud also plays a mean game of football. At the same time, a pair of villains is trying to abduct Bud to build their circus act. But more importantly to the movie, Josh is coping with the fact that his mother (Cynthia Stevens) is beginning to date again. This is a hard pill to swallow, since Josh's father passed away and still lives in Josh's heart. But with the help of his friends, his football coach, and his canine pal, Bud, he finds that life does go on after all.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
This movie is fun and actually rather moving. Josh's relationship with his dog really highlights how a pet can change the dynamic of an otherwise melancholy home. Moreover, the thoughtful performance that Kevin Zegers brings to the fore is very believable. This counterbalances the comedic aspect of the dog-in-a-football-uniform-winning-the-game formula. A good choice for a family movie night!

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
Director: Richard Martin
Cast: Gregory Harrison, Kevin Zegers, Tim Conway
Genre: Family and Kids
Run time: 90 minutes
Theatrical release: December 12, 1998
DVD release: December 12, 2000
MPAA Rating: G
This review was written by Joly Herman
 
 

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Most useful reviews by all members

MovieLover4Lyfe
adult
7
 
Cute, but more intense and suspenseful than the other Buddy movies.
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helped me decide (3) | had useful details (4) | read my mind (2)
Daisey042
parent
3
 
Cute show
I liked the show. It wasn't mean or sad. It was a fun show surrounded around football. No scenes were detailed to make it scary.
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was this review useful?
helped me decide (3) | had useful details (2) | read my mind (2)

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