 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Firehouse Dog
- PG
- Genre: Family and Kids
- 2007
Common Sense Media says
Equal parts dog adventure and father-son tale.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this doggy adventure includes unexpected dramatic elements -- like Shane's fear that his fire-captain dad will die. Known for ditching school and disobeying his father, Shane has behavioral and communication issues. He and his father also both deal with grieving the recent loss of a relative. A few fiery sequences may be too intense for very young kids, even though no one gets hurt. As for canine antics, Rex is so pampered that he's even set up with three female poodles waiting on a doggy bed. But he doesn't indulge, instead running to help save people from a fire.
What's the story?
Shane (Josh Hutcherson, whose considerable on-screen charm and expressive face make him destined for at least an entire adolescence in Hollywood) is asked by his fire-captain dad (Bruce Greenwood) to take care of an outgoing mutt who was saved from a local fire. But Dewey is no ordinary dog -- he's really Hollywood top dog Rex, star of such blockbusters as The Fast and the Furriest and Jurassic Bark. Presumed dead after a film stunt gone awry, Rex starts to dig his new life as Shane's -- and later the firehouse's -- wonder dog.
Is it any good?
FIREHOUSE DOG is a sweet enough pooch pic with just enough laughs -- and heart -- to save it from the formulaic mediocrity of many family-friendly flicks. While the movie's marketing emphasizes all of Rex's dog tricks -- and there are plenty -- Firehouse Dog also touches on some heavier themes. Shane and his dad are still mourning the death of a relative who died in a mysterious fire. Shane skips school and disobeys his father's rules, and the captain's squad is quickly devolving into the fire department's "last on the scene" joke.
But fear not, families, it's still a kids' flick -- so Shane, Rex, and the eclectic crew of firefighters eventually come to the rescue. Before the final fire is put out, father and son have a touching heart-to-heart, and Rex decides that living like a star (one whose celebrity extends to tabloid gossip about his dalliances with Paris Hilton's Chihuahua, no less) is nothing compared to being a hero. And that's not a bad message for media-saturated kids ... or their celebrity-obsessed parents.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about how the movie deals with gender roles. When Pep shows up at the party in a dress, her friends act surprised that she looks like a girl. Is being a firefighter only for boys? Also, what messages does the movie send about society's values by contrasting Rex's Hollywood life with his adventures as a fire dog? Kids, would you rather be a Hollywood star or a firefighter? Why? Can you think of other movies that feature heroic dogs?
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AGE
pretty good
I'ts acctually an okay movie. It's something I picked up on the discount rack at the movie store for like 99 cents, and it was okay. Nothing innapropriate except fire scenes which might scare little kids. I may watch it again, I dont know. =) I'll give it 3 stars but if you're looking for a excellent movie job, you may want to look elswhere.
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AGE
ok movie
I thought it was an ok movie but it had the amazing actor josh Hutchinson and it had a cute dog but it was a little on the boring side
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AGE
Intense,but wonderful family film !
Firehouse Dog is an intense,but a wonderful family film that is sometimes funny and scary.The story starts off as lonely lost movie star dog named Rexxxxxx and a lonely 12year old boy named Shane.Rexxxxxxx and Shane finnally met, but Shane hates the dog and calls him a mutt a bunch of times. As Shane grows on for the dog he wishes he hadn't met Rexxxxxxx. In the middle/ end Shane grows on to likes dog. There's more to it , but I don't want to spoil the whole story.There is some pretty intense fire sequences that kids under the age of 7 will be frightened . There is some brief rude and crude humor/behavior between Shane (rude) andRexxxxx/Dewey (crude.)there is some sad scenes where we hear that Shane's uncle died of an arson like fire from some bad guy.There is very brief mild language that include two - three uses of the h word and one use of crap (mostly used by the firefighters)(crap is used by Shane)and some mild insults that include dumb, stupid, jerk,and mutt which is used 7-10 times(used by Shane.)This is a perfectly enjoyable family film for ages 8+ because of its intense fire sequences and sad death character references, and brief mild rude and humor/behavior and very brief mild language/insults and three uses of two cuss words
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AGE
Mostly Great!
I thought it was a little much to have the dog defecating in the stew. The "anything goes" mentality in Hollywood is really bothersome. The "harem" of dogs for Rexxx was a poor addition as well. The movie would have been 5 stars without these two additions.
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AGE
Surprisingly nice
Went to the movies with my 2 kids (9 and 7) to see The Last Mimzy, which wasn't playing anymore. I asked at the ticket counter if they had information about this movie, like why it was rated PG, and they showed me a great binder full of information (FYI for parents).
I was pleasantly surprised by the humor, fun and good values that were in this movie. Even the idea of the firehouse that was going to be closed down showed team-spirit and what working together with friends can achieve.
A little too much potty humor for my taste, but my kids thought the dog farting was funny. Not sure that the romantic story lines were even necessary, and the commercialism for Apple products was huge !(iPod, computer, etc.) Overall, though the story was good and had lots of action.
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AGE
Good Movie
This movie is about a dog that helps out firefighters.
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| Studio: | Twentieth Century Fox |
| Director: | Todd Holland |
| Cast: | Bill Nunn, Bruce Greenwood, Josh Hutcherson |
| Genre: | Family and Kids |
| Run time: | 111 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | April 4, 2007 |
| DVD release date: | July 31, 2007 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | sequences of action peril, some mild crude humor and language. |
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