Billy and Buddy
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Billy and Buddy
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Billy and Buddy is a French film (Boule & Bill), subtitled in English, about a 1970s French family's adventure adopting a dog. There is some very minor profanity ("damn" and "ass") in subtitles, and some suggestive flirting between a turtle and a dog. A father also attempts to get rid of the dog by dropping it off in the countryside without telling his son, and the son runs away briefly during one scene. Otherwise, it's a moody, ultimately very sweet rumination on childhood and pet ownership through a child's eyes, but it's best for older kids with solid reading skills.
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What's the Story?
When Billy (Charles Crombez) meets Buddy, a lively cocker spaniel, at the local pound, it's love at first sight. Billy convinces his mom (Marina Frois) and dad (Franck Dubosc) to adopt Buddy, but his parents soon regret it, struggling with the dog's naughty antics, especially when they move from their spacious house and yard to a high-rise in the city. There, each family member (and a new addition to the family in the form of a turtle named Charlotte) will grapple with what it means to own and love a dog and how to balance a child's love for a pet with the needs of a modern working family.
Is It Any Good?
BILLY AND BUDDY is gorgeously and vividly shot and has the haze of nostalgia both for the 1970s and a more free-range childhood that any Western audience likely will relate to. The subtitles mean it's best for older kids with quick reading skills, and those reading skills mean exposure to a few curse words as well as an offbeat attraction between a turtle and dog, which sometimes cuts a little too close to more mature expressions of love. That said, the film is a well-acted, sweet look at the love of a dog, both in its simplicity and havoc-wreaking on a family, as well as the growing pains of familial negotiation, with a lot of comic relief in the mix.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about dog ownership. What happens when a family member doesn't like a dog? How should the situation be handled? What did you think of how the father in the film dealt with his feelings toward the dog?
Are current moms and dads like the parents in the film? How are they the same? How are they different?
This movie is set in France. Does it seem different from America? Why, or why not?
Movie Details
- In theaters: November 8, 2013
- On DVD or streaming: January 14, 2014
- Cast: Marina Fois, Franck Dubosc, Charles Crombez
- Directors: Alexandre Charlot, Franck Magnier
- Studio: Cinema Guild
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Cats, Dogs, and Mice, Friendship
- Run time: 82 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: May 15, 2022
For kids who love animals
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