Bingo
By Brian Costello,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Terrible, dull dog movie filled with iffy behavior.

A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Bingo
Community Reviews
I’d like a refund, please!
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i love this movie! i watched so many times, it hilarious!! i don't know why commonsensemedia don't like it! its amazingly funny
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What's the Story?
Bingo is a dog who lives with cruel owners who run a traveling circus. After failing to jump through a flaming hoop, Bingo is forced to escape. He flees to nearby woods, where he comes across Chuckie, a tween boy who is knocked out face-down in a creek after attempting a jump on his BMX bike. Bingo performs CPR on Chuckie, and the two become inseparable after a night hiding in a tree from a ferocious bear. But Chuckie's parents (Cindy Williams and David Rasche) don't want a dog in the house, especially since Chuckie's father, a field goal kicker, is traded from the Denver Broncos to the Green Bay Packers. Bingo is left behind in Colorado, but relentlessly pursues Chuckie, which leads him on adventures involving chefs who keep dogs prisoner for dog meat and two bad guys who take families hostage and try to throw football games in order to make money at betting. In spite of these and other obstacles, Bingo stops at nothing to be reunited with Chuckie.
Is It Any Good?
BINGO is a failure as both a comedy and a dog movie. The jokes aren't funny and many of the scenes involving Bingo are shocking in their cruelty. For instance, poor Bingo gets shot at with a rifle by his original owners, and later gets a gun put to his head by a bad guy taking him hostage. And that's just the beginning of the outright bizarre attempts to mine humor out of a dog who can perform tricks running the spectrum from knowing Morse Code to walking a straight line for a police officer after he drinks a bottle of champagne.
This movie can't even be enjoyed in a "so bad, it's good" kind of way. There really is nothing redeeming about it. None of the characters are likeable, the "gags" consistently fall short, and the content overall is without merit. It's difficult to imagine pet lovers of any age finding anything worthwhile in this awful movie.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about comedies. What sort of humor is attempted here? How could it have been more effective?
How is this movie similar to and different from other dog movies?
What is the appeal of dog or animal movies? Do you prefer ones where the animals talk? Why or why not?
Movie Details
- In theaters: August 9, 1991
- On DVD or streaming: August 26, 2003
- Cast: Cindy Williams, David Rasche, David French
- Director: Matthew Robbins
- Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: Adventures, Brothers and Sisters, Cats, Dogs, and Mice
- Run time: 89 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- Last updated: February 24, 2023
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