Parents' Guide to

Cool Dog

By Brian Costello, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 7+

Some cartoonish violence in so-bad-it's-good dog tale.

Movie PG 2011 88 minutes
Cool Dog Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 4+

Based on 3 parent reviews

MagooCheswick
MagooCheswick Adult
November 21, 2020
age 2+

The Coolest Dog is now in the Coolest Movie. Who You Gonna Call? Cool Dog!!

I wish there were more stars available to give Cool Dog. The Coolest Movie ever made about one cool dog named Cool Dog.

This title has:

Too much sex
Unimommie
Unimommie Adult
October 10, 2018
age 2+

Fun for kids

I have a 2 year old and we somehow stumbled onto this little gem. My daughter loves it and so we watch it 2-3 times per day. At first, I thought it was just so bad but I have to admit that it’s grown on me. It’s cute because the dog can do anything and it’s funny for my 2- year old who gets that dogs can’t do things like drive cars, etc.
See all 3 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Jimmy's best friend is his dog, Rainy. When Jimmy's father lands a promotion that moves them from Eagle Rock, Louisiana, to Manhattan, they must leave Rainy behind until they find a place to live that takes dogs. They leave Rainy with an unscrupulous carny in charge of the local fairgrounds and proceed to start a new life. Little do they know that Rainy will figure out a way to escape the clutches of the carny and travel 1,300 miles of trains, tugboats, subways, and busses until he's reunited with his master. Together, Rainy and Jimmy stand up to bullies at his school and the unethical, pet-hating new landlords who conspire to make their lives miserable.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (3):
Kids say (2):

No, this movie is very far from "good." In fact, the acting is a level of awful that should be fun for families who enjoy movies of the "so bad, it's good" variety. The plot and special effects are absurd, and the characters are either bland or annoying. Perhaps if younger kids are looking for a movie as wacky and unreal as possible, COOL DOG could be the film to watch, but even that would be a stretch, and they're just as likely to find humor in the scenes that are not deliberately funny.

Furthermore, Rainy the Dog doesn't seem all that "cool," as the title would suggest. He's amazingly loyal (making it to Manhattan from Louisiana to reunite with Jimmy and all) and has talents that would put most renaissance men to shame (tugboat operating, harmonica playing, checkers winning), but aside from wearing headphones and an iPod from time to time, he's not exactly Keith Richards.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what dogs can and cannot do. What are some of the talents Rainy possesses that animals don't normally possess? How do you think they made it look like Rainy was doing all sorts of human-like things?

  • What are the many differences between growing up in a rural area like Eagle Rock, Louisiana, and a big city like New York?

Movie Details

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