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Parents' Guide to

Marshall's Miracle

By Grace Montgomery, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Depressing dog tale takes on bullying, animal hoarding.

Movie NR 2015 90 minutes
Marshall's Miracle Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

  • Marshall's Miracle Movie: Scene #1
  • Marshall's Miracle Movie: Scene #2

Community Reviews

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age 5+

Based on 1 parent review

jayk2
jayk2 Parent of 13 and 16-year-old
November 1, 2015
age 5+

Ms Montgomery is Wrong

Ms Montgomery is wrong. I encourage people to find any review that is not positive about this film. Tens of thousands of kids and parents have seen this film and no one has ever used the word depressing. It is a beautiful, family film that is often funny and moving, but always entertaining. Please judge for yourselves. I am confident you will be glad you did.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Finn (Lucas McHugh Carroll) is having trouble adjusting to his new town, especially since his mom (Shannon Elizabeth) works a lot at the local diner. And when his plans to try out for the school baseball team are thwarted by a group of bullies led by the macho Luke (Zach Louis), Finn is about ready to give up. Then he discovers Marshall, a sweet dog who's being kept in deplorable conditions by Luke's mom (Lauren Holly). Determined to rescue the pup, Finn breaks him out, only to discover that if he doesn't get the urgent medical care he needs, Marshall could die. As Finn races against the clock, Luke and his mom try to get Marshall back, while Finn's mom and the cute local vet, Dr. Henry (Matthew Settle), try to help Marshall first.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Although it has good intentions and some recognizable stars (such as Lauren Holly and Shannon Elizabeth), this depressing dog tale takes on issues that seem too adult for its target audience. It's enough that the film examines bullying and tries to give kids who are bullied clues on how to handle the situation. The animal-hoarding theme feels tacked on, and it's not an issue that's particularly relevant to tweens. It's also incredibly depressing, and the film can't lighten the mood, even as it encourages viewers to not give up "five minutes before the miracle."

Parents of tweens should be prepared to discuss big themes such as animal abuse, animal hoarding, and mental illness. And kids who are looking for an upbeat animal adventure should probably skip this one.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about bullying. Why do you think some kids become bullies? How can they learn to stop bullying?

  • Luke's mom thinks she's helping dogs by taking them into her home, even if she has too many to properly take care of them. What would be a better way for her to help animals? How can you help animals in need?

  • Do you think Finn did the right thing by stealing Marshall? Or was there a better way he could have gotten help for the dog?

  • Why are dog movies so popular? Which one is your favorite, and why?

Movie Details

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