Common Sense Media Review
By Renee Schonfeld
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Cheesy talking-dog tale is filled with potty humor, bullying
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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Pups United
What's the Story?
PUPS UNITED tells the story of the Flying Cleats, a youth soccer team headed for the annual Kids International Cup Tournament. Kids' teams from all over the world will compete, and each will have a dog mascot to perform exciting tricks for a halftime spectacular. Unbeknownst to the humans, all the dogs can talk -- but only when no human is listening, and only in their own unique dialects. Trouble comes in the form of Ariana (Kristin Carey), a very rich woman who wants to control the American team entry. Wielding her sponsorship as power and falsely accusing star Ryan (Matthew James Roberts) of cheating, Ariana succeeds in getting Ryan thrown off the team and her son made captain. Ryan's dad, who is the coach, doesn't stand up for his son. At the same time, two clownish criminals have hidden a stolen flash drive in the tournament trophy; they will do anything and everything to get it back and deliver it to their "buyer." As the Flying Cleats struggle for victory without their star player and the bumbling villains wreak havoc trying to get to the trophy, it's the dogs -- with a little help from Ryan -- who can come to the team's rescue.
Is It Any Good?
There's nothing to recommend this talking-canine time waster, with its amateur production, predictable story, lowbrow humor, and trite characters. The only passable moments come from a pleasant performance by Matthew James Roberts as Ryan and some scenes in which a gang of international soccer mascots -- dogs with dialects -- do tricks and talk among themselves. There's an entire genre of pet movies with bumbling criminals just waiting to get hammered by the pets and their owners; this one doesn't pass muster even by the lowest standards. The plot is a nonsensical mess; characters show up any place and at any time. Grown-ups are characterized as ridiculous throughout; messages are delivered with the subtlety of a sledgehammer. Still, kids will laugh, an acknowledgment that even the most inept filmmaking team can get by.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the fact that adults can be bullies too. Who is the bully in this movie? How could Coach Todd, the victim, have behaved differently to stop the bully's awful behavior?
Why do you think filmmakers count on potty humor to get laughs? How does it make their job easier?
In Ryan's family, which includes his dad, his grandfather, and himself, who was the most responsible and take-charge? In what ways?
Why are talking-animal movies so popular? Which is your favorite?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : September 15, 2015
- Cast : Rob Schneider , Matthew James Roberts , Mark Silverman
- Director : Guy Distad
- Studio : Parkside Pictures
- Genre : Comedy
- Topics : Animals
- Run time : 85 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : some mild, rude humor
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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