Common Sense Media Review
By S. Jhoanna Robledo
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Tedious talking-dog film has some cartoonish violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 7+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Sherlock: Undercover Dog
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Ten-year-old Billy (Benjamin Eroen) is moving in with his dad, an eccentric toy inventor, when he encounters a lovable shaggy mutt that's been injured in a car accident. They get him fixed up at a local animal clinic (where his single dad hits it off with the single-mom veterinarian), and Billy is stunned to discover that the dog can speak! The boy is even more shocked to learn that the cute canine's master has been kidnapped by bad guys, and the duo set out to solve the caper.
Is It Any Good?
There are some very entertaining movies about animals with human traits, but this isn't one of them. There are plenty of ways to make a live-action film about talking animals in a smart and entertaining fashion: Good acting and a compelling script go a long way, as does a story that seems quasi-believable (if you ignore that talking-animal concept). SHERLOCK: UNDERCOVER DOG has none of this. The acting is mediocre at best, the story is ridiculous, and much of it simply makes no sense (even after you accept the verbal canine). Young children may get some entertainment from the pratfalls and slapstick humor (OK, the cop who's repeatedly covered in spilled food elicits a few chuckles), but there's not much here to like.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the movie's premise. Why don't any of the grown-ups take Billy seriously?
How would you react if you met a talking dog?
How does this film compare to other talking-animal movies?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : September 28, 2004
- Cast : Benjamin Eroen
- Director : Richard Harding Gardner
- Studio : Sony Pictures
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Animals
- Run time : 78 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : for a comic criminal element, and for some mild language.
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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