Common Sense Media Review
By Tracy Moore
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Middling soccer dog flick has questionable drug scene.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Soccer Dog: The Movie
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
When an orphaned boy Alden (James Marshall) grows up and starts his own family, he realizes what's missing is a son of his own, particularly one who he can teach the joys of his favorite sport, soccer. He and wife Elena (Olivia d'Abo) set out to adopt Clay (Jeremy Foley) only to find out his passion for the sport isn't quite the same as Dad's. Will the rescued stray dog Lincoln, who just happens to be great at soccer, be enough to instill a love of the sport in Clay, and repair his increasingly difficult relationship with his new father?
Is It Any Good?
SOCCER DOG certainly means well as a heartwarming tale of boy and dog friendship, and a well-intentioned set of parents trying to create a stable life for a newly adopted son. But everything else in this film is full of such stereotypical stock characters -- the mean orphanage director, the single-minded coach, the mafia dad, the mean skull-ring-wearing dog catcher -- not to mention pretty poorly acted, that the film never picks up enough steam to keep it going.
Kids who really love soccer may find the dog's mad skills on the field fun to watch, but parents may find the questionably resolved drug-dosing scene and meh performances hard to sit through.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about drug use. Is it ever OK to secretly give someone else a pill or drug? Why not? What should you do if someone ever asks you to do something like this?
What can you do to help the overpopulation of stray dogs in your town? Are there shelters you can adopt from? Go online to read about humane shelters and the educating they do to keep overpopulation of stray dogs down.
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : March 5, 2002
- Cast : James Marshall , Jeremy Foley , Olivia d'Abo
- Director : Tony Giglio
- Studio : Sony Pictures
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Run time : 98 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 20, 2019
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