Good Boy! Critic Reviews

Little is asked of talking-animal movies, save charm, heart, and at least one scene where said animal wears a lampshade. Good Boy! has all those things, plus a winning story line.Read the full review

The film is touchingly firm about leveling with children, drawing a careful, crucial line between fantasy and reality, without patronizing or haranguing them. Read the full review

Surprisingly nimble and fun to watch, mostly thanks to the magnificent dogs Hoffman has found to portray his lead characters, and thanks to the actors he cast as the animals' voices.Read the full review

Mostly, Good Boy! exists for the middle section where youngsters and dogs speak the same language. These escapades, all taking place under the adults' radar, generate many sound laughs. Read the full review

When it comes right down to it, the talking animal thing is sort of secondary to what is, at heart, just a simple but perfectly satisfying little story about a boy who wants to keep his dog. Read the full review

No new ground is dug up in Good Boy, but the story is well-paced, sweet and lively, filling a void for very young filmgoers. Read the full review

As long as you keep thinking of "Babe," you can't help thinking that there's no excuse for movies like Good Boy! to merely push the usual buttons, deploy the usual poop jokes and carry out the usual sight gags. Read the full review

A promising idea turns into nothing, and we're left with a painfully dull kids' picture.Read the full review

Passable kiddy fare that, although it strenuously underscores its message of friendship and loyalty, doesn't revitalize the genre. Read the full review