The kids are Sydney (Sydney Thackray), Isaac (Dilan Patton), Ronnie (Jonathan Tysor), and Kyle (Patrick Geringer). These children help Murphy escape, but with the whole world searching, Murphy's freedom is not going to last long. Joe and Fred (Freddy John James and Jaret Sacrey) are two employees who search for Murphy in fear for their jobs. These two men go to great lengths to recover Murphy, including an epic zip-line pursuit that involves bees, lakes and flying pies. When siblings Sydney and Peter have no choice but to confess they have been secretly harboring Murphy, their mother (Jennifer Marshall) makes them return Murphy. They are reluctant (Murphy has been filling their heads with the facts that he has been mistreated), but agree. When the people from QN Productions arrive to transport Murphy back, they find that Peter has fled with Murphy on his motorized wheelchair. The end is a heartwarming unexpected surprise. If you like a good plot twist, humor and are just in the mood for a loving story, this is for you!
There are actually two messages in this movie. One is that the actors you see in movies are rarely as happy as they seem. This is proven by Murphy saying that he was cared for, but not actually loved. Another example occurs when the director's daughter asks her mom, "Do you really care?" This leaves the director speechless and unsure of how to respond as she realizes that her daughter is more caring than her. The second message is that sometimes animals choose their owners, not the other way around. The first thing Murphy does as soon as he is free is run to Sydney's house. The director's daughter also says animals choose their owners and that she could not wait to see who Murphy will choose.
I think this movie promotes actually loving animals instead of just caring because of your job. I give this movie 5 out of 5 stars. I recommend this movie for kids ages 8 to18. This film is available now on VOD so, go check it out.
Reviewed by Eden T., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 8
This is a really fun and funny dog movie. The cast of kids kept me interested the entire time. Doggone Hollywood has so many funny moments. Not a minute is boring!
A Doggone Hollywood has some dramatic moments and also very comical ones. There are action scenes that look like they must have been fun to shoot. The kids and the dog are really the stars of the film. That's one of the things that make it such a good movie for kids!
The story is about Murphy the Jack Russell Terrier (Jesse) who is a huge Hollywood star on a hit TV show, but he doesn't enjoy his celebrity life. One day, some kids accidentally help Murphy escape the film set. He runs away to find a better life and a loving owner.
The dog can talk! He follows the kids home and tells the kids how miserable his life is. He doesn't want to go back to Hollywood. The kids are determined to help Murphy find a new home. The movie studio people are just as determined to get Murphy and bring him back to work.
My favorite thing about the movie is that the main star is a dog. I love dogs. I really love that the dog can talk. He sends out his thoughts to the kids with his mind. It didn't bother me at all that the dog's mouth doesn't move. I wish my dog could talk like that! It is believable and I think it adds a funny element too.
The message of the movie comes from Murphy's story. In the beginning it looks like he has everything people dream about having. But even with fame and money, he still isn't happy. The movies teaches lessons about what is really important in life. I think you are successful when you have a lot of love all around you and you love people. Love is the most powerful thing in the world.
I give A Doggone Hollywood 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it to kids ages 5 to 18. Adults might like it too. Doggone Hollywood is available now on VOD so, check it out. By Izzy C., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 9
The film A Doggone Hollywood is a wholesome film! The movie has all the right criteria to make it a good film the whole family can enjoy. The movie features characters that make this film colorful and a theme that any age should appreciate.
The storyline is about a dog named Murphy (Steve Altman and Jesse the Jack Russell Terrier) who escapes his life of fame because he isn't receiving the love and attention he craves from the money-loving executives that produce his show. He finds exactly those caring traits from the four children that help him escape.
I found this film captivating, although the setting leaves much to be desired. For example, you can tell in the scene when the characters are driving that they are shot in front of a green screen. Still, there are parts I enjoyed. My favorite character is most definitely Candice Smith (Andrea Lee Davis). She is one of the characters that goes through the biggest moral change throughout the whole movie, thanks to the persuasion of her warm-hearted daughter.
The message of this movie is about treating everyone with respect no matter what role they might play in your life. This film absolutely called me into action. It made me want to adopt every single dog in every single pound. The lack of compassion Murphy receives in the movie really made me want to help other animals in the type of situation that he was in.
The cast of the film really excel in their roles. The mother (Jennifer Marshall) of Sydney (Sydney Thackray) and Peter Harris (Walker Mintz) really shows motherly characteristics and the kids portray their sibling relationships in a very believable way.
I give A Doggone Hollywood 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 5 to 9. This film is available now on VOD so, go check it out.
By Raquel S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 14
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