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Firehouse Dog
Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation


5.9

based on 20 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 17 votes
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MPAA RATING: PG for sequences of action peril, some mild crude humor and language

Starring Josh Hutcherson, Bruce Greenwood, Bill Nunn, Scotch Ellis Loring, Mayte Garcia, Teddy Sears, Steven Culp, and Dash Mihok

The world's most famous, and Hollywood's most pampered, pooch is separated from his owner and ends up as the mascot of a hapless fire station. There, he helps a 12-year-old boy and his father, a veteran fire chief, turn the station into the city's finest. (20th Century Fox)

GENRE(S):	Action \| Comedy \| Family/Kids
WRITTEN BY:	Claire-Dee Lim Mike Werb Michael Colleary
DIRECTED BY:	Todd Holland
RELEASE DATE:	DVD: July 31, 2007 Theatrical: April 4, 2007
RUNNING TIME:	111 minutes, Color
ORIGIN:	USA

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

Chicago Tribune Michael Phillips

A surprisingly heartfelt father/son relationship, handled with restraint by director Todd Holland.

Philadelphia Inquirer Carrie Rickey

A touching, family-friendly entertainment

Los Angeles Times Alex Chun

Though it never completely catches fire, there's enough earnestness and warmth that makes it a welcome alternative in a family film arena dominated by computer animation and associated toy lines.

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Jennie Punter

An entertaining family comedy full of both tricks and trickery.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Sean Axmaker

This larger-than-life cartoon of a trained dog has more character than the two-legged co-stars.

The Hollywood Reporter Kirk Honeycutt

No best in show but a decent family comedy.

The New York Times Jeannette Catsoulis

Working with four interchangeable Deweys, the filmmakers create a sufficient number of lively stunts to keep the kiddies amused, though the film's wittiest moment -- a canine parody of Dudley Moore's first glimpse of Bo Derek in "10" -- will be appreciated only by their parents. In trying to straddle both age groups, however, Firehouse Dog proves decidedly less nimble than its furry star.

New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman

If Firehouse Dog was on cable, where it belongs, it would make a passable diversion from homework or chores. But a kid would have to be pretty desperate to leave the house - and waste allowance money - for this modest distraction.

Variety Justin Chang

Leaving no heartstrings untugged and no doggie-fart jokes uncracked, scruffy pic reps a very mixed breed of obvious humor, gently moving father-son drama and sub-"Backdraft" trial by fire.

Washington Post Stephen Hunter

Firehouse Dog goes into the marginally watchable category, aimed as it is toward the middlebrow family trade, preferably dog owners with their own Sparky slopping up the station wagon windows.

Baltimore Sun Chris Kaltenbach

The mystery is, how the filmmakers still managed to come up with a movie that will satisfy almost no one.

The Onion (A.V. Club) Scott Tobias

The lesson here is that dogs don't need "attitude." They're loveable enough on their own.

Entertainment Weekly Gregory Kirschling

The terrier Rexxx might be the least appealing mutt ever to slobber on screen.

LA Weekly Rob Nelson

Not quite disturbingly forlorn, but forlorn (and overly literal) just the same, this latest entry in the doggy-acrobat subgenre of canine comedies has but one joke, and it comes early: In the Idol age, celebrity culture has gone to the dogs -- literally.

Austin Chronicle Marrit Ingman

Perhaps the lesson to be learned is that just because we CAN use computer technology to give dogs goofy faces, that doesn’t mean we SHOULD.

TV Guide Maitland McDonagh

No cliché is unturned, no "dog duty" pun avoided (get it -- dog doody), no creepy gay-panic subtext unplumbed in this family comedy.

Boston Globe Ty Burr

And that dog -- or, rather, that digitally enhanced replicant -- is just plain creepy.

Charlotte Observer Lawrence Toppman

The filmmakers' ineptitude is staggering.

New York Post Kyle Smith

There's too little dog and too much fire house in Firehouse Dog, a mild kid comedy that turns into a flaming arson mystery with some scenes that could be too scary for little ones.

San Francisco Chronicle Peter Hartlaub

Perhaps worst of all, the movie is painfully long.

The average user rating for this movie is 5.9 (out of 10) based on 17 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Neil W. gave it a3:
I only watched this movie because I was captive on an airplane and it would have been too dangerous to leave the theater. Corny movies can be entertaining, but this one wasn't.

Angel M. gave it a2:
I am completely disgusted at the lack of fire safety issues raised by this show. The boy in this movie is in fire situations and never once is appropriate in his actions. Not once does he crawl low under the smoke-of which little is seen and certainly does not show kids what fire is really like. The writers and producers of this show could have taken into consideration that they had an obligation to teach children helpful safety rules. It is unfortunate that not even multi million dollar corporations can take the time to protect our kids.

Jack B. gave it a5:
I didn't like the storyline, and how did a dog become such a big movie star? There were a couple of chuckles, but it didn't really grasp me.

Jared Christenson gave it a0:
majorly skip it, its one of the worst idea's of the decade.

Bob G gave it a10:
Now I know why critics like Entertainment Weekly's Gregory Kirschling should be fired. He wouldn't know a good movie if he saw it.

Cheryl R. gave it a10:
Surprisingly entertaining for our whole family. After a corny beginning, I was surprised to find myself really enjoying the movie. This film had a combination of action and comedy that was timed right. Even the grandparents enjoyed this one.

B. J. gave it a10:
The dog tricks are great, the cast is amazing, and i love what they've done with the female firefighters in this film...showing that it is okay to be tough and vulnerable. They are great role models for the 'tween set that wants to grow up and be strong but doesn't realize that it is okay to expose their more feminine side as well. I think it is Mayte Garcia who brings the character of Pep to life...and does a great job with it! Every kid I know loved her!

Firehouse Dog Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Firehouse Dog
Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation