Lassie(2006)

OUR REVIEW

Who's in It: Lassie, Samantha Morton, Peter Dinklage, Kelly Macdonald, Peter O'Toole
The Basics: Talk about kicking it old-school. This Lassie doesn't even talk with Steve Zahn's voice or make fart jokes. It's as though people from some whole other country made this movie. I don't know whether I know how to watch it properly. How come there aren't any cans of Pepsi with their labels facing the camera? This movie is messing with my mind!

What's the Deal? Poor family on the eve of World War II has Lassie, the girl dog that is always played by a boy dog. Poor family sells Lassie to buy food. Lassie escapes the new cruel owner and finds his/her way home in time for Christmas. And you will cry and cry and cry and cry and cry. And cry.

Kids Were Tougher Back in the Day: Ever see Old Yeller? They killed that dog at the end. And this one is almost as rough. Lassie goes to hell and back before the family reunion. Just warning you. Little ones might freak out. Older ones will love it, because it doesn't condescend to them. They might not know what condescension means, but they feel it all the same.

How It's Like The Great Escape: Lassie keeps busting out of cages and then getting caught again. At first you're like, "Stupid Lassie," but then you realize that (s)he's just the Steve McQueen of dogs.

Grown-Up Palatable: You will, in fact, possibly appreciate it even more than your kids will. It's one of the best animal movies to come along in a dog year.