My Dog Skip

My Dog Skip: Film, 2000  Studio: Warner Bros. Director: Jay Russell Run time: 95 minutes.

Plot: The story is set in Mississippi in 1942. Willie is a 9-year old only child who is not very good at sports, has trouble making friends (gets bullied) and longs for a dog.  On his ninth birthday his mother gives him Skip, a Jack Russell terrier puppy.  The bond between boy and dog is immediate and sets the stage for the story. Skip and Willie are inseparable and through Skip, Willie’s life begins to change. Everyone in town knows the pair, Willie makes friends, gets to hold hands with the prettiest girl and becomes part of a baseball team with real uniforms.  There is a scene where Willie loses his temper with Skip, slaps him and then the dog disappears. Willie is in tears as he recruits the citizens of Yazoo City to help him find his beloved dog. Skip is missing for days and is located later trapped in a cemetery. Skip is injured and may not live leading to a poignant exchange between Willie and Skip in the animal hospital. I usually try not to spoil an ending yet the final words of the narrator are a powerful reflection, “They buried him out under the elm tree, they said. That wasn't totally true. For he really lay buried in my heart."

Review/Personal thoughts: This movie described as both heart wrenching and heart warming.  It is a coming of age story baed on the a memoir of Willie Morris. There are many themes revealed in this story including friendship, bullying, courage, forgiveness, parenting, and of course the connection between humans and animals.  I was especially moved by the scene where Willie slaps Skip and immediately feels regret. With Skip missing, we identify with Willie’s grief and remorse and wonder if Skip will ever be  found so that healing can occur. Willie pours out his heart to Skip who is unconscious on the operating table, expressing his sorrow and great love. 46.3 million U.S households have dogs as pets.  My bet is that everyone of them will love this film. (And many who don’t will also...)

Rated: PG

Interest Level: Ages 8 and up

Awards:  Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards, Critics Choice Award, Best Family Film, 2001