Beethoven

Classic '90s family comedy that is a little bit cookie-cutter, but too charming to pry too much. The Newtons, an upper-middle class Californian family, take in a stray St. Bernard puppy that escaped kidnapping for cruel experimentation. Conflict involves the gentle-giant dog winning the heart of the family's strict and materialistic father (played terrifically by Grodin), topped with staying a step ahead of the evil vet (played by a clean-cut Dean Jones) who is trying to track down his escaped canine. Platt and Tucci are funny as Jones' henchmen, but their effeminacy doesn't seem fitting—would have worked better if maybe they paid a little more homage to Jasper and Horace Badun from ONE HUNRED AND ONE DALMATIONS. Bonnie Hunt couples great with Grodin, but is perhaps slightly underused. All three children are intolerable. Still enjoyable despite its flaws; its replay value can be attributed to Grodin and Dean's performances, plus the story's pet-is-a-member-of-the-family philosophy.