[yasr_overall_rating]
“Red Dog: True Blue” is the heartwarming tale of an 11-year-old boy (Miller) who is shipped off to his grandfather’s ranch, where he finds adventure and friendship with a scrappy one-of-a-kind dog that will change his life forever.
Micheal (Jason Isaacs), forced by his wife to take his two young sons to the theater for a movie about a dog, fights adopting a dog despite his family’s strong desire for a canine addition to the family. The show reminds him of the dog he had growing up on his grandfather’s ranch in the late 1960s, a story he narrates to his son. Back in the sixties, Mick (Levi Miller) moved to his Grandpa’s (Bryan Brown) ranch in the desert of Australia when his mother fell ill. Despite an eccentric cast of pairs, brothers Little John and Big John, an Asian cook, and his umbrella, Bill (Thomas Cocquerel) a helicopter pilot with his guitar, a group of aborigines, and house staff, Mick has no one to help occupy his eleven-year-old self. When a cyclone wreaks havoc on the ranch, Mick finds a new friend in a tree: a red pup named Blue. Mick obliges and takes the dog home, pleased at discovering a friend of his own. When not doing correspondence school work, Mick and Blue spend their days exploring for trouble.
First love strike when a twenty-something tutor, Betty (Hanna Mangan Lawrence), moves in to help with Mick’s education. Bill, who has a legitimate claim on Betty, fights with Mick over who will get the girl, despite Mick’s shortage of years. When Mick’s mom sends for the boy, Betty leaves to seek employment elsewhere. Devastated at the prospect of leaving the life he has come to love, Mick runs away with Blue until an impending brush fire pushes towards the homestead. An old aboriginal legend causes Mick to help fight the flames and confront his grandpa about leaving the ranch. Saying goodbye to Blue is harder than staying miles away from his mom.
What a beautiful story of a dog filling an empty, lonely heart. The dog himself, Phoenix, was more a catalyst than a character, although his flatulence problem and loyalty were quite endearing. The pup forces Mick to explore and find a home in unfamiliar territory. Goodbye was difficult not just because of the indelible bond but because of the dog’s ability to convince Mick to become his own person no matter where he is. Wrought with humor and uniqueness, the story creates a tangible world worthy of an audience. A little taste of aboriginal history spiced the plot to a level of wonder for children young and old. A few issues left the plot off keel, the stern grandpa was meant to appear tough but lovable, yet his character was too hard to crack despite a few tender moments that felt likes puffs of air. Blue could have had more personality. His striking color was not enough to spur on the relationship between boy and pup. Overall, “Red Dog: True Blue” was enjoyable but not quite a hit movie as its predecessor was in the Outback. Definitely worth a watch.
Available on DVD, Digital & On-Demand February 6th
