SCREEN IT! PARENTAL REVIEW: BENJI: OFF THE LEASH

"BENJI: OFF THE LEASH"
(2004) (Nick Whitaker, Chris Kendrick) (PG)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Minor	Minor	Extreme	*Mild	Minor

Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Mild	Minor	Moderate	None	None

Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
None	None	Heavy	Moderate	Moderate

QUICK TAKE:: Drama: As a stray pooch repeatedly thwarts the efforts of two dogcatchers, a boy tries to save a mix breed dog from his mean, dog breeder father.

PLOT:

Colby (NICK WHITAKER) is a 14-year-old who lives in a rural part of the country with his parents, Terrence (CHRIS KENDRICK) and Claire Hatchett (CHRISTY SUMMERHAYS). While there are lots of dogs around since Terrence is a dog breeder, none of them are pets, much to Colby's dismay. He also worries about the dogs since his dad isn't particularly nice to them, which also holds true for the way he treats Colby and his mom.

Accordingly, Colby takes one of the pregnant breeder dogs away so that she can safely have her pups, but when his dad finds out, he's quite mad and throws a half-breed puppy away, telling his son to leave it in the abandoned house. Colby, however, returns there to get the pup and takes him to the safe haven that is the boy's fort deep in the woods.

Six months later, the dog has grown up and befriended another pooch that's been nicknamed Lizard Tongue by Sheldon (DUANE STEPHENS) and Livingston (RANDALL NEWSOME), two inept dog catchers who've been trying to capture the previously dumped pooch. Benji introduces Lizard Tongue to recluse Zacharia Finch (NEAL BARTH) while repeatedly trying to free his mom from the inhumane conditions where she's kept. Terrence hates having the nuisance dog around, but when he hears that a casting call has been made for the next Benji movie, he changes his tune.

As the local sheriff, Ozzie (NATE BYNUM), eventually gets involved and while the bumbling dog catchers repeatedly pursue the two canines, Colby must decide whether to stand up to his father for the way he's treated him, his mother and their dogs.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: If they like dogs or movies about them, they probably will.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG: For thematic elements and some mild language.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: NICK WHITAKER plays a 14-year-old kid who tries to care for the dogs and keep them out of his father's abusive presence.
CHRIS KENDRICK plays his mean and emotionally and physically abusive father who doesn't treat his family any better than he does the dogs he breeds in inhumane conditions.
CHRISTY SUMMERHAYS plays Colby's mother who won't leave her abusive husband due to fear (of disrupting Colby's family and needing to eat).
DUANE STEPHENS and RANDALL NEWSOME play two bumbling dog catchers who are set on capturing Lizard Tongue but always manage to bungle their efforts.
NEAL BARTH plays a wisdome-spewing loner who lives in the woods who adopts Lizard Tongue (or vice-versa).
NATE BYNUM plays the local sheriff who doesn't look highly upon Terrence and his actions.; CHRIS KENDRICK plays his mean and emotionally and physically abusive father who doesn't treat his family any better than he does the dogs he breeds in inhumane conditions.
CHRISTY SUMMERHAYS plays Colby's mother who won't leave her abusive husband due to fear (of disrupting Colby's family and needing to eat).
DUANE STEPHENS and RANDALL NEWSOME play two bumbling dog catchers who are set on capturing Lizard Tongue but always manage to bungle their efforts.
NEAL BARTH plays a wisdome-spewing loner who lives in the woods who adopts Lizard Tongue (or vice-versa).
NATE BYNUM plays the local sheriff who doesn't look highly upon Terrence and his actions.; CHRISTY SUMMERHAYS plays Colby's mother who won't leave her abusive husband due to fear (of disrupting Colby's family and needing to eat).
DUANE STEPHENS and RANDALL NEWSOME play two bumbling dog catchers who are set on capturing Lizard Tongue but always manage to bungle their efforts.
NEAL BARTH plays a wisdome-spewing loner who lives in the woods who adopts Lizard Tongue (or vice-versa).
NATE BYNUM plays the local sheriff who doesn't look highly upon Terrence and his actions.; DUANE STEPHENS and RANDALL NEWSOME play two bumbling dog catchers who are set on capturing Lizard Tongue but always manage to bungle their efforts.
NEAL BARTH plays a wisdome-spewing loner who lives in the woods who adopts Lizard Tongue (or vice-versa).
NATE BYNUM plays the local sheriff who doesn't look highly upon Terrence and his actions.; NEAL BARTH plays a wisdome-spewing loner who lives in the woods who adopts Lizard Tongue (or vice-versa).
NATE BYNUM plays the local sheriff who doesn't look highly upon Terrence and his actions.; NATE BYNUM plays the local sheriff who doesn't look highly upon Terrence and his actions.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

The following is a brief summary of the content found in this drama that's been rated PG. While no profanity is present, various colorful phrases are uttered. A father is portrayed as a mean man who mistreats and verbally, emotionally and physically abuses both his family (wife and boy) and the dogs that he breeds.

That obviously generates varying degrees of tense family material, as well as related moments that may be unsettling, suspenseful or scary to younger kids. Other scenes where some dogs are potentially in danger may have the same effect on those viewers.

Beyond the violence inflicted by the father (some of which is aimed at his son), there's some slapstick material regarding the bumbling efforts of two dogcatchers in nabbing a pooch on the loose. There's also some brief drinking.

Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE: We see some empty beer bottles in a barrel.
We see Hatchett with a beer. He then states that he was going to get another one when Colby makes him sit (so that he doesn't see the dog rescuing its mother). Colby's mother then says that she isn't getting her husband a beer.

BLOOD/GORE: We see what looks like some blood around a breeder dog's face, but can't be sure if it's that or something else that's matted some of its hair.
We see a bruise on the side of Colby's mom's head (from where Hatchett apparently hit her sometime in the past).

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: Mr. Hatchett is a mean animal breeder who mistreats his dogs just like he does his son and wife (we hear allegations of him beating her and later see a bruise on her face).
Mad at Colby for taking a prized breeder away from their home so that she could deliver her puppies, Mr. Hatchett tells the boy that he'll have no dinner that night.
An unseen person stops their car and dumps a dog on the side of the road.
Mr. Hatchett throws something potentially incriminating into a stream (to get rid of it).
Finch lies to the animal control guys about not having a dog (a white lie to protect his new canine friend).
Hatchett complains about his dinner being cold (it's supposed to be).
Once he thinks he can get money for the half-breed dog, Hatchett suddenly claims that the dog is his. And when Colby's mom says she's not going to go along with him, Hatchett tells her that yes she will.
Colby tells a white lie about owning the half-breed dog (but only to protect it from his father).

FRIGHTENING SCENES: Most likely, only the youngest of kids will find the following material as tense or suspenseful.
Those same young viewers may find Colby's dad as scary.
Some suspenseful music plays as we see Mr. Hatchett's pickup truck pull up to a deserted house where Colby is tending to some new puppies.
After tossing a half-breed puppy across a room, Colby's father tells him to leave the dog in a deserted house (seemingly dooming it to death -- Colby even pleads that leaving him there means he'll die).
We see many dogs in small, outdoor kennels (some viewers may not like the sight of that).
Colby returns to the deserted house at night and worries about the seemingly missing puppy, but then finds him.
Colby's mom has to intervene before her husband does something bad to the boy.
Mr. Hatchett threatens Lizard Tongue that if he shows up again, he'll be food for the worms.
Sheldon and Livingston chase after Lizard Tongue and his canine friend, with Livingston shooting a tranquilizer dart at them (it hits a tree). They then corner Lizard Tongue at the end of a small ravine (probably 10 or more feet above a stream). The other dog then purposefully runs into Lizard Tongue and both fall over the ravine and into the stream (to rescue him, and both are fine).
The breeder dog appears to be sick and won't eat food that her son has brought her.
Sheldon and Livingston nearly drive into another truck.
We hear that a breeder dog has an infected uterus from over-breeding and a mammary tumor. The vet then says that the dog needs immediate surgery (which will sterilize it) to save its life.
Two dogs end up stuck inside a trash can overnight (younger viewers may worry about them).
A net is suddenly thrown over a dog (as sudden music plays).

GUNS/WEAPONS: Livingston carries a tranquilizer gun and accidentally shoots Sheldon in the clothed butt with it (when trying to shoot Lizard Tongue). He later fires another shot at a dog, but misses.
The local sheriff wears a sidearm.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: Phrases: "Come here you little lizard tongue," "Don't be a butt-head," "Will you shut up," "Have you gone nuts?" "We're going to be all over you like a wet blanket," "Nuts" (crazy), "Egghead," "Miserable scum," "Filthy mongrel," "You mangy mutt," "Ain't you the dumb one?" "He's an idiot," "Sundance your butt," "Pansy," "Get your butt off the truck," "Jerk" and "Oh jeez."
Colby uses a chain over an impromptu zip line to escape from his bedroom undetected.
Colby says, "I'll be back" like Arnold Schwarzenegger in "The Terminator" movie.
An unseen person stops their car and dumps a dog on the side of the road.

JUMP SCENES: A net is suddenly thrown over a dog (as sudden music plays).

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): A moderate amount of suspenseful and dramatic music plays in the film.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): None.

PROFANITY: None.

SEX/NUDITY: None.

SMOKING: None.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: Mr. Hatchett is a mean man who mistreats his son and wife (we hear allegations of him beating her and later see a bruise on her face). There are various tense scenes between all of them, particularly father vs. son, and some of that briefly gets physical.
Colby asks his mom why she stays with his father. She replies that two parents are better than one and that they have to eat, but Colby states that his father doesn't love him or his mother (and the father overhears that).

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: Dog breeders.
Mr. Hatchett is a mean animal breeder who mistreats his dogs just like he does his son and wife (we hear allegations of him beating her and later see a bruise on her face).
An unseen person stops their car and dumps a dog on the side of the road.
Colby asks his mom why she stays with his father. She replies that two parents are better than one and that they have to eat, but Colby states that his father doesn't love him or his mother (and the father overhears that).
The comment that it takes a special person to admit that they're wrong.
We hear that a breeder dog has an infected uterus from over-breeding and a mammary tumor. The vet then says that the dog needs immediate surgery (which will sterilize it) to save its life.
Colby tells a white lie about owning the half-breed dog (but only to protect it from his father).

VIOLENCE: Mr. Hatchett kicks something made of glass into a heating radiator and the glass shatters. He then grabs a puppy and throws it across the floor (the dog is okay).
Sheldon and Livingston bump heads when trying to catch Lizard Tongue.
We hear but don't see a cow kick Sheldon (played for laughs).
Sheldon and Livingston fall from some crates into some mud.
Colby briefly struggles with his father when the man comes after his dog.
Livingston carries a tranquilizer gun and accidentally shoots Sheldon in the clothed butt with it (when trying to shoot Lizard Tongue).
Mr. Hatchett grabs a dog at night, but it nips his face.
Mr. Hatchett wants to get his hands around a dog's neck, but Colby jumps around his. Hatchett then throws Colby off him and to the ground.
Hatchett grabs Colby by the arm and physically takes him along to search for the missing breeder dog.
The local sheriff grabs a nosey radio reporter by the shirt to escort him back to his car.
As Sheldon and Livingston chase after the dog down a sidewalk, both accidentally run into the same man (the first knocking him down, the second knocking papers from his arms).
Angry about a radio report about him, Hatchett slaps a portable radio across the room where it breaks.

Reviewed June 17, 2004 / Posted August 20, 2004

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