I can't understand all of the good reviews for this film, which I found to be a huge disappointment. Bad performances, coupled with awful direction and hackneyed, cliched writing puts this on my list of films to avoid. The film obviously tried to capitalize on Muniz's rising star power among youngsters and families, but offered little substance for this film to endure. There is never an indication at what makes this dog so special. And it' hard to believe that only two dogs were used for Skip; his appearance changes quite frequently throughout the film.If you want a recent "uplifting" family film, opt for "The Sandlot."