Firehouse Dog

Directed by Todd Holland, Firehouse Dog follows a superstar pup as he’s adopted by a fireman (Bruce Greenwood’s Connor Fahey) and his rebellious son (Josh Hutcherson’s Shane) after an aerial stunt goes awry. Filmmaker Holland, armed with Claire-Dee Lim, Mike Werb, and Michael Colleary’s screenplay, delivers an exceedingly hit-and-miss endeavor that is, in the final analysis, foiled by an often palpably overlong running time of 111 minutes, which is a shame, certainly, given that the picture boasts a handful of compelling stretches and several personable performances – with, in terms of the latter, Holland eliciting predictably engaging work from Greenwood and a roster of such agreeable periphery players as Dash Mihok, Bree Turner, and Bill Nunn. It’s clear, ultimately, that Firehouse Dog‘s lackluster atmosphere is exacerbated by a meandering midsection that tests the viewer’s patience to a pronounced degree, as Holland’s decision to stress decidedly tedious elements (eg Shane’s initial hatred of the title animal) ensures that one’s efforts at working up any interest in or enthusiasm for the narrative fall hopelessly flat. And although the picture admittedly does improve slightly in its final third, particularly with its action-packed climax and affecting conclusion, Firehouse Dog has long-since cemented its place as a potentially-decent family film that’s in dire need of some serious trimming and streamlining.

** out of ****