This Movie Can Only Be Described With One Word.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

The title canine is an adorable Saint Bernard puppy who escapes when bumbling, idiotic criminals Harvey and Vernon (Oliver Platt and Stanley Tucci) rob a pet store of their inventory. Beethoven makes his way into the house of the Newton family, immediately endearing himself to the children (Nicholle Tom, Christopher Castile, Sarah Rose Karr) and wife / mother (Bonnie Hunt). The dad (Charles Grodin) is another story. He's not a real dog person, but reluctantly agrees to take on the pup as a pet. In your typical Hollywood fashion, havoc ensues, as the puppy grows into the destructive, messy (but also very loving) big brute that Grodin knew would result. The main plot concerns a thoroughly evil veterinarian (Dean Jones, in a hilarious performance) who collects dogs for test purposes.Watching this as an adult, you can see the flaws more clearly. Sometimes this is genuinely groan inducing, sometimes predictably silly. (You can tell that co-writer John Hughes, who uses his pseudonym of Edmond Dantes, was still getting Home Alone out of his system.) It's also easier to sympathize with George, even though Grodin brilliantly portrays him as a fastidious grump who craves order in his life. He actually makes his family get up at seven in the morning on Saturdays. Another word of advice is that this isn't totally harmless; some people, not just the younger children, might find certain scenes objectionable.Overall, though, "Beethoven" is passable family entertainment without being exceptional in any way. It may hit you where you live, however, if you're a dog person like this viewer. The perfectly cast Grodin is well supported by a cast that also includes TV stars David Duchovny and Patricia Heaton as a snotty yuppie couple, and familiar character players like O-Lan Jones, Nancy Fish, and Richard Portnow. A 10 year old Joseph Gordon-Levitt makes his film debut as a schoolchild. It's particularly fun to see Jones playing the raspy voiced bad guy. Beethoven himself is quite engaging and sweet; some of the best scenes here have him making little journeys around town.Followed by a mind boggling SIX sequels.Seven out of 10.

Beethoven is a St Bernard puppy who escapes from a couple of dog thieves (Stanley Tucci, Oliver Platt). He follows George Newton (Charles Grodin) into his house. The kids fall in love with him and his wife Alice (Bonnie Hunt) wants to keep the puppy. It's a battle between George and Beethoven for the run of the house as he grows into a giant dog. He's trying to sell a business deal to Brad (David Duchovny) and Brie (Patricia Heaton). The dog is super smart and becomes the family's best friend. Evil vet Dr. Varnick (Dean Jones) has a sideline selling dogs for evil experiments while working with the dog thieves.It's the grumpiness of Charles Grodin that makes this marginally funny. He allows the audience to laugh at him and there are some pretty good slapstick fun. It's mostly good family fare with a really evil villain. The bad guys are a little too ridiculous. That takes a little bit away from an otherwise fun family movie.

This movie hones in on the perspective of the parent who doesn't want a dog because it's too much trouble -- but has kids who want nothing but.It beautifully captures the irony of the adorable St. Bernard's pup that turns into a lumbering, slobbering pain in the behind.The canine star of this film is convincing as both a cuddly puppy and a full-grown behemoth that finds every imaginable way to aggravate its put-upon owner, the perfectly cast Charles Grodin.Beethoven -- often accompanied by the composer's lilting music -- is poignant and believable as both an inveterate troublemaker and a life-saving best friend.The film barks up the wrong tree with its silly subplot involving puppy thieves and an evil vet. This part felt like filler to me, but didn't seem to disappoint my 10-year-old son.In all, good but not great family fun.

This was almost like an old-fashioned type of nice movie "the whole family will enjoy," as the stupid trailers used to always say. They aren't always right about that, but they are with this one.BAD NEWS - The "bad news" was (a) the silly ending, (b) some silly-stupid scenes earlier in which what you saw could never really happen, and (c) the three kids were annoying and bossy at times.GOOD NEWS - The "good news" is, of course, "Beethoven," the lovable Saint Bernard who is a lot of fun to watch, especially with all his facial expressions. Also, it's a very entertaining story and there is absolutely nothing offensive, language-wise, in here.OVERALL - This was popular enough to spawn some sequels, none of which were close in caliber to this one. A good family film worth viewing, but mainly if you like big, lovable dogs.