"Smitty" is the typical kind of movie that fits perfectly in the general formula of movies. It is a family movie that combines the elements of tales about animals and coming-of-age themes. It is a movie that plays it safe but still manages to provide viewers with a pleasant experience and a lesson to learn.
Brandon Tyler Russell plays Ben, a 13-year-old teenager who under certain circumstances has to move in with his grandfather whom he has never met before in his life. In the countryside, amid a small town, farms and beautiful landscapes, among a number of interesting characters, Ben begins to learn about the past of the relationship between his grandfather and his mother, and comes to understand people and himself better.
He later meets his dog, adopted from a lost or abandoned animal shelter, and also Smitty, a mid-aged store-owner who befriends him and whose guitar appeals to him. Relationships between characters are clearly shown, and storytelling techniques are simple but effective. Its simplicity along with the plot pull the audience into the feelings in the tale, which include family relationships, human-animal relationships, growing up and a taste of life in the farms.
Overall, it is a great film for a whole family to sit down and watch on a weekend. The story is simple, moving and carries certain messages.
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