User Reviews (19)

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  • Angel Dog is a gentle, loving, warm, furry, big, sloppy, lick-your-face movie!... one of the best I have watched for a long time, and although I am a middle-aged woman, I felt all the same wonderful feelings I experienced as a small child, when watching the classic Lassie.

    The plot is not littered with the usual clichés... and I don't think I have EVER seen a film where the actors and animals were so natural and at one (surpasses even the great Lassie, K9, Turner and Hooch...!).

    If you are a gentle soul, an animal lover, you will find this film perfection. The filming has a fresh, innocent quality - (extremely rare!) And the music stands out as special on it's own merit, whilst matching the mood perfectly.

    This one is truly heart-warming, the characters are lovable, the animals are adorable! Loved it!
  • Jake (Jon Michael Davis) is a Texas businessman, in the computer industry, who has just been given terrible news. His wife and two children have died in a horrific car accident. Only the dog, Cooper, miraculously survived. Rescue workers took the darling black and white canine to a nearby vet, Dr. Caroline (Farah White). Daily, the animal doctor's office calls Jake to notify them about the day he will pick up Cooper, but he doesn't do so. Jake, you see, was persuaded to keep the wandering dog by his children and his present grief is so intense that he can barely move. Fortunately, the vet is patient, even though she is somewhat annoyed. Also, when Jake's mother in law comes for a visit, she helps Jake get the reasons to go on. Meanwhile, Caroline has her own troubles. Her father left long ago and she doesn't trust men and seldom dates. Also, her mother became an alcoholic and is presently in a nursing home. Although Dr. Caro goes often to visit her, the vet still harbors hard feelings about her mother's inability to move on and devote herself to her only child. Inevitably, Jake and Caroline meet, when Cooper is finally picked up. From this beginning, an awkward friendship develops. Then, too, Cooper helps Jake deal with his sorrow and loneliness, more than he ever expected. Trouble arrives. Caroline spies a poster of former owners looking for Cooper. Will they reclaim this "angel dog" who comforts and will Caroline help Jake face this crisis, if needed? Make no mistake, this is a sweet film, but very somber and slow. There is some humor that appears occasionally but its definitely not a smile-a-minute flick. Romance lovers, absolutely, will enjoy it, as will viewers who appreciate a wholesome movie for their loved ones. Davis and White do a nice job and the rest of the cast, unknowns, do well, too. Also, the Texas setting is an asset. So, if any of this sounds like your cup of tea, make an effort to find it. There will, however, be some who will not be patient enough to make it to the finish line.
  • blanche-23 April 2016
    Warning: Spoilers
    There's nothing I hate more than animal stories. They make me a nervous wreck, and for me they're like an accident -- I can't stop watching until I make sure the animal is all right.

    I watched this by mistake. Long story - it was on TV and I was doing something else, I kept hearing about a dog - and before I knew it, I was watching it. Against my will.

    It's about a dog who is the sole survivor of a car accident in which a man's entire family is killed. Consequently, the guy hates the dog. He leaves it at a vet's and after repeated phone calls, he reluctantly comes and takes the dog. The dog won't get into the car. Finally he does.

    One day the vet finds a lost dog ad with a photo of the dog, Cooper. By now, the owner has bonded with him, but he thinks it's the right thing to return him. It turns out these people had lost their grandson. One day the dog showed up in their yard and they just kept him. Then one day he was gone.

    Well, the vet figures out that this dog is a miracle or angel - he shows up to help people who are grieving. When the worst of the grieving is over, he takes off.

    Meanwhile, one wonders if a relationship is brewing between the lonely man and the lonely vet.

    This was a very inexpensive film. For that reason, they couldn't pay the actors much. I for one thought the acting was awful, but for the most part, these are young people starting out. This gave them a chance at a decent credit and a way to work on their craft. I believe some of them were local Texas actors - the male star, John Michael Davis, has done a ton of work since, and apparently relocated to Texas (where this was filmed) at some point in his career.

    I knew the ending ahead of time, as you will too, but I kind of wished it had been different.
  • This is a pleasant enough movie, most of the time. Sure, it is sad sometimes. Dr. Mason commented on how she gets emotional, and anyone who does will need plenty of Kleenex for this. But it is also a movie the whole family can watch.

    Jake takes some getting used to but he's mostly likable.

    Dr. Mason is pretty and shows us a whole range of emotions, but she mostly makes us like her.

    Nita who works in the office, is so nice and wears the prettiest tops. And if you like one, she'll wear it again at least a couple of times.

    Trey seems to be a nurse and he is funny. We do get to laugh from time to time.

    Cooper is played by two dogs, according to the credits. He's quite well trained.

    And Bobbie and Seth are a nice older couple. I can't say much about them because it's better to learn about them when the time comes.

    The music is mostly pleasant, although there is a lot of music performed by Peter Himmelman, who sounds sort of like Bob Dylan. Not really what I like, but not too bad either. One song called "Shine" is quite catchy and if adult contemporary radio hadn't changed so much in recent years, it would fit right in there.

    It's an okay movie if you just want to feel good.
  • I agree with what everyone else has said. Not the most polished film, but very heartwarming, and a good message. It makes me want to get a dog and I don't even like dogs. One thing that I did appreciate about it is that it doesn't rush the relationship or focus on the relationship. It realizes that a grieving person is best not to get into another relationship right away until they are fully healed. It could have used a little bit better writing or editing to make it better understood about the man's wife and kids and the accident, and then as others have said with the pacing through maybe better editing through the film as well, but all in all it is very much worth seeing.
  • This is a sad and depressing movie. I lost track of the number of people that died. The dialog lacks emotion and rarely deviates from monotone. I kept with it to the end to see if any characters would hint at a smile; alas, I've counted more smiles at funerals. There is some strange recurring theme about cleaning out a cat litter box which was puzzling. If you are looking for something with a happy ending, you may want to look elsewhere. If you are looking for something depressing this will not disappoint.
  • OK, this was cheap to buy and I wasn't expecting much. It could do with being a bit more uplifting and an axe to make it move along a bit quicker, but I was pleased in how it portrayed Cooper. The plot just take too long to get moving and the budget is on the cheap side. As for anyone who rates this as a bad film, I have certainly seen some much worse.

    I have owned a collie and could appreciate the film. Having experienced some bad times in my life my collie was a great support so I could appreciate the plot. I would have preferred a simpler plot that led to them all heading off into the sunset together rather than hopping to different disasters as I think this would have spent more time with the dog an building a new life. Anyone into dog stories could also see Greyfriars bobby.
  • The basic idea behind the film is almost good, but the main script, the acting, and some of the storyline fell short of being acceptable. A family film? Only if you want to snuggle on the couch and fall asleep together.

    One needs to keep in mind that when a person loses an entire family, the rebound takes a long time to return to normal. Kids who watch this show are wanting to see a cute dog jumping around, causing happiness. This show does not have any signs of that as the audience is incapable of building a bond with the family before they die. There are no moments of sharing between the father and the family until reflection brings it into the picture AFTER the vet.

    The script did not follow the criteria of suspense, emotion, or anything other than a tedious "day in the life" of a mourner and a very persistent doctor who has a difficult time drawing a line between professionalism and personal preference.
  • Great storyline well written this one does not leave you flat it keeps you glued to the tube. This is one you cant take a popcorn break for make sure you have plenty at the get go!!And make sure you have the dog sitting next to you they will get lots of attention from you as you watch this amazing well thought out story.I couldn't leave it. I do0nt think you will either. For a small production company filming in San Antonio Tx, this is far from being a low budget movie.The acting and script are first class big budget type stuff. So excellent things do come in small packages.See this movie tonight with your favorite dog.You will not be sorry. I sure wasn't. I was so pleasantly surprised,so was my dog.
  • I have seen some of the reviews on here. But i have to say that it's not nearly as bad as they make it seem. One idiot even calls the dog a demon. And says that the dog is responsible for the tragedies. Which is total bs. It is a really good movie. And i enjoyed it.

    Although it does seem to have some slow parts as well. And some of the acting isn't the best. It's obviously not an amazing blockbuster. But i did enjoy the story. And the dog was great. How anyone could call a dog a demon is beyond me. I have a dog. And he has helped me a lot during my stress and grief. So this movie really hits home to me. I definitely recommend this movie to anyone who likes dogs and darker more serious stories.
  • ikkyg26 December 2012
    Warning: Spoilers
    Almost everything that happens to the characters is incredibly depressing. I am curious that people have reviewed this saying it is all ages appropriate. I wouldn't show this movie to children, while it may have a dog, both the main plot and sub-plot with the vet are both really upsetting. Almost all the characters experience (or recount) some incredible sadness, whereas the 'happy' reprieve is pretty limited.

    I have an alternative theory about the dog too, it's actually possessed and it causes bad things to happen to its owners, because nothing happy happens when you own that dog!
  • Sometimes it's hard to find a movie that you can take home and watch with everyone and be assured that the content is both interesting and appropriate. Angel Dog does these two things very well. I found myself very attached to the characters right away and interested in the outcome. I will admit I was already crying 5 minutes into the movie. Better to cry at the beginning than the end though right ? There are some interesting twists and turns as we learn the role of the dog in the lives of all the characters as well as the characters' associations with one another. The locations it is shot in (Texas Hill Country) are also beautiful and make a good backdrop to the story. Thumbs up to a great family movie !
  • Warning: Spoilers
    Pretty annoyed this is considered a 'family film'. For one thing, the movie's pacing is so slow and its acting is so dead and monotone that even adults will fall asleep through it. So you can be sure it won't keep a child's interest.

    On top of the snooze fest, its extremely depressing. A whole family is dead within the first 3 minutes of the movie, and they somehow try to force in a half baked romance, along with try and paint this dog as some "Angel"

    The idea of an actual dog angel is precious-but A, its already been done by a film called Miracle Dogs, and B, the first half they portray the dog simply as a traumatized animal who stopped eating, and had a fear of cars after the wreck. And yet he's still somehow an angel who moves on to help other families...? If he was an actual angel dog, why would he be afraid from the wreck? The movie is just too confused with itself to keep hold of a basic story.

    Hard pass on this one, and I'm assuming the makers weren't proud of it since its uploaded on Youtube to watch for free in perfect DVD quality, so not one worth spending your money on. Only gave two stars because the dog was cute.
  • Warning: Spoilers
    We bought this film for the weekend as the Grandparents were coming down and wanted a family film we can all watch.

    From the start it looks like a student project.. sub-par camera work, ropy acting and an insane start to the film... Within a few minutes a family is killed off leaving a demonic dog as the sole.. un-marked.. un- injured survivor. The most sickening part is that several times the dogs survival is refereed to as a 'miracle'

    as the film progresses it is revealed that the demon dog has caused other tragedies

    As you might expect the film wallows in grief and there is an attempt at a romance plot..

    There were 7 members of the family watching this aged between 6 and 65 and all universally agreed that this was in deed the worst film we have ever watched. It is now a standing joke in the household for all things rubbish and we frequently threaten the kids with making them watch it again if they don't behave.
  • Warning: Spoilers
    I'll give this credit for one thing, not discriminating on all dog breeds being represented, yet the individual pooches don't seem to enjoy being in front of the camera. It's only when they get petted that they react, and so would anything if just bored. The story never gives the viewer the opportunity to get the audience to really card about the humans in the film, just jumping quickly into the car accident that kills the wife and children of busy Jon Michael Davis who is lucky that he's too consumed with work to be on vacation. Only the family dog, Cooper, survives, and then the real squeaky shoe drops. It might not legally be his to keep. He's admonished by the vet (Farah White) for not claiming Cooper quickly enough, and the next thing you know, they're dating, dealing with the ownership issue and her control issues.

    I didn't find these characters all that interesting, and White's character really annoyed me. Somehow she ends up with custody of Cooper, and he gets Hank, a puppy of the same breed. The film often moves at a snail's pace, with lots of scenes taking place as montages with some very maudlin songs. The supporting characters are not very interesting either, offering unwelcome advice without being asked. They include his mother-in-law and a coworker of hers constantly trying to play matchmaker. An undeveloped subplot concerns White's mother who is in a convalescent home. At least the dogs are cute, if rather lethargic (outside the pizza eating puppy), but perhaps the laziness of the furry actors is a metaphor for the film as a whole. There's not even a satisfactory conclusion, just a quick denouement and bam, credits with one of those sleep inducing songs reprised.
  • It's not often that I get hooked on a movie but I'm a sucker for films with strong character development and Angel Dog has plenty of that. It is similar to "As Good as it Gets" in that it is a dog that brings out the best in people. And like "As Good," this film focuses on people. The story moves along quickly thanks to the fine script and direction. The motivations of each character are realistic; there are no dead spots in this film. There are no car chases, terrorist, explosions or gun fire, but still, I could not pull myself away from this film once I started it. Yes, I am a crazy animal lover, but it was the quick pacing and wonderful characters that kept me glued to the screen. There is even a surprising and throat-choking O. Henry moment in the film. It's obvious that this is a low-budget film, but it also is proof that you don't need a big budget to make a good movie, one that puts to shame 95 percent of all the bigger budget films in terms of script quality, direction and editing. It's a feel-good film I could watch over and over again.
  • shacat2002-116 January 2012
    I was looking for a good family movie to watch and I came across this one on the internet about a dog that came into this family's life as a stray. So, I went to the video store and looked it up and found it to rent. I took it home for us all to watch and Im so glad I did. I must say, for a low budget movie it is one of the best movies I have watched in a long time. I vote this movie two thumbs up! Way up!!!! I wish there more good family movies including animals to watch. I found this movie to be very uplifting. I just can't say enough about this movie. It was a excellent! My family and I enjoyed it so much! Don't waste anymore time people, go rent this movie and watch it tonight. You will be glad you did. :)
  • Just watched this no-big-cast-no-big-budget movie. I love dogs, so I like this movie. It's simple and warm. For dog lovers, this movie was worth to watch. For those dog haters, please spare some time to watch It because you will ffind that dogs are loyal friends. This film didn't involve much people. But its music was beautiful. Shooting locations were beautiful too. It made you like watching a home video, felt comfortable and heartwarming. Sorry, I sounded like a five-year-old kid. Please pardon me. But I just hope people would watch this movie by chances like me. No expectation, no disappointment. Just watch it and enjoy it.
  • I get really angry when I see a really decent movie being starred so low!This is one of the best TV movies I've seen in a long time!Its funny, its sad, its cute, its real!Actors did an amazing job in all of the roles and even though the message is simple, the movie is really likable and Im glad I've seen it (it first appeared as a child movie...) Im sure if you are one of those who don't necessarily care about big Hollywood scripts, effects and, lately, science fiction or vampires, will enjoy it as much as I did. I give it a ten, because it delivered in every way for me! If there was eleven i would give 12 ;) I have to write one more line even though I've said it all 3 lines ago :)