My Dog the Champion (2013) User Reviews (3)

The actress is too old for this film - a 22 year old playing a 16 year old who is acting like a 13 year old.

[sheldonlinda · 6/10 · 25 July 2022]

This film drove me nuts. Granted part of it maybe thatI have a hard time relating to southern culture and southern accents.

The main character of "Madison" is 16 but is written as 13. The actress Dora Madison Burge was 22 at the time of filming. For a 22 year old to be playing a 16 year old is enough of a stretch, but a 16 year old acting like a 13 year old becomes sketch comedy rather than drama.

We get used to older actors. Understandably an 18 or 19 year old will play a 16 or 17 year old in shows and films so production companies don't have to deal with child labor laws - or parents, and their added maturity is obviously an advantage on set, but that much of an age gap is way too much. Five years in teen years and young adult years is huge. Age gaps are routinely used in sketch comedy for humor, but for a film that is trying to be serious it just doesn't work.

I liked the actress in "Cowgirls 'n Angels" so I am sure that it isn't her that I necessarily find so annoying but the writing.

I also didnt care for the grandfather, but I suppose that was the point of the film. I never did get why the grandmother was living some place else.

The plot isn't all together original. It is a cross between "Flicka 2" and "Marley 2." City girl with chip on her shoulder growing up when sent to the sticks - er a rural environment. If anyone has seen "Storm Rider" the storyline is similar as well. Add that to "Marley 2" - two 13 year olds - whose characters are acting like they are 5 - training a dog for a competition.

But yes, it is a good family film with good values. Not enough of those around any longer.

Grandpa, Teenager, and a misplaced dog - what could go wrong?

[ecjenks · 9/10 · 13 October 2014]

Actress Dora Madison Burge of "Friday Night Lights" stars as Madison (Maddy), a spoiled big city 16-year-old with a full teenage social life. But when her mom is deployed overseas for three months, Maddy is sent to live with her hard-nosed grandfather (Lance Henriksen of ALIENS) at his rural cattle ranch.

In this strange environment with no Wi-Fi phone/computer access, Maddy will meet cute 17-year-old dog trainer Eli (Cody Linley of "Hannah Montana" and CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN), grow to love and respect her stubborn grandpa, and bond with an old cattle dog who just may have the potential to be a blue ribbon champion. They bond through their mutual sense of displacement and the two outcasts form this special bond in this heartwarming story about the meaning of family, the courage of outcasts, and the promise of new beginnings.

It is refreshing to see a movie that understands what its charter is and seizes it. Yes, if one is gaming, the movie is predictable but the writing, acting interplay with actors in pivotal scenes, and the un-disruptive ending leaves the viewer with hope and a title for family viewing.

A Very Good Movie for Young Adolescent Girls

[teslavate · 8/10 · 26 October 2014]

This is what a family movie should be, a family movie aimed at the girls in the family. I watched this movie simply because it was just arriving at our video store and I try to watch all the movies that come in.

--- I was pleasantly surprised by the movie in that I saw one of the actors name being a boy my niece was very much into in her younger years. Apparently he is all grown up and he did a pretty good job acting in the movie. He has lost that goofy kid image he had and is crossing into that honest young man image. That and then seeing Lance Henriksen's name in there also added to attraction of it. The movie is clearly aimed at the young female audience and it does very well there. It's just a plain old good family movie with a good, basic yet strong storyline. No gimmicks, no special tricks or plot twists. Just a good straight up story that you can let your girls watch without worrying about language or sexual content being hidden inside.

--- A some what shallow city girl gets sent back to her family's roots back on a cattle ranch where her electronics won't communicate outward because of the isolated area. There, on the ranch, she connects with her Grandfather, learns about the ranch and learns how to live without texting. She also connects with a hurting dog that lost its companion and soon they become partners around the cattle ranch. Then the girl meets the boy of her dreams (played by Cody Linley) and they begin a chaste, innocent relationship centered around the ailing dog and her Grandfather's ailing ranch and their apparent first real relationship with someone of the opposite sex. The girl and the boy work together to train the dog and slowly start to discover the 2 way attraction for each other. It all eventually leads to their entering the dog into a youth obedience competition in which the first prize will be enough money to help save the family's ailing ranch. And the boy's willingness to give it all over to help his neighbor and his new girlfriend's family ranch only strengthens the bond between the two youths.

--- The girl (played by Dora Madison Burge)does a very good job playing the lead role. She makes an excellent city girl lost in the country, yet versatile enough to adapt to her Grandfather's ranch country life. Soon she is feeding the chickens and doing chores and eventually meeting the boy who instantly magnetizes her. After meeting him, her at first less than enthusiastic meeting with country life takes a big 180 degree turn. As I said before, you won't find any hidden secrets in this movie, no sexual scenes, no bad language, just a straight up girl meets boy movie that parents can trust. The most that will happen is that the two will have their first honest kiss with someone from the other sex and they will spend more time together, working the dogs as a good excuse for doing so. But also with all the best intentions and actions.

---Parents should find nothing to scare them away from this movie that anyone of any age could watch. The movie portrays females in a positive light, even showing her one parent mother going off to serve her tour of duty over seas. There isn't much of a down side here, maybe just a tiny bit of stiffness at points from the kids, but that may just be them trying to show shyness. Other than that I really did not see anything else negative here. The movie story is solid and good, the players are excellent and the filming quality is first rate too. The rest you will have to watch. Just know that this is a very straight up movie for young adolescent girls that can only be described as wholesome and honest. It has a male interest that also has an acting history that appears to also fit that mold.

--- As I always point out I am not a professional reviewer. I just write an honest opinion of what I see. I hope it will help some people in how they see this movie.

The rest you will have to watch. Just know that this is a very straight up movie for young adolescent girls that can only be described as wholesome and honest. It has a male interest that also has an acting history that appears to also fit that mold.