The qualities of a great family movie are very
different than those required to make a film primarily for adults. Many of the
conventions associated with “serious” movies simply don’t apply to a movie
meant to appeal equally to children and their parents. Needless to say most
films land wide of the mark. My Dog Skip is a movie that speaks clearly in the
syntactical language of children, but it lands a mighty emotional wallop to any
adult with a beating heart. The thing that My
Dog Skip gets so beautifully
right is that the sad details of our childhoods can be made right for the rest
of our lives by the presence of one true friend. Of course, as many of us know,
there is no friend like a dog.
Based on the memoir of acclaimed author Willie
Morris, young actor Frankie Muniz (at the same moment he was breaking out as Malcolm In The Middle - 2000) is
perfectly cast as Willie, a scrawny, shy, only child in WWII-era Yazoo,
Mississippi. His Father (Kevin Bacon) lost his leg in the Spanish-American War
and young Willie finds himself without a strong mentor. His next-door neighbor
Dink (Luke Wilson) is the local sports hero, whom Willie idolizes, but he too
is made unavailable to Willie when drafted. Willie’s insightful Mother (Diane
Lane) overrides his Father’s objections and gives Willie a Jack Russell puppy
for his ninth birthday. From the moment the dog enters the scene things start
looking up for Willie. Problems don’t go away, but having a companion offering
unconditional love makes anyone’s load easier to bear. In addition, Willie
starts to see that his dog, Skip, helps him navigate many socially and
emotionally difficult situations. In one fashion or another, Skip helps Willie
deal with bullying, meeting girls, understanding racism, finding empathy for
his own and other peoples’ frailties, and even breaking up a gang of
bootleggers. The details are dealt with superficially and only somewhat
believably, but it is entirely beside the point. Because, as these things
happen, the bond between Willie and Skip becomes more and more believable.
Towards the end of the movie, Willie loses his temper and hits Skip in front of
the whole town and Skip runs away. This pivotal moment forces Willie to
recognize exactly what he has in Skip. He muses, “I was an only child and Skip
was an only dog.” Any person who has experienced loneliness, or a fractured
parental relationship, or confusion about his social station, or the love and
then loss of a best friend can relate to Willie’s agony as he frantically rides
his bike around town looking for his lost dog. He finds him, but while helping
bust up the bootlegging operation, Skip is badly injured. Get the hankies out
folks. The movie’s tone becomes more serious at this point. Skip survives and
Willie fully realizes what he has, yet a sweet melancholy creeps in as Willie
(and the audience) begin to recognize the inevitable. Willie will grow up and
go away to college, and Skip will stay behind and eventually disappear.
emotionally difficult situations. In one fashion or another, Skip helps Willie
deal with bullying, meeting girls, understanding racism, finding empathy for
his own and other peoples’ frailties, and even breaking up a gang of
bootleggers. The details are dealt with superficially and only somewhat
believably, but it is entirely beside the point. Because, as these things
happen, the bond between Willie and Skip becomes more and more believable.
Towards the end of the movie, Willie loses his temper and hits Skip in front of
the whole town and Skip runs away. This pivotal moment forces Willie to
recognize exactly what he has in Skip. He muses, “I was an only child and Skip
was an only dog.” Any person who has experienced loneliness, or a fractured
parental relationship, or confusion about his social station, or the love and
then loss of a best friend can relate to Willie’s agony as he frantically rides
his bike around town looking for his lost dog. He finds him, but while helping
bust up the bootlegging operation, Skip is badly injured. Get the hankies out
folks. The movie’s tone becomes more serious at this point. Skip survives and
Willie fully realizes what he has, yet a sweet melancholy creeps in as Willie
(and the audience) begin to recognize the inevitable. Willie will grow up and
go away to college, and Skip will stay behind and eventually disappear.
The things that work in My Dog Skip work so
spectacularly well that it falls into the classic
category to me. The story is told in a warm voiceover supplied by Harry Connick
Jr. which, when combined with the nostalgic view of a lost small town America,
swelling music, and honeyed lighting, reminds one of the most heartrending
aspects of To Kill A Mockingbird. Casting is fantastic. Skip himself is
the perfect screen match of sentience and doggishness, irresistibly guileless
and conniving. Some of his human counterparts do alright as well. Kevin Bacon
and Diane Lane can add their fine and nuanced performances here to resumes
already filled with memorable characters, and Frankie Muniz gives a remarkably
sophisticated and complex performance of a little boy - clearly a testament to
his and the director Jay Russell’s talents. As the movie winds toward its
inevitably poignant conclusion, there is an overwhelming sense of loss in the
viewer. Like any successful art, good movies make us yearn for the past or
aspire toward the future. My Dog Skip is the former. It will make you pine
for your childhood, miss the loving dog that was your best friend, and
ultimately, an America that was better, or at least kinder, than the one we
have now.
-
Paul
Epstein
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