Good Boy!
Encyclopedia
Good Boy! is a 2003 film produced by Jim Henson Pictures
and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
, starring talking alien
dogs. The film stars Liam Aiken
as Owen Baker, as well as Matthew Broderick
, Delta Burke
, Donald Faison
, Cheech Marin
, Brittany Murphy
, Vanessa Redgrave
, and Carl Reiner
were the voice cast for the abundant dog characters in the film. The film was based on the book Dogs from Outer Space by Zeke Richardson. John Hoffman
and Zeke Richardson collaborated on the screen story, while John Robert Hoffman
wrote the screenplay.
) is a 12-year-old loner who has been working as the neighborhood dog-walker so he can earn the privilege of getting a dog of his own. Owen's hard work pays off when his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Baker (Molly Shannon
and Kevin Nealon
), let Owen adopt a scruffy Border Terrier
that he names Hubble (voice of Matthew Broderick
).
With his parents perpetually buying, renovating, and then selling house after house, Owen has little time to make lasting friends, so he hopes Hubble will be his best friend.
Owen does have a friend named Connie Flemming (Brittany Moldowan), a girl his age who lives in the neighborhood. But that won't be for long if Owen's parents continue their trend of buying and selling houses. Owen and Hubble get more than they bargained for when Owen wakes up one morning to discover that he can understand every word Hubble says—including the ominous phrase: "Take me to your leaders."
Owen learns that dogs came to Earth thousands of years ago to colonize and dominate the planet. Hubble, who is really named Canid 3942, has been sent by the powerful Greater Dane (voice of Vanessa Redgrave
) on a mission from the Dog Star Sirius 7 to make sure dogs have fulfilled this destiny.
The dogs Owen walks include pampered Poodle
Barbara Ann (voice of Delta Burke
), cool Boxer
Wilson (voice of Donald Faison
), nervous Italian Greyhound
Nelly (voice of Brittany Murphy
) and gassy Bernese Mountain Dog
Shep (voice of Carl Reiner
).
Despite the best efforts of Owen and this rag-tag group of neighborhood dogs to convince Hubble that everything is fine with Earth's dogs, Hubble soon discovers the awful truth about Earth dogs: "You're all pets!" Things get worse when Hubble learns that the Greater Dane is headed for Earth to do her own inspection. If things don't look right, all dogs on Earth will be recalled to Sirius 7.
Now Owen, a boy who never had a friend, and Hubble, a dog who never needed one, must work together to prepare the neighborhood dogs for a visit from The Greater Dane and her Chinese Crested
henchman (voice of Cheech Marin
). Owen, Hubble, Connie, and their canine companions set out to whip the other dogs into shape so that they can pass muster. Over the course of the attempts, Owen and Hubble develop a close friendship and Hubble slowly starts to act more like an Earth dog, defending Owen against bullies and trying to learn how to play fetch.
Ultimately the Greater Dane shows up and is disgusted by what she sees and recalls all dogs home despite Owen's pleas which anger her more as humans aren't supposed to be able to communicate with dogs. The dogs are allowed to say goodbye and Hubble admits he really does like Owen, but doesn't know how to express that very well as he doesn't know Earth customs. Hearing Hubble tell him is enough for Owen as he's the only person whose dog can actually tell them that. When Hubble leaves, he leaves his rock necklace (a symbol of his homeworld) for Owen to remember him by. After the dogs leave, all of the owners are depressed and Owen's family prepares to move. Owen repairs Hubble's communicator and sends out a message to Hubble about how much he cares for him and the Greater Dane gets it. The message intrigues her and she asks Hubble about why dogs on Earth are like this. Hubble believes that it's the love between humans and dogs and the partnership that creates a great loyalty between the dogs and their humans. When asked about his own loyalty, Hubble tells the Greater Dane to call him Hubble rather than Canid 3942, showing that his loyalty is to Owen. The Greater Dane allows the Earth dogs to return to Earth and declares them a separate breed. Hubble is allowed to return as well and reunites with Owen, but has to remove Owen's ability to understand the dogs as the condition to his return. The dogs all reunite with their owners and Hubble becomes Owen's dog permanently and Owen's parents decide not to move again and to stay. The movie ends with the dogs playing with Owen and Connie again and Hubble has now finally mastered the game of fetch. Hubble is also a lot more affectionate to Owen after his return.
. Film critic Roger Ebert
of the Chicago Sun-Times
disliked the way the film was handled. "Sometimes it works to show their lips moving (it certainly did in "Babe"), but in "Good Boy!" the jaw movements are so mechanical it doesn't look like speech, it looks like a film loop. Look at "Babe" again and you'll appreciate the superior way in which the head movements and body language of the animals supplement their speech." However, the movie has gained a cult following
, and many people and channels such as Access Hollywood
, United Paramount Network, The Philadelphia Inquirer
, The Seattle Times
and Jeanne Wolf's Hollywood praised the film.
Jim Henson Pictures
Jim Henson Pictures is an American movie studio, owned by The Jim Henson Company and opened by Lisa and Brian Henson, the daughter of the late Jim Henson.-List of films produced by JHP:* Buddy...
and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
, starring talking alien
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
dogs. The film stars Liam Aiken
Liam Aiken
Liam Padraic Aiken is an American actor who has starred in a number of films, such as Stepmom and Good Boy!. He starred as Klaus Baudelaire in Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, based on the series of books....
as Owen Baker, as well as Matthew Broderick
Matthew Broderick
Matthew Broderick is an American film and stage actor who, among other roles, played the title character in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Adult Simba in The Lion King film series, and Leo Bloom in the film and Broadway productions of The Producers.He has won two Tony Awards, one in 1983 for his...
, Delta Burke
Delta Burke
Delta Ramona Leah Burke is an American television and film actress. Her television work includes a leading role as Suzanne Sugarbaker in the CBS sitcom Designing Women...
, Donald Faison
Donald Faison
Donald Adeosun Faison is an American actor, comedian, and voice actor best known for his role as Dr. Chris Turk in the ABC comedy-drama Scrubs and as Murray in the film Clueless and the subsequent television series of the same name.Faison has also co-starred in the films Remember the Titans ,...
, Cheech Marin
Cheech Marin
Richard Anthony "Cheech" Marin is an American comedian, actor and writer who gained recognition as part of the comedy act Cheech & Chong during the 1970s and early 1980s, and as Don Johnson's partner, Insp. Joe Dominguez on Nash Bridges...
, Brittany Murphy
Brittany Murphy
Brittany Anne Murphy-Monjack , known professionally as Brittany Murphy, was an American actress and singer. She starred in films such as Clueless, Just Married, Girl Interrupted, Spun, 8 Mile, Uptown Girls, Sin City, Happy Feet, and Riding in Cars with Boys...
, Vanessa Redgrave
Vanessa Redgrave
Vanessa Redgrave, CBE is an English actress of stage, screen and television, as well as a political activist.She rose to prominence in 1961 playing Rosalind in As You Like It with the Royal Shakespeare Company and has since made more than 35 appearances on London's West End and Broadway, winning...
, and Carl Reiner
Carl Reiner
Carl Reiner is an American actor, film director, producer, writer and comedian. He has won nine Emmy Awards and one Grammy Award during this career...
were the voice cast for the abundant dog characters in the film. The film was based on the book Dogs from Outer Space by Zeke Richardson. John Hoffman
John Robert Hoffman
John Robert Hoffman is an American actor/screenwriter. In addition to acting in films, television, and theatre, he wrote screenplays for films such as Indianapolis, Queen of the Jews, aka Queen Bess, and The Last of Sheila...
and Zeke Richardson collaborated on the screen story, while John Robert Hoffman
John Robert Hoffman
John Robert Hoffman is an American actor/screenwriter. In addition to acting in films, television, and theatre, he wrote screenplays for films such as Indianapolis, Queen of the Jews, aka Queen Bess, and The Last of Sheila...
wrote the screenplay.
Plot
Owen Baker (Liam AikenLiam Aiken
Liam Padraic Aiken is an American actor who has starred in a number of films, such as Stepmom and Good Boy!. He starred as Klaus Baudelaire in Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, based on the series of books....
) is a 12-year-old loner who has been working as the neighborhood dog-walker so he can earn the privilege of getting a dog of his own. Owen's hard work pays off when his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Baker (Molly Shannon
Molly Shannon
Molly Helen Shannon is an American comic actress best known for her work as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1995–2001 and for starring in the films Superstar and Year of the Dog. More recently, she starred in NBC's Kath & Kim from 2008–2009 and on the TBS animated series Neighbors from...
and Kevin Nealon
Kevin Nealon
Kevin Nealon is an American actor and comedian, best known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1986 to 1995, acting in several of the Happy Madison films, for playing Doug Wilson on the Showtime series Weeds, and providing the voice of the title character, Glenn Martin on Glenn Martin,...
), let Owen adopt a scruffy Border Terrier
Border Terrier
The Border Terrier is a small, rough-coated breed of dog of the terrier group. Originally bred as fox and vermin hunters, Border Terriers share ancestry with Dandie Dinmont Terriers and Bedlington Terriers....
that he names Hubble (voice of Matthew Broderick
Matthew Broderick
Matthew Broderick is an American film and stage actor who, among other roles, played the title character in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Adult Simba in The Lion King film series, and Leo Bloom in the film and Broadway productions of The Producers.He has won two Tony Awards, one in 1983 for his...
).
With his parents perpetually buying, renovating, and then selling house after house, Owen has little time to make lasting friends, so he hopes Hubble will be his best friend.
Owen does have a friend named Connie Flemming (Brittany Moldowan), a girl his age who lives in the neighborhood. But that won't be for long if Owen's parents continue their trend of buying and selling houses. Owen and Hubble get more than they bargained for when Owen wakes up one morning to discover that he can understand every word Hubble says—including the ominous phrase: "Take me to your leaders."
Owen learns that dogs came to Earth thousands of years ago to colonize and dominate the planet. Hubble, who is really named Canid 3942, has been sent by the powerful Greater Dane (voice of Vanessa Redgrave
Vanessa Redgrave
Vanessa Redgrave, CBE is an English actress of stage, screen and television, as well as a political activist.She rose to prominence in 1961 playing Rosalind in As You Like It with the Royal Shakespeare Company and has since made more than 35 appearances on London's West End and Broadway, winning...
) on a mission from the Dog Star Sirius 7 to make sure dogs have fulfilled this destiny.
The dogs Owen walks include pampered Poodle
Poodle
The Poodle is a breed of dog. The poodle breed is found officially in toy, miniature, and standard sizes, with many coat colors. Originally bred as a type of water dog, the poodle is highly intelligent and skillful in many dog sports, including agility, obedience, tracking, and even herding...
Barbara Ann (voice of Delta Burke
Delta Burke
Delta Ramona Leah Burke is an American television and film actress. Her television work includes a leading role as Suzanne Sugarbaker in the CBS sitcom Designing Women...
), cool Boxer
Boxer (dog)
Developed in Germany, the Boxer is a breed of stocky, medium-sized, short-haired dog. The coat is smooth and fawn or brindled, with or without white markings. Boxers are brachycephalic , and have a square muzzle, mandibular prognathism , very strong jaws and a powerful bite ideal for hanging on to...
Wilson (voice of Donald Faison
Donald Faison
Donald Adeosun Faison is an American actor, comedian, and voice actor best known for his role as Dr. Chris Turk in the ABC comedy-drama Scrubs and as Murray in the film Clueless and the subsequent television series of the same name.Faison has also co-starred in the films Remember the Titans ,...
), nervous Italian Greyhound
Italian Greyhound
The Italian Greyhound is a small breed of dog of the sight hound type, sometimes called an "I.G.", or "Iggy" for short.-Appearance:The Italian Greyhound is the smallest of the sighthounds, typically weighing about and standing about tall at the withers...
Nelly (voice of Brittany Murphy
Brittany Murphy
Brittany Anne Murphy-Monjack , known professionally as Brittany Murphy, was an American actress and singer. She starred in films such as Clueless, Just Married, Girl Interrupted, Spun, 8 Mile, Uptown Girls, Sin City, Happy Feet, and Riding in Cars with Boys...
) and gassy Bernese Mountain Dog
Bernese Mountain Dog
The Bernese Mountain Dog, called in German the Berner Sennenhund, is a large breed of dog, one of the four breeds of Sennenhund-type dogs from the Swiss Alps. The name Sennenhund is derived from the German "Senne" and "hund" , as they accompanied the alpine herders and dairymen called Senn...
Shep (voice of Carl Reiner
Carl Reiner
Carl Reiner is an American actor, film director, producer, writer and comedian. He has won nine Emmy Awards and one Grammy Award during this career...
).
Despite the best efforts of Owen and this rag-tag group of neighborhood dogs to convince Hubble that everything is fine with Earth's dogs, Hubble soon discovers the awful truth about Earth dogs: "You're all pets!" Things get worse when Hubble learns that the Greater Dane is headed for Earth to do her own inspection. If things don't look right, all dogs on Earth will be recalled to Sirius 7.
Now Owen, a boy who never had a friend, and Hubble, a dog who never needed one, must work together to prepare the neighborhood dogs for a visit from The Greater Dane and her Chinese Crested
Chinese Crested Dog
The Chinese crested dog is a smaller hairless breed of dog. Like most hairless dog breeds, the Chinese crested comes in two varieties, both with and without fur, which are born in the same litter: the Hairless and the Powderpuff....
henchman (voice of Cheech Marin
Cheech Marin
Richard Anthony "Cheech" Marin is an American comedian, actor and writer who gained recognition as part of the comedy act Cheech & Chong during the 1970s and early 1980s, and as Don Johnson's partner, Insp. Joe Dominguez on Nash Bridges...
). Owen, Hubble, Connie, and their canine companions set out to whip the other dogs into shape so that they can pass muster. Over the course of the attempts, Owen and Hubble develop a close friendship and Hubble slowly starts to act more like an Earth dog, defending Owen against bullies and trying to learn how to play fetch.
Ultimately the Greater Dane shows up and is disgusted by what she sees and recalls all dogs home despite Owen's pleas which anger her more as humans aren't supposed to be able to communicate with dogs. The dogs are allowed to say goodbye and Hubble admits he really does like Owen, but doesn't know how to express that very well as he doesn't know Earth customs. Hearing Hubble tell him is enough for Owen as he's the only person whose dog can actually tell them that. When Hubble leaves, he leaves his rock necklace (a symbol of his homeworld) for Owen to remember him by. After the dogs leave, all of the owners are depressed and Owen's family prepares to move. Owen repairs Hubble's communicator and sends out a message to Hubble about how much he cares for him and the Greater Dane gets it. The message intrigues her and she asks Hubble about why dogs on Earth are like this. Hubble believes that it's the love between humans and dogs and the partnership that creates a great loyalty between the dogs and their humans. When asked about his own loyalty, Hubble tells the Greater Dane to call him Hubble rather than Canid 3942, showing that his loyalty is to Owen. The Greater Dane allows the Earth dogs to return to Earth and declares them a separate breed. Hubble is allowed to return as well and reunites with Owen, but has to remove Owen's ability to understand the dogs as the condition to his return. The dogs all reunite with their owners and Hubble becomes Owen's dog permanently and Owen's parents decide not to move again and to stay. The movie ends with the dogs playing with Owen and Connie again and Hubble has now finally mastered the game of fetch. Hubble is also a lot more affectionate to Owen after his return.
Cast
- Matthew BroderickMatthew BroderickMatthew Broderick is an American film and stage actor who, among other roles, played the title character in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Adult Simba in The Lion King film series, and Leo Bloom in the film and Broadway productions of The Producers.He has won two Tony Awards, one in 1983 for his...
as Hubble - Delta BurkeDelta BurkeDelta Ramona Leah Burke is an American television and film actress. Her television work includes a leading role as Suzanne Sugarbaker in the CBS sitcom Designing Women...
as Barbara Ann - Donald FaisonDonald FaisonDonald Adeosun Faison is an American actor, comedian, and voice actor best known for his role as Dr. Chris Turk in the ABC comedy-drama Scrubs and as Murray in the film Clueless and the subsequent television series of the same name.Faison has also co-starred in the films Remember the Titans ,...
as Wilson - Cheech MarinCheech MarinRichard Anthony "Cheech" Marin is an American comedian, actor and writer who gained recognition as part of the comedy act Cheech & Chong during the 1970s and early 1980s, and as Don Johnson's partner, Insp. Joe Dominguez on Nash Bridges...
as Henchman - Brittany MurphyBrittany MurphyBrittany Anne Murphy-Monjack , known professionally as Brittany Murphy, was an American actress and singer. She starred in films such as Clueless, Just Married, Girl Interrupted, Spun, 8 Mile, Uptown Girls, Sin City, Happy Feet, and Riding in Cars with Boys...
as Nelly - Vanessa RedgraveVanessa RedgraveVanessa Redgrave, CBE is an English actress of stage, screen and television, as well as a political activist.She rose to prominence in 1961 playing Rosalind in As You Like It with the Royal Shakespeare Company and has since made more than 35 appearances on London's West End and Broadway, winning...
as The Greater Dane - Carl ReinerCarl ReinerCarl Reiner is an American actor, film director, producer, writer and comedian. He has won nine Emmy Awards and one Grammy Award during this career...
as Shep - Liam AikenLiam AikenLiam Padraic Aiken is an American actor who has starred in a number of films, such as Stepmom and Good Boy!. He starred as Klaus Baudelaire in Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, based on the series of books....
as Owen Baker - Molly ShannonMolly ShannonMolly Helen Shannon is an American comic actress best known for her work as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1995–2001 and for starring in the films Superstar and Year of the Dog. More recently, she starred in NBC's Kath & Kim from 2008–2009 and on the TBS animated series Neighbors from...
as Mrs. Baker - Kevin NealonKevin NealonKevin Nealon is an American actor and comedian, best known as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1986 to 1995, acting in several of the Happy Madison films, for playing Doug Wilson on the Showtime series Weeds, and providing the voice of the title character, Glenn Martin on Glenn Martin,...
as Mr. Baker - Brittany Molodowan as Connie Flemming
Special effects
The bulk of the digital effects in the film involved digitally altering the facial features of the dogs so that in the film they appear to be speaking or expressing a different emotion (sometimes referred to as CG muzzle replacement). These effects were handled by Rainmaker Studios.Critical reception
The film's domestic total gross was around $37 million, with a worldwide gross of around $45 million. The film received mixed reviews from critics, earning a 46% rating at Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
. Film critic Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
of the Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
disliked the way the film was handled. "Sometimes it works to show their lips moving (it certainly did in "Babe"), but in "Good Boy!" the jaw movements are so mechanical it doesn't look like speech, it looks like a film loop. Look at "Babe" again and you'll appreciate the superior way in which the head movements and body language of the animals supplement their speech." However, the movie has gained a cult following
Cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
, and many people and channels such as Access Hollywood
Access Hollywood
Access Hollywood is a weekday television entertainment news program covering events and celebrities in the entertainment industry. It was created by former Entertainment Tonight executive producer Jim Van Messel, and is currently directed by Robert Silverstein. In previous years, Doug Dougherty and...
, United Paramount Network, The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer is a morning daily newspaper that serves the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, metropolitan area of the United States. The newspaper was founded by John R. Walker and John Norvell in June 1829 as The Pennsylvania Inquirer and is the third-oldest surviving daily newspaper in the...
, The Seattle Times
The Seattle Times
The Seattle Times is a newspaper serving Seattle, Washington, US. It is the largest daily newspaper in the state of Washington. It has been, since the demise in 2009 of the printed version of the rival Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Seattle's only major daily print newspaper.-History:The Seattle Times...
and Jeanne Wolf's Hollywood praised the film.