Lassie Come Home was a wonderful family film, and I was interested to see if this updated remake trying to draw in a new generation would be as good, from director Charles Sturridge (FairyTale: A True Story). Basically it follows pretty much the same storyline as the original 1943 film, miner's son Joe Carraclough (Jonathan Mason) has his best friend female Rough Collie dog Lassie (male dog Mason) to keep him happy. After Joe's father Sam (Sliding Doors' John Lynch) loses his job when the mines are decommissioned, so he and mother Sarah (Enduring Love's Samantha Morton) know they have to sell Lassie to The Duke of Rudling (Peter O'Toole) to get by. After escaping digging her way out, getting out of the truck over some sheep and jumping over the fence, the Duke's servant Hynes (Psychoville's Steve Pemberton) is getting more frustrated. Eventually the Duke is moving to the Highlands of Scotland for the holidays, but soon enough the brave dog makes her escape with the help of the Duke's granddaughter, and she is making her way all the way back to Yorkshire. Along the way Lassie faces a few challenges, including a near gunshot by a field owner, and two dogcatchers who hold her captive, getting the attention of a concerned woman, but don't worry, she gets out of the window and continues. She also meets dwarf tinker Rowlie (The Station Agent's Peter Dinklage) with his little Terrier dog Toots, and he is kind enough to provide her with some food, and she performs a little in his street show. Tragedy strikes for Rowlie when two nasty thieves, one being Buckle (Only Fools and Horses' Nicholas Lyndhurst), attack and Toots loses her life, but Lassie did save the life of her new friend. She continues down her own road to Yorkshire, and eventually reaches her village just in time for the Christmas period, and after collapsing in the snow, Joe finds her and tries to nurse Lassie back to health. Thankfully, she pulls through and the next thing you know before the end, the Duke deliberately denies her identity, fires Hynes, and gives Sam a job at the kennels, and Lassie has puppies. Also starring Hester Odgers as Cilla, Jemma Redgrave as Daisy, Gregor Fisher as Mapes, Trainspotting's Kelly Macdonald as Jeanie, Gandhi's Edward Fox as Hulton and Harry Potter's Robert Hardy as Judge Murray. This remake is certainly brighter, a little more colourful and an impressive cast of British (and one American) star, but the only problem is that Lassie isn't seen as much, so although I much prefer the original, this is an okay period adventure. Good!