Greyfriars Bobby (2005)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

John Henderson

Writers:

John Henderson (writer)
Richard Mathews (writer)

Release Date:

10 February 2006 (UK)

Genre:

Adventure | Family

Plot Keywords:

Dog | Character Name In Title

Cast

James Cosmo	...	James Brown
Suzanne Dance	...	Smithie's Worker
Ron Donachie	...	Laurie
Charles Donnelly	...	Trader With Pie
Lawrence Douglas	...	Civil Servant
Tom Freeman	...	Bemused Sentry
Frank Gilhooley	...	Chef
Oliver Golding	...	Ewan Adams
Christopher Lee	...	The Lord Provost
Martha Leishman	...	Mrs. McPherson
Thomas Lockyer	...	Constable John Gray
William McBain	...	Sergeant Scott (as William MacBain)
Joy McBrinn	...	Tenement Survivor
Gina McKee	...	Maureen Gray
Alex McSherry	...	Chief Warder

Also Known As:

The Adventures of Greyfriars Bobby (UK) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for some mild peril.

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:PG | Ireland:PG | USA:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Burnley, Lancashire, England, UK

Company:

Piccadilly Pictures

Trivia:

In 2003 the Scottish Screen, which had posted a lottery of £500,000, pulled the funding towards this film. As a result the film was going to be made in Luxembourg.

Movie Connections:

Remake of Greyfriars Bobby: The True Story of a Dog (1961)

Soundtrack:

Here Inside

A small picture about a small dog

Just saw the film tonight in a preview and it's a film for kids only. It does not improve or add to the original Disney film in any way. There is a corny Scottish pastiche style throughout, not helped by weak writing (where motives are lumped in by the spadeful) and acting that is uneven and often unengaging (despite what reads like a decent cast). I have no problem with the wee dog - although there is a certain "Skippy the Bush Kangaroo" (see below) quality about his shots.

* For those that don't know, "Skippy" was an Australian kids' TV series from the 1960s where the kangaroo would be an essential part of all the stories. It is said that to get poor old Skippy to "act" they stuck an elastic band round his muzzle that he then tried to get off with his paws - sort of appearing to be communicating with the human actors!!! Bobby has a similar range and you just don't buy his series of heroic rescues at all.

Advice would be to take kids aged 8-12. Below that, they might be scared. Above that, if they or you love it, good luck to you, but this is strictly cardboard cut-out film-making for the undemanding. It's a missed opportunity since there is real pathos and cuteness in the story of Bobby and this film fails to deliver it.