Air Bud

Admirable for the way in which writers Paul Tamasy and Aaron Mendelsohn have injected a sense of reality amid lots of rousing fantasy calamities...

Dubious highlights include the dog wearing two pairs of basketball shoes and eating a frightening amount of vanilla pudding.

A smart pet trick that turns into a stupid movie.

Certainly director Charles Martin Smith provides the story with a lot of heart.

Ramshackle slapstick, upbeat life lessons and lashings of sentimentality.

"Air Bud" doesn't exhaust the novelty of a dog playing basketball. In fact, its best trick is that it shows restraint and actually leaves the viewer wanting more.

Who wouldn't love a story about a homeless golden retriever who runs away from his alcoholic clown for a father, Norm, to shoot hoops?

The writing is so messy and aimless that when the film retrenches to generic kid flick mediocrity, it actually counts as a relief.

A high-flying dog tale for kids.

There's an air of acceptance throughout the film, but the movie never stops to stand at a pulpit and preach this message.