My Dog Skip

Plot synopsis:
Willie Morris as an adult is looking back on his childhood in the early 1940s and how it was colored by his dearly beloved dog, a Jack Russell Terrier whom he had named Skip (Enzo). In the beginning, Willie (Frankie Muniz) is a lonely 9-year old child with a gruff, proud father (Kevin Bacon), a Spanish Civil War veteran, and a charismatic, talkative mother (Diane Lane), a housewife, but he is an only child and small for his age with few friends. His one companion is a young man who lives next door, Dink Jenkins (Luke Wilson), who is the local sports hero in Mississippi. However, when Dink is drafted to go to war, Willie's mother decides to buy him a dog, against his father's wishes, in order that he should have some company.
Willie and Skip become firm friends very quickly. However, Willie gets bullied at school by Big Boy Wilkinson, Henjie Henick, and Spit McGee, until Dink sends him a German helmet and belt from the front line. The other boys demand he play ball in order to win back his belongings. Skip leaps in to help him. That same day, the three boys talk Willie into spending the night in a graveyard, where they claim a witch is buried. If he stays there, he gets to join their gang and also keep the ball Dink Jenkins signed for them, and if not, he has to give them his German helmet. Willie stays there for a number of hours, until he hears two moonshiners who are loading crates into a crypt. Skip jumps on Millard, one the moonshiners, until the second one, Junior, comes at her with a spade. Willie uses a slingshot to hit Junior in the nose with an acorn and attempts to escape the graveyard with Skip. They are soon captured by Junior. He tells Willie not to move before sunrise or he will kill Skip. Then the two men leave. The three boys return in the morning and accept Willie into their group for spending the night in the graveyard.
The narrator then goes on to explain various changes in his life. Skip, having always been a friendly dog, is known by everyone in the town, including black people, significant because Mississippi was still segregated at the time. Skip leads Willie through the best parts of his life; his boyhood days. Thanks to Skip, Willie now has three friends, and a girlfriend, Rivers Ginny Grey.
Skip is there for him when Dink gets home, shell-shocked and a drunkard since discharged from the army. However, when Willie’s first ball game comes along, Skip and Willie have their first falling out.
Dink promised to come along but does not bother. Since the war he has found competitions do not matter to him anymore, and Willie is so upset by this that his game is ruined. Skip, wanting to cheer him up, runs onto the field and sits wagging her tail, refusing to leave. Becoming increasingly frustrated, Willie hits her across the muzzle and she runs away.
After the game, a devastated and tearful Willie is unable to find his dog. Unbeknownst to him, Skip had returned to the crypt, and been accidentally shut in the grave where moonshine alcohol was being stored. Dink, however, after explaining that he had been scarred by having to kill in the war, tells Willie nothing is ever lost for good and goes out to help him find Skip. As Willie searches in the graveyard, he hears Skip's barks, and can see that Junior is about to strike Skip with a spade. He runs to save her, but there is a thump and a whimper. Dink arrives, and manages to eject the two moonshiners, telling Junior that he'd better hope that Skip lives, but it is uncertain as to whether Skip will survive.
As the family and friends gather in solemnity in the vet's waiting room, Willie weeps over his dog’s vet bed, telling him everything he ever should have done; that he will never have a true friend more dear like him again. Skip awakens, licking his hands and face.
The film concludes with Willie explaining his friendship with Skip, that he had been an only child and Skip an only dog. When Willie leaves to go to Oxford University in the United Kingdom, Skip remains with Willie's parents, sleeping in Willie's old room, and finally dies, being buried under the elm tree. The closing line adds, "That wasn't totally true. For she really laid buried...in my heart".

Tags: flashback

Review:
This is an absolutely wonderful movie that's aimed for children, but will probably be even more loved by adults.In 1942, a 10-year-old boy who is more intellectual than athletic and is constantly teased by others finds solace in the puppy given to him on his birthday.
The acting all around is excellent, but special credit must be given to Frankie Munoz (as the boy) and Moose, the dog from "Frasier" as...the dog."My Dog Skip" does a wonderful job of showing all of the joys and agonies of changing from a child into a young adult.
There have been many movies about a person's relationship with an animal, but "My Dog Skip" is one of the best that I have ever seen.
He and his dog Skip have a unique friendship that becomes unmatched by anything else.While this movie's target audience are kids half my age, it is perfect for everyone.
Even if you're not a dog fan, you shouldn't look past this movie.The cast is excellent, especially Frankie Muniz, who's now known as Malcolm from Fox's "Malcolm in the Middle."  He exudes boyhood innocence and bonds with his pet better than he does with humans.
Rounding out the major cast is Luke Wilson, as Willie's changed-by-war neighbor Dink."My Dog Skip" is funny and heartwarming.
MY DOG SKIP / (2000) *** Starring: Frankie Muniz, Kevin Bacon, Luke Wilson, and Diane Lane Directed by Jay Russell.
The film, directed by Jay Russell, based on a writing by Willie Morris, works well because it proves two theories: 1) The war affected not only the soldiers in battle, but also normal families in minor but critical methods, and 2) Childhood can be best remembered by our fond memories with the family's dog.
Most of "My Dog Skip" is gentle-hearted, however, and provides the lovable atmosphere that starving audiences are searching for, along with high quality and entertaining situations, in family based movies.
If this description fits you, regardless of age, this is the movie you are looking for."My Dog Skip" is brought to you by Warner Bros..
In the end when Willie goes away to college and the dog is waiting at the bus stop for him, there is a permeating sadness that I occasionally feel when I think of things I loved that no longer exist.
Rounding out this cast is Diane Lane and Luke Wilson.As Haley Joel Osment did with his performance last year in "The Sixth Sense," Frankie Muniz stole the show this year with his in "My Dog Skip."This may not be an original idea but it is presented in such a way that works.
I really enjoyed this movie from start to finish.I recommend that everyone watch "MY DOG SKIP.".
In 1942, in Yazoo, Mississippi, the lonely and outcast boy Willie Morris (Frankie Muniz) is the only son of the harsh war veteran Jack Morris (Kevin Bacon), who lost his leg in Spain, and the housewife and lovely mother Ellen Morris (Diane Lane).
"My Dog Skip" is a wonderful film for the whole family and I only regret that it took me fifteen years to see this movie.
Being that magazine is pretty Liberal, you get Liberal slants in the movie (racial and anti-war sentiments) but nothing heavy-handed.As a good story does, it makes you care about the characters, especially the lead one.
Superb, emotional film (with some comedic moments) about a lonely boy whose dog changes his life.
the female was so spoiled very fufu, were the male was just like WHATEVER DUDE,Also of my parents, mostly my Father, he was in WWII, A nose gunner in a B-24 fighting the Japanese, as I look back and the story's he told about being a kid also the old homes, my parents were from Worcester Mass, this movie really moved me.
The true story of Willie Morris, who grew up in the 1940s as a painfully shy boy whose best friend was the local baseball hero who lived next door.
That moment was the turning point in Willie Morris's life.The movie "My Dog Skip" is a beautiful dramatization of an entirely involving story.
The father's initial reluctance to allowing his boy to take on the responsibility of pet - and having some of his fears come true - was a great touch, but the movie does not make the foolish mistake of over-blowing it to the point where we'd dislike the father.
These are two people who deeply love each other and deeply love their child and want to see the best for him.Maybe the subplot with the obligatory puppy-kicking curmudgeons (this time moonshiners working in a cemetery) has some factual basis (I've never read Willie Morris's autobiography, so I can't be sure) but it was the least interesting and most mechanical element in the movie and it seemed, until a crucial point, to sort of stop the picture.
He was probably wondering why he had been woken up at one in the morning after several hours of peaceful slumber, but it was sort of necessary at the time.That's what makes movies like "My Dog Skip" so great.
Seeing the movie again for the first time in ten years reassured my respect for my own dog and thankfulness that having him as a loyal friend changed the course of my life..
The last twenty-five minutes are pure gold BUT the boy/young man leaves his dog for three years to go abroad to school (the film does not make clear if he returned for visits) and Skip died (and no doubt spent these years mournng his departed friend) while the young man was away.
Frankie Muniz (who I think is one of the most natural young actors around), Kevin Bacon, and Diane Lane, and the guy who played the fallen football hero (don't know the actor's name) were fantastic, but the real star of the movie was "Skip"!
I dare anyone who's had dear friends that are pets to watch this show and not have some wet in their eyes.Writer Willie Morris was but a boy during World War II and a lonely only child.
The dog,Skip,a well-tempered terrier(Jack Russell?)and Willie bond much better than anyone could've imagined,and the boy learns life lessons and discovers that he had more courage and integrity than he once imagined.
Lane and Bacon make warm,unsentimental yet true parents,and a supporting cast that includes Caitlin Wachs(As one of Willie's schoolmates)and Luke Wilson(As a local WAr Hero who may not be what he was made out to be),this film has an unforced warmth and humanity that most who have any interest in "lesson movies" will value greatly.
Based upon the memoirs of writer Willie Morris, `My Dog Skip' stars the wonderful child actor Frankie Muniz (the delightful star of TV's `Malcolm in the Middle') as a friendless nine-year-old misfit whose mother buys him a puppy for his birthday to help assuage his loneliness.
The cast of characters also includes Willie's well meaning but overprotective war hero father (sensitively played by Kevin Bacon), his loving and supportive mother (the fine actress Diane Lane), the boy-next-door town hero (Luke Wilson) who turns out to be less than one on the battlefield, and a band of moon shiners who figure into the climactic activities of the film's final half.`My Dog Skip' is less noteworthy for its plotting  which often seems forced, obvious and melodramatic  than for its overall tone of laid back charm.
`My Dog Skip' needs to be viewed on two levels  as a beautifully acted but unsurprising version of a tale adults have seen countless times before  and as a sweet, heartwarming and edifying film for young children who will be able to identify with many of the simple themes found in the narrative.
This could have been a sensational film about friendship during the troubled years of America (i.e. the War and apparent racism in Mississippi), but instead Russell skirted around the issues and penetrated our hearts with a cute Muniz and a dog that was prepped for the camera.
Morris (1934-1999) came from Jackson, Mississippi, and wrote two books of childhood memoirs, MY DOG SKIP and GOOD OLD BOY: A DELTA BOYHOOD.
The little boy Frankie Muniz plays Willie Morris with perfect charm, and is just right.
Thank goodness the people who made this film never got their hands on Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird."Willie Morris wrote a wonderful book about growing up in a small town in Mississippi.
Skip runs away and gets into trouble with the moonshiners.This is generally a touching kid with dog movie.
And they're also very intelligent dogs.The story is sentimental/touching and the movie has appealing settings.
The ending is one of the most emotional in "doggie" films: the part when Skip is nearly dying but survives and Willie is crying and shows remorse on what he did in a moment of anger and the ending itself when years later the dog dies old and ill.This movie is based on a real story and was released in 1999 or 2000, but when was it filmed?
Anyway, the boy does a fine portrayal in the movie.Kevin Bacon and Diane Lane do a good job as Willie's parents, without forgetting that Diane Lane looks gorgeous in this..
My JRT looks so much like skip and i love that the movie is more about the dogs life than anything else.
The story takes place at the time of World War II, and it is not only the best movie that Frankie has played in, it's also one of Warner Bros.
My Dog Skip tells the story of a young nerd growing up in the southern US during World War II.
My Dog Skip' is a movie that teaches all movie-goers why we have pets, to be great friends, and help us through the tough times in our lives.
But the great parts about this script are its emotional and very human side', which I know I will not forget for along time to come Willie Morris (played by a very young Frankie Muniz) was perfectly casted in his role.
If loosely means that the story is about a boy and his dog in Mississippi during and after WWII, then that is an apt description, because the rest is fabricated by Hollywood.Skip was a Smooth Fox Terrier, a different breed than the Jack Russell.
The Jack Russell is a great little dog, but it wasn't Skip.All the drama with the neighbor being a deserter and the father a war hero wasn't mentioned in the book.
Having lost my cat only a week ago, this was the most perfect film I could have watched.I have never seen a film touch on the bond between a human and animal so well as My Dog Skip.
I can see why he said that-- the amazing grace of love, loyalty, and even evolution that only animal lovers can know is amply and magnificently portrayed in "My Dog Skip."To answer Roger Ebert on another point-- he said that it seems unlikely that a 9 or 10 year old boy would volunteer to have his dog shipped off to the army, and thus off to war (the movie takes place during world war two).
But as I watched the movie, I totally bought that behavior-- thinking that such a devoted boy during those times would have taken his beloved dog friend down to enlist in the war for the same reason millions of boys all over the world happily trotted themselves down to the various countries' recruiting stations-- he had no idea of what it really meant.
We see top performances from Kevin Bacon, Diane Lane and Luke Wilson but you have to hand it to young Frankie Muniz for his portrayal of Willie Morris.
The movie is about a young boy, about 10 years old, and how the unconditional love of his dog helps him transition from childhood to boyhood, then into young-manhood.
Frankie Muniz (from "Malcolm in the Middle) is wonderfully sweet as the boy and Moose the dog, the Jack Russell Terrier seen on "Frasier" and "The Mask", is as expressive an actor as any human.
I just got my first dog in 27 years- this movie though meant for children really impressed me- Frank Muniz is excellent as the young Willie Morris, Kevin Bacon and Diane Lane round out a good movie for the whole family.
Sure, you might think the "boy and his dog" thing has been done to death, but "Skip" dares to go into such emotional territory that if its simple story fails to move you, I simply don't know what will.
For anyone who had a dog for their friend as a child, this is a must see film.In Willie Morris' remembrance of his boyhood friend Skip, strong performances are given by Frankie Muniz as Morris, Luke Wilson as Dink Jenkins and Diane Lane as Willie's mom, Ellen.
And in a surprisingly different role for Kevin Bacon as Willie's dad, Jack Morris, Mr. Bacon's versatility as an actor truly shines.The trials and tribulations of a young boy growing up in the Mississippi during World War II, My Dog Skip will let you remember, make you laugh, and probably have you shed a tear or two in the end..
My Dog Skip was the most incredible movie that I've seen all year.
Why in the world Hollywood can't make more movies like this one is beyond me.My 9 year-old son loved it.
Frankie Muniz's new film "My Dog Skip" is a wonderful look at the relationship of a boy and his dog.
A Beautifully Told Story About A Boy And His Childhood Dog. This is the finest family film I've seen in years.
Frankie Muniz is simply great as Willie Morris and there are fine performances from Diane Lane and Kevin Bacon who play the boy's parents.
I liked this film because it focuses on a boy and his dog, and also because it is based on a true story.
With so few movies out there to take the family to for a nice afternoon, I was overwhelmed to find "My Dog Skip".
Kevin Bacon put in a performance like nothing I have ever seen him do.This movie is not to be missed at any age!.
However, once in a while a film comes along like A Christmas Story, The Sandlot, or My Dog Skip that puts the others to shame.
This movie has no real weakness...the script is based on a true story, and is both literate and engaging; the acting is solid in every department - Kevin Bacon and Diane Lane deserve special kudos for being both realistic and heartwarming; ALL the child actors are believable and winning.
I was fortunate enough to be cast in the movie "My Dog Skip" as Older Big Boy.
My Dog Skip is a very good, wholesome, family movie.
I wanted so much to like this movie, being a dog person and having seen the trailer and so many good reviews.
Kevin Bacon's character was so uplifting in an offbeat way Not giving My Dog Skip ten stars would be like saying Citizen Kane was good!!!!.
It's a cute story, but Kevin Bacon is the only actor in this film that can act.
By the end of the film, the only character we really know anything about are Willie (Frankie Muniz) and his dad (Kevin Bacon).
After a promising start, this simple and seemingly good natured story about a boy and his beloved dog turns into another depressing and often mean spirited movie.
It's full of cliches, it's true, andsome of the acting is stiff, but who can resist this kind of story?Although I think The Yearling is a better film, this is right up there,if you like dogs.
This film is captivating , touching and wonderfully served by the great Frankie Muniz (Being 13 and playing a 8-9year old boy you need to give him credits for that!!) who is  well know for Malcom in the middle.
Cute little World War II film about a young boy (Frankie Muniz) and his devoted relationship to his adorable dog.
My Dog Skip is a great movie about friendship and love.
The movie, based on writer Willie Morris' memories of growing up during World War II in Mississippi, portrays a smart little boy who has no friends (except the athlete who lives next story who's about to ship out to Europe).
As a sucker for a good dog movie, this is one of the sweetest I've seen in a long time.
The movie nicely captures the flavor of World War II America and the difficulties of childhood for someone who's not like all the other kids.My Dog Skip is a poignant celebration of childhood, friendship, family, and most important, the unique relationship between a boy and his dog.
My Dog Skip is a great movie with great acting.
"My Dog Skip" reminded me a lot of a 1998 movie called "Simon Birch" from the narrator to the feeling I got inside while watching both films.I was also thrilled to learn that Kevin Bacon was a part of this cast because he is an actor that has presence.
"My Dog Skip" reminded me a lot of a 1998 movie called "Simon Birch" from the narrator to the feeling I got inside while watching both films.I was also thrilled to learn that Kevin Bacon was a part of this cast because he is an actor that has presence.
Great performances by veteran actors Diane Lane and Kevin Bacon, as well as a genuinely excellent job done by Frankie Muniz, Skip's owner.
If you do get a Jack, you will have a friend for life(a long life often, they can live 15-20 years).If you want to see a wonderful movie which will evoke warm emotions and fond memories, go see this film.Love you Maddie, miss you very much..
I have to say, My Dog Skip is one of the best movies I have seen in a loooooong while.
I have seen many films like this before, it's basically another coming of age drama only this time with a dog.