Details
Movie Description
In this family film, NANCY DREW's Emma Roberts leads a star-filled cast that includes Kyla Pratt, Lisa Kudrow, Kevin Dillon, and Don Cheadle. A pair of orphaned siblings (Roberts and Jake T. Austin) are forced to give up their beloved dog when they move into a foster home. But since they can't stand to live without him, they turn a closed hotel into a home for their dog--and any other strays they can find. HOTEL FOR DOGS is based on the novel by Lois Duncan., Thor Freudenthal makes his feature-film directorial debut with this adaptation of Lois Duncan’s children’s book HOTEL FOR DOGS. Sixteen-year old Andi (Emma Roberts) and her younger brother, Bruce (Jake T. Austin), are orphans living with their foster parents (Lisa Kudrow and Kevin Dillon), two washed-up musicians. Desperate to keep what’s left of their family together, Andi and Bruce have secretly been caring for their family dog, Friday, on the sly for the last few years. When they follow their beloved pet into an abandoned hotel and find stray dogs living there, Andi and Bruce decide to round up all the strays in the city and expand their family. With the help of Dave (Johnny Simmons) and Heather (Kyla Pratt), two teens who work at the local pet store, they transform the abandoned hotel into a canine wonderland, using young Bruce’s skills as an inventor to make an automated feeding system, doggie restrooms, and some fun amusements, such as a car-ride simulation and a fetching machine. But if Animal Control has their way, all the residents of the hotel will be taken to the pound, and it’s up to Andi and Bruce to save their new family.
This heartwarming tale reinforces the importance of family and the idea that families can come in many shapes and sizes. Although the idea itself is pretty improbable, it’s still loads of fun to see the gadgets and gizmos that Bruce creates to keep the dogs fed, in shape, and content. Roberts and Austin are believable as brother and sister, and Kudrow and Dillon are amusing as washed-up '80s rockers. Don Cheadle also appears as the compassionate social worker assigned to Andi and Bruce’s case.
Industry Reviews
"[HOTEL FOR DOGS] features a cast of so many endearing dogs that there's a purebred or adorable mutt of everyone's tastes."
USA Today - Claudia Puig (01/16/2009)
"Think of HOTEL FOR DOGS as a sort of MISSION IMPOSSIBLE with canines....What it is packed with is lots of sneaking around, very cool gadgets, excellent stunts and some clever kids..."
Los Angeles Times - Betsy Sharkey (01/16/2009)
"HOTEL FOR DOGS is a fantasy and looks like one....Ultimately warm and furry..."
Variety - John Anderson (01/16/2009)
"Based on Lois Duncan's wonderful children's book, the film mixes laughs, heart and action while also throwing in a nice message about the importance of a family unit."
Box Office - Pete Hammond (01/14/2009)
"This comedy, starring perfectly pleasant up-and-comer Emma Roberts is about kids, not parents....The movie could do something really positive for the cause of homeless pets..."
Washington Post - John Anderson (01/16/2009)
"The dogs in HOTEL FOR DOGS perform breathtaking stunts, touching love scenes, heart-breaking soliloquies with their eyes and clever, clever tricks."
Hollywood Reporter - Kirk Honeycutt (01/11/2009)
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