Nonureva Really Surprised!

Nayan Gough A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Roman Sampson One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Tobias Burrows It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

evening1 This movie hones in on the perspective of the parent who doesn't want a dog because it's too much trouble -- but has kids who want nothing but.It beautifully captures the irony of the adorable St. Bernard's pup that turns into a lumbering, slobbering pain in the behind.The canine star of this film is convincing as both a cuddly puppy and a full-grown behemoth that finds every imaginable way to aggravate its put-upon owner, the perfectly cast Charles Grodin.Beethoven -- often accompanied by the composer's lilting music -- is poignant and believable as both an inveterate troublemaker and a life-saving best friend.The film barks up the wrong tree with its silly subplot involving puppy thieves and an evil vet. This part felt like filler to me, but didn't seem to disappoint my 10-year-old son.In all, good but not great family fun.

TheLittleSongbird I really liked Beethoven. Of course it isn't perfect, it does have a silly ending, the plot does have its low points and the script was a tad weak in places. However, it is a charming, fun and entertaining family movie. I myself am mortified at the 5.1 IMDb rating. I seriously don't think it is as bad as all that. It isn't perfect, but it has a sense of fun. The cinematography is lush and very beautifully handled, and the direction was secure. Charles Grodin is an enormously talented actor, and I enjoyed his performance here, and Dean Jones seems to be having fun too. The child actors are appealing, and the music is lovely. I think the real star is Beethoven himself, whoever trained that dog should be told he/she did a wonderful job. With Beethoven, the film is fun, charming and very entertaining. And there are many memorable moments here. All in all, a very pleasant family film, I recommend it. It is not perfect, but it is one of the better family films out there. 7/10 Bethany Cox

lordvader-8 The movie overall is an enjoyable one with a good family message. However for some reason the filmmakers decided to throw in sex for some reason. I caught this in the theater and thought that perhaps it would be pulled out when it went to video. It wasn't however. When the father is going to get rid of the dog and so the kids get up very early - at 6:00 AM according to the bedside alarm clock - to give him a bath. Pause when it shows his alarm clock. This clock is featured center in the shot as focus. On one side however is a money clip with a wad of cash and on the other side is a peeled roll candy package. The name is not one we recognize as candy, but rather it is sitting with the letters upside down and spell SEX.

Lee Eisenberg OK, when we were younger, we all liked it when movies portrayed families buying unusual pets who proceeded to trash everything. Back in the early 1800s, when Ludwig van Beethoven was writing and performing his great music, he probably never suspected that such a movie would carry his name.So, "Beethoven" is cute, if nothing else (actually, there really is nothing else). Aside from the main cast of Charles Grodin (when was the last time that he starred in something really good?), Bonnie Hunt and Dean Jones, there are also some people who got really famous within a few years: Stanley Tucci, Oliver Platt, David Duchovny (is Mulder investigating a conspiracy here?) and Patricia Heaton.