A Dog of Flanders (1999)

Sorry, this movie sucks

Sadly Over-hyped

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

The guy who said "worst-ever" evidently has no heart. The movie was good and the character of Nello is sweet and good-hearted. I've been to both Antwerp and Flanders as a child and this story brought back memories. The movie is based on the classic book, and sure, the plot isn't all about the dog, but do you really want it to be? If the story was, then the other reviewer might have something to really complain about. I suppose since the central character is a child he objects to that? As to Jon Voight's performance--he's a supporting character--he's not supposed to be in the spotlight, although his character proves to be important later on. I hope the actor who played Nello gets more work; I see a lot of potential in him. If you are a parent your child should like this film, though there is some violence and people do die.

A DOG OF FLANDERS / (1999) ** (out of four)By Blake French: "A Dog of Flanders" is a sweet, gentle, lovely motion picture about a young boy's desires and relationships with his everyday neighbors. It is the kind of movie that has its heart in the right place, but the quality of filmmaking is just not present. I feel a subtle guilt for giving the film a negative review because "A Dog of Flanders," directed by Kevin Brodie, is of such innocence and kindness. But the movie has an appearance quality of an callow amateur-contrived dialogue, typical costume designs, shameless sets-not surprisingly its filmmakers are fairly new at this business. Bruce McGill ("The Legend of Bagger Vance") and the veteran actor Jon Voight are a few of the recognizable names in the cast. Many of the remaining performers are either not remotely popular or dried out has-beens, even though they do a considerably good job at portraying the tender characters. "A Dog of Flanders" has been done before, on TV and in the movies. This is not to say there's no reason to refresh Ouida's sentimental fable since most of us probably have not seen any of the previous versions. Here, we get the same kind of sappy scenes and heavyhearted noble messages, dealing with issues like poverty, trust, death, passion, self confidence, following your dreams, hopelessness, regret, mistakes, and or course, love. The film is not really about a dog, though but about a boy who lost his mother at an early age and raised by his poor elderly grandfather. The boy, named Nello (Jeremy James Kissner), finds a dog left for dead in the snow and adopts him (her?) and falls in love with both the dog and a rich girl named Aloise (Madylin Sweeten). Because of his social status, her philistine father wants his daughter to have no part with Nello. Nello also becomes friends with an proficient artist, Michel de la Grande (Jon Voight), who takes an interest in the boy's drawings and encourages him to enter a big art contest. Jon Voight is good in his role, feeling confident and classy, a major step up from his performance in the painfully rotten horror flick "Anaconda." Jeremy James Kissner provides the film with an empathetic performance that is sweet and sweet-tempered. Jack Warden portrays a character with frailty and charm. However, there are just too many familiar clichés in the plot to recommend the picture. Many kids will find it boring and tedious, as will many adults. "A Dog of Flanders" has enough spirit and the right attitude, but the rest of the essential elements of a successful movie just are not here.

I don't know why they named this "A Dog Of Flanders" because the dog doesn't really have the lead in this movie. I think they used it to make people think it was a "Lassie Come Home" kind of movie. Yes, the dog is 'whipped' by a cruel master in the beginning and he does stay by the side of the little boy throughout the story but he doesn't do anything so outstanding that the movie should be named around his character. SPOILERS Be that as it may - I cried with this film and really didn't want to rent it because all animal/child stories can make me cry. I hate to see any animal or child mistreated and I figured that might happen. The little boy is orphaned by his dying mother and raised by his Grandfather in a poverty shack with a landlord who is your typical Simon Legree. The dead mother was a talented artist and the boy inherits the gift. He works to become a famous artist and falls under the wing of a rich art/patron/teacher who keeps running off to Rome. There are false accusations against the boy over the burning of a barn, the landlord tosses him out of the shack after his Grandpa dies, the dog does cause the accidental death of his original cruel master when the cruel master tries to take him away from the boy. The end is sort of hokey but caught me off guard because I really thought the kid died. By the end of the film I was crying like a baby and applauding the movie itself. I recommend it if you're in the mood for a good 'break my heart' movie.

The scenery is pretty and the dog is cute. Other than that, this film has absolutely nothing to recommend it. Jack Warden is pleasantly genial as usual, but the script is so awful that even he comes off badly. The plot makes no sense, the dialogue is dumb, and there are numerous smaller faults. But the dog is cute...