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Marmaduke

movies|marmaduke

A pat on the back (and a tickle on the tummy) to a talented voice cast that manage to raise what could have been a wet dog of a movie to a decent pedigree.

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Editorial

Let's be clear: This is a kid's movie. Take a first date to see Marmaduke and they won't think you're cute and endearing - they'll just think you're weird.

However, take some young family members along and you'll be laughing. Though not, as it happens, just because of the gratitude from said young 'uns; believe it or not, beneath the sugary coating of talking dogs (initially freaky, but you get used to it), hackneyed set pieces and overt lessons in morality, there is actually a decent and, at times, genuinely amusing script here.

Granted, the animals' acting skills are, for the most part, superior to their human counterparts (William H. Macy, what are you doing here?). Sure, the surfing-dog sequence will make you cry inside. Yes, the sledgehammer puns - "I'm one sick puppy!" "Who let the dogs out?" "Cowa-bark-a!" - will chip away at your very soul.

But then, what's this? Owen Wilson has thrown out a beautifully droll one-liner. Christopher Mintz-Plasse's character Giuseppe, a skinny, hairless little mutt, has made you chuckle in a hilarious scene involving a woollen bumble-bee costume. And did you just snigger when Carlos the cat was tripping on sleeping pills? You did, didn't you? Didn't you, boy? Good boy

Dan Poole