SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

Kailansorac Clever, believable, and super fun to watch. It totally has replay value.

AshUnow This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Ariella Broughton It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

FilmBuff1994 Beethoven is a very mediocre film with an extremely basic storyline that lacks originality and an average cast. It's reasonably enjoyable, Beethoven is certainly a very lovable dog, and having him in the title role definitely helps the film, the dogs are of course the main thing that makes this watchable. My biggest issue with this movie is that there is absolutely no bit of humour for adults to laugh at, all of the comedy is aimed at children, I felt Charles Grodin's character had great potential to make the older audience chuckle, but sadly even his lines and antics were all just to make the kids giggle. I think the films villain is terrible, he isn't isn't properly introduced until about twenty minutes before the movie ends and we are never made fully clear of his motives, he was certainly borrowing a lot of traits from Cruella De Vil, it was also a very unusual move to make a veterinarian the bad guy and I found it to be somewhat offensive towards people who are saving animals lives on a daily basis, they should have just made him a regular dog thief. Little laughs for an older audience and a straight forward story that you barely need to follow, kids will certainly enjoy it, but I couldn't possibly recommend Beethoven. An family adopts a lovable puppy that grows into a large St Bernard. Best Performance: Charles Grodin Worst Performance: Dean Jones

michael-d-murrell I do not how the hell one of my all time childhood favourite films is rated 5 but I can tell you this film is one of the greatest family films of all time even watching it again all these years later. Great film about family love, awesomeness and man's best friend. I made an IMDb account just so I could make a review to defend this film as I was shocked to see it had such a low rating when in reality this film is an all time classic. Understanding the bond between man and animal really helps you tie into the emotional connection the family has with the dog.10/10 as a family film / comedy. Will be watching with my kids for sure and you should too.

Jacob Jefferson Beethoven**1/2 (out of 4)87 mins / UCast: Charles Grodin, Bonnie Hunt, Dean Jones, Nicholle Tom, Christopher Castile, Sarah Rose Karr, Oliver Platt, Stanley Tucci, David Duchovny, Patricia Heaton, Joseph Gordon- LevittDirector: Brian LevantPlot: A family adopt a big St Bernard dog only for it to cause complete havoc for the dad but endless fun for the kids. JJ's Verdict: Beethoven is a warm, big-hearted film for all the family but as a comedy fails to actually hit some funny moments – unless you find a massive dog running round a house and weeing everywhere funny.It centres on a young family led by a grumpy Charles Grodin, which also includes caring mother Bonnie Hunt, and dog-loving children Nicholle Tom, Christopher Castile and Sarah Rose Karr. When a small puppy appears in their house unattended, the family decides to adopt it (after some arguing) and name it Beethoven (again, after some arguing.) What they don't realise is that the dog will grow into a huge slobbering St Bernard who will steal everyone's food, wee all over the house and cause depression for Charles Grodin's George Newton. However lovable the dog is, you can't help but despair as the dog runs round causing havoc to people's lives and destroying their home. The dog is completely unrealistic, as it seems more intelligent than any human being. There is however, a nice montage of the dog causing mess to the backdrop of 'Roll Over Beethoven', which uses good camera-work from the dog's perspective. Charles Grodin puts in a fine portrayal of a strained father trying to please his family and the child actors are surprisingly good. Dean Jones, who plays Herman Varnick, an evil vet who wants to kill Beethoven, is a good cast but plays his villainous character very over the top.The constant slapstick humour and violence can be annoying, and the dog just leaves dreadful destruction in its path, but Beethoven is a warm family film with strong themes on looking at the bigger picture and doing the right thing.

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