Sit. Roll over. Beg. Heel. In Firehouse Dog, these usual commands for a well-behaved canine mean nothing to Rexxx. After all, he’s the pampered Hollywood star of such popular films as Jurassic Bark and The Fast and the Furriest. Naturally, his tricks are more spectacular, such as skydiving. But things change drastically for filmdom’s wonder dog when one of his stunts goes bad. Although his handlers assume Rexxx is dead, he’s been found by a rebellious fireman’s son who thinks the now scraggly-looking, foul-smelling Irish terrier is merely “a very strange dog.” Clever stuff indeed for a family movie, and Firehouse Dog is sure to please most youngsters despite a few silly sequences showing Rexxx’s life as a star.   

“We wanted to make a movie where the dog had as strong a personality as any human in the film,” explains writer/producer Mike Werb. “Rexxx is definitely a personality: he’s a fusion of every horrible superstar and their perk package with a little operatic diva thrown in for good measure.” This may sound like a good idea, but it’s the part of the film that didn’t work too well for me. Scenes of Rexxx sitting leisurely in a huge bed, wearing a bad toupee and being fawned over by his owner and publicist simply look ridiculous, as do other shots of the animal undergoing interviews from reporters. Of course, Rexxx can’t talk (none of the four dogs playing this role are that talented!), so filmmakers were faced with a considerable challenge here -- one which may have been impossible to overcome.

Fortunately, the film perks up as soon as Rexxx becomes Dewey, the mutt, and meets a young boy who will soon be very important to him. Helping Firehouse Dog project a more realistic atmosphere in this section of the movie are Bruce Greenwood (Eight Below) and Josh Hutcherson (Bridge to Terabithia) as Connor and Shane Fahey, a father and son with serious communication problems and who can’t stop grieving -- and feeling guilty -- over the death of Connor’s brother Mark in a deadly fire.

Although Connor (Greenwood) has succeeded Mark as Captain of the Dogpatch fire station and crew, he refuses to take the Captain’s office and has been neglecting Shane (Hutcherson), which results in the pre-teen lad thinking he can skip school. Greenwood delivers another believable performance here -- even making me tear up a little during a poignant father-son conversation toward the end of the movie. And Hutcherson is a youngster to keep your eye on. It’s amazing to watch how convincingly his demeanor changes as Shane’s feelings about the “dog from hell” he’s assumed responsibility for gradually turn from hate to respect.

What causes Shane’s about face? Dewey’s courage while assisting the firemen in their life-saving activities, of course, but also the way the mutt helps Shane in a more personal manner. And Rexxx/Dewey undergoes a transition of his own -- he goes from playing a hero to being one. The big question then arises: which role will the wonder dog end up preferring?

Yes, I wish Firehouse Dog included more dog tricks and less canine flatulence as well as fewer fakey Hollywood sequences. Still, this is an above average family film for dog lovers of any age. As the end credits rolled at the screening I attended, one young-at-heart viewer even yelled, "Play it over!" 

(Released by 20th Century Fox and rated “PG” for sequences of action peril, some mild crude humor and language.)