All Dogs Go to Heaven: Okay, Charlie's a JERK But...

Okay, so I just rewatched All Dogs Go to Heaven and...whew. Darker than I remembered! I always think about how messed up it is that Charlie exploits Anne-Marie's ability to find things, right? Like, he's basically using a CHILD for his own selfish schemes. Am I alone in thinking this makes him kind of irredeemable, even AFTER he "sort of" learns his lesson at the end? Don Bluth animation is always top-tier, and I ADORE Itchy, but Charlie… ugh. Burt Reynolds brought that roguish charm, for sure, but does that excuse the blatant manipulation? Maybe it's just me being overly sensitive, but the whole "kid with extraordinary abilities being taken advantage of" trope hits different post-Sixth Sense, ya know? It's interesting because the film tries so hard to make you sympathize with him, emphasizing his initial betrayal by Carface and his desire for revenge. But then, he just pivots to being a total grifter using a little girl. Did anyone else struggle with that tonal whiplash? Did the writers actually WANT us to question his motivations, or were they banking on Reynolds' charisma to smooth it all over? And also...that demon dog sequence? Still freaks me out. But the real question is: did anyone else cry when Anne-Marie says she's going to heaven and Charlie is supposed to stay?! What's more heartbreaking, the visual or the words? I'm tearing up just THINKING about it again! Let's discuss...