Beethoven: More Heart Than a Saint Bernard Has Drool (and That's Saying Something!)

Okay, so I just re-watched "Beethoven" the other night. Man, talk about a throwback! I remember seeing this in the theater as a kid and thinking, 'I WANT a Beethoven!' Of course, then I remembered walking my neighbor's giant dog for, like, five minutes and decided maybe not. Anyway, watching it now, it's definitely got that cheesy 90s vibe, but it's also kinda sweet. Charles Grodin is perfect as the grumpy dad who secretly melts for the giant furball. Bonnie Hunt is, as always, awesome as the mom trying to keep it all together. And that vet, Dr. Varnick (Dean Jones, bless his heart!), is the villain you love to hate. The whole thing just feels…wholesome. Remember wholesome movies? I miss those days. It definitely borrows from some classics, though. You've got the 'animal wreaks havoc but wins over the family' trope which is a dime a dozen and Beethoven kinda feels like a modern twist on Lassie... only BIGGER and slobbier. I still laugh at the scene where he destroys the living room – total chaos! But the payoff is when he saves the kids. Gets me every time. It's a simple movie, sure, but sometimes simple is exactly what you need. I was definitely tearing up at the end (don't judge!). Worth a re-watch if you're feeling nostalgic, or, ya know, just need a good dose of dog-induced mayhem.