User Reviews

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

We are dog lovers and had been meaning to watch some of the Beethoven series for quite a while. We found a DVD collection of all five at a good price so we snapped it up and sat down for the first installment.

We honestly didn't know what to expect so, to minimize our risk of disappointment, decided that we were only watching to enjoy the St. Bernard. The movie turned out to be a very pleasant surprise, easily exceeding those expectations.

Beethoven is the star, as he should be. The human cast, however, perform wonderfully in providing the light framework required to string Beethoven's scenes together. Charles Grodin especially shines as the dad who is, at first, not exactly enthused about getting a dog. Much less a monster dog who only drools and sheds and eats.

So, if you enjoy dogs and light-hearted fun, Beethoven won't disappoint. There are no Machiavellian plots or cruel content. The family is wonderfully good, the villains are comically bad and the suspense of their threat is enjoyable because you know, Beethoven's gonna win in the end.

Overall, very charming with a good, wholesome sense of humor. 6.5 out of 10.

"Beethoven" isn't a great family film, but it is surprisingly sweet and amusing. It's one of those films that is strangely attracting, though you can't really understand why.

I think a lot has been built up on this film just because there were some sequel spin-offs that were more than horrible. (The 3rd and 4th sequels with Judge Reinhold were some of the worst attempts at comedy. Ever.) But the original was a nice, family-friendly film that accomplishes what it promised.

Charles Grodin plays George Newton: Family man, businessman, NOT a doggy-man. But things change rapidly when a runaway Saint Bernard named Beethoven comes to the Newton residence. Newton's children immediately get attached to the animal, but Grodin's character doesn't exactly like the fact of a big ol' slobbering dog being around his house. So there are some gags as Grodin gets mad at Beethoven for certain things he does throughout the film.

But then, evil animal vet Dean Jones tries to take Beethoven, and Newton decides to fight back for his family and bring the doggy back home.

"Beethoven" isn't anything very original, and it isn't anything very memorable, nor is it excellent quality gags. But it's a surprisingly pleasant and good-natured family film that doesn't resort to crude humor or language like other so-called "family films" out there.

Ivan Reitman, who has brought us "Ghostbusters," "Kindergarten Cop," and "Stripes" co-produced this film. He's a talented director, even if he sometimes makes average films. The thing about his films are, that even when they're average they are still pretty funny and strangely watchable. And though I'm not sure what all a producer does on a film, I think he probably did a good job with something on this film. :)

Charles Grodin is one of those actors that I've always liked because he seems very down-to-earth and regular. He is a subtle comedian that never goes OTT and doesn't come off like ANOTHER Jerry Lewis-Jim Carrey hybrid.

"Beethoven" isn't anything great, but it's strangely likable and enjoyable. When compared to other so-called family films, it's pretty nice. It doesn't skimp on the gags (even if they're not very great) and it never turns stupid (like the 3rd and 4th film).

All in all, "Beethoven" delivers what it promises, and it does it pretty nicely.

3.5/5 stars -

John Ulmer

This was almost like an old-fashioned type of nice movie "the whole family will enjoy," as the stupid trailers used to always say. They aren't always right about that, but they are with this one.

BAD NEWS - The "bad news" was (a) the silly ending, (b) some silly-stupid scenes earlier in which what you saw could never really happen, and (c) the three kids were annoying and bossy at times.

GOOD NEWS - The "good news" is, of course, "Beethoven," the lovable Saint Bernard who is a lot of fun to watch, especially with all his facial expressions. Also, it's a very entertaining story and there is absolutely nothing offensive, language-wise, in here.

OVERALL - This was popular enough to spawn some sequels, none of which were close in caliber to this one. A good family film worth viewing, but mainly if you like big, lovable dogs.

Great film for kids and dog lovers don't listen to all the negative reviews,watch it now!

A lot of critics didn't like Beethoven, but they must be Scrooges. How can you not love this big, ungainly, lovable beast? At least the movie going public certainly liked him.

This St.Bernard puppy escapes from dognappers who take him and others from a pet shop. But even as a puppy he's resourceful and he wonders into a typical suburban home and is made welcome by the family and I mean the kids Christopher Castile, Nicholle Tom, and Sarah Rose Karr. Even their mom Bonnie Hunt kind of takes to him. What's a dad like Charles Grodin to do.

But as Beethoven grows older his clumsiness causes a lot trouble. He does have an instinct for sorting out some bad people and dealing with them. The kids get it, the parents don't.

Dean Jones is the villain here, a veterinarian who 'kills' his charges but secretly uses them for mad scientist like experimentation. Jones who was the all American hero in so many Disney films in the 60s and 70s looks like he's having a great old time as the Snidely Whiplash of scientists. He's got a pair of mooks for henchmen in Michael Tucci and Oliver Platt. In the old days they'd be played by Allen Jenkins and Edward Brophy.

This movie has little kids and a big dog in it. Now only the most hard hearted could resist that.

George Newton (Charles Grodin) is a loving husband and father. He works his ass of for his kids and has nothing but love for his wife, getting up early every day for them. So what do they do in return? They yell at him, treat him wrongly and when he tries to get rid of their dog for completely legitimate reasons, the kids think he's a dog-killer and his wife complains 'all the joy is left from the house'. If anything, 'Beethoven' is the story of a man abused and mistreaten. There, I said it.

Let's begin with the beginning though. 'Beethoven' is a dog (in case you didn't know yet), wandering the streets of some suburban clean cut picked fenced community, where life is nice and rich and even the bullies have their certain charm. Beethoven winds up in the (big) house of the Newtons, where the three kids (puberty-girl Ryce, nerdy boy Ted and sweet young Emily) embrace him with all they've got, as probably, there isn't any 'joy' in the family at that time. What better way to bring it than a dog!

But Beethoven isn't just fun, as he pies all over the place, drewls on the food and drags mud all over the expensive carpets. You guessed who can clean up the mess: it's old daddyo George, as the spoilt kids only want to have fun with the animal. So we see him as a match-maker between Ryce and the boy she likes, as Ted's saviour against bullies and as hero of little Emily, who almost drowned when not attended by her baby-sitter.

George, as I said, is busy with his work. He's got a company of his own (something to do with air-refresheners in cars, or whatever), who is on the brink of a crucial deal which will expand his business. But he is being conned. Enter a crucial scene: nobody knows he's being conned by his two business partners, except 'Beethoven' (yes people, this dog knows how to read those little words at the bottom of a contract). So he takes the two evil genuises for a ride, basicly ruining the deal. Now, WE know Beethoven did well, but as far as George, his wife or the kids are concerned, 'Beethoven' just cost them a serious amound of dollars. But, never mind, as wife and mother Alice says 'I never liked those two anyway'. If that would've been her spirit over all those years, the family probably would've lived in some trailerpark somewhere, without a pot to pie in and regulars on the 'Jerry Springer' show. But as long as we, the audience, know that Beethoven really saved the family, we're supposed to be OK with it. Well, for one, I'm not!

There's another story in here involving 'mean guys', as Beethoven's vet thinks he will be perfect for some sick experiment involving exploding bullets, so the vet pretends he was attacked by Beethoven, so that he can bring him to his secret lab. The same problem here occurs as in the previous scene: WE know the vet is mean. WE know Beethoven meant well. But the family DOESN'T. So when the kids, as I mentioned before, say dad is a dog-killer and mom thinks all the joy has just left their lives (take THAT, you mean father!), that is just cruel and unjust. As for all THEY know, 'Beethoven' is a pretentious danger for the kids. In particular the mom should know better!

Now, you'll probably say it's a kids movie and maybe you're right, but this movie is sending all the wrong messages into the world, and should be slammed for it. Only the decent acting by Grodin (who was 57 when this was made... he looks more like 37!) and some sweet puppies make it worth the 3/10 I gave it.

After a St. Bernard puppy is abducted from a pet shop by animal abductors, the puppy escapes and finds its way to the home of the Newton family. Mother Alice (Bonnie Hunt) and children Emily(Sarah Rose Karr), Ted (Christopher Castile), and Ryce (Nicholle Tom) all immediately take to the puppy whom they name Beethoven, however father George Newton (Charles Grodin) is less enthused by the idea. While Beethoven enjoys the comforts of living with the Newtons, the animal abduction ring, run by sinister vet/black market animal tester Dr. Herman Varnick (Dean Jones) sets his sights on Beethoven as a test candidate for testing a new type of ammunition.

Released in 1992 to rather mediocre reviews but very healthy box office, Beethoven certainly fits well within the oeuvre of 1990s post Home Alone/Uncle Buck family comedies that ended up defining John Hughes career in the decade. While Beethoven is still a very early revisit of Hughes to the successful formula, it is quite noticeable that Hughes is setting the foundation for common place tropes that would reappear in further films. With that said, the movie is actually quite charming thanks to a well trained dog serving as the titular character, and Amy Holden Jones balances out the Hughes' tropes with some charm and edge that help the film to keep from going overboard with formula.

The best scenes in Beethoven are just watching the dog interact with people. The filmmakers do a pretty decent job of given Beethoven a personality as the gentle giant who's full of energy and intelligence but lacking in self awareness or grace in his movements. The scenes where Beethoven casually escapes his backyard enclosure are quite fun and there's a nice small town/Disney type vibe as he meets the Newton children around town and helps them deal with bullies, getting the attention of crushes, or in one instance engaging in a Lassie type rescue during a close call. The scenes with Beethoven frolicking around with the family or various people in town (firefighters, small business owners, etc.) are charming and make the film a pleasant enough sit.

The actors are perfectly servicable. Charles Grodin is perfectly fine playing an overworked, overstressed, father (even if at points it feels like he's doing a Steve Martin impression), and the rest of the family is perfectly fine as well. Some performances unfortunately go a bit too broad for my taste, such as Stanley Tucci and Oliver Platt playing a rehash of the comedic crook duo a la Horace and Jasper or Harry and Marv, or David Duchovny and Patricia Heaton playing a pair of snobbish DINK(Dual Income No Kids) who are basically insidious versions of Todd and Margo from Christmas Vacation. The real standout in the human performances is Dean Jones who washes away any history of light hearted Disney comedies and away and gives a fittingly sinister and slimey performance that honestly wouldn't be out of place in a straight thriller. It's a terrific villain performance and allows Jones to lift a bit more weight than he usually is allowed and he does so quite well.

The movie in terms of the movie itself it's perfectly fine. It doesn't reach the gold standards of Disney animal movies like '67's That Darn Cat or either of The Incredible Journey movies, but it also doesn't embarrass itself as seen in cases like C. H. O. M. P. S. or Bingo. Beethoven rests comfortably around the level of a Benji movie but with a bigger budget and more polish. The direction by Brian Levant is very exaggerated and lacking in subtlety or restraint, but unlike his other movies he tries to resist the temptation to go full cartoon logic (save for one scene with Duchonvy and Heaton). The movie is very much a collection of character based plots in the first half loosely connected with the second half being more based around the animal abduction ring. There's not much in the way of surprises, but it's all done well enough.

Beethoven is an above average family film anchored by a good performance from its central dog. The movie does a good job of making Beethoven feel like a character, and while the script is certainly formula its at least well done formula that moves at a good pace and doesn't linger on any point long enough to drag. Beethoven is the kind of movie you can watch with your kids and they'll enjoy it while you'll smile once every so often. It won't stick with you, but as family films of this type go it's one of the better ones.

Good for kids bad for...actually forget that. Bad for everybody. I hated this film when I was a kid and I hate it now. The only thing it has going for it is seeing David Duchovny in his pre-Mulder days. If Twin Peaks isn't your cup of tea of course.

For those who have no idea what this movie is about, they may think this is a movie about the famous classical music artist. Well, it has absolutely nothing to do with it. "Beethoven" is not even a biographical or a musical, it's a family movie about a St. Bernard named Beethoven after a portion of Ludwig van Beethoven's "Fifth Symphony" is played and the puppy barks at the same time, as if he was telling how he wishes to be named.

Anyway, generally speaking, this is a sympathetic family movie. Nothing super or tremendous, but a simple and enjoyable movie. Of course, the lovable St. Bernard is the main star and adds a lot to the movie. And anyone who loves dogs has got to love this gentle giant, if not the movie.

I am a dog lover and St. Bernards are one of my favorite dog breeds. They're huge, beautiful, affectionate and sweet dogs, although they drool at lot!

The story focus not only on our fluffy friend, but also on the Newton family: George (the father), Alice (the mother), Ryce (the oldest daughter), Ted (the middle son) and Emily (the youngest daughter). They're a nice family, but George isn't minimally interested in the dog, unlike the rest of the family (although much later in the film he has a change of heart and helps saving the day). Ryce... what kind of name is that? I hope it's not related to rice (the food). Emily is a lovely little girl and the cutest of the Newtons. Ryce, despite being so thin, is pretty in this film and I don't think she is a tomboy.

All the actors who play the Newton family are good in their roles: Charles Grodin, Bonnie Hunt, Nicholle Tom, Cristopher Castile and Sarah Rose Karr. And, of course, the dog that plays Beethoven is also a great "actor".

One word about Charles Grodin: although he was in his late 50's when the movie was made, he looked as if he was about 35. Amazing how someone that age can look so young.

In the cast there is also an actor who is familiar from some old live-action Disney films: Dean Jones. Here, he portrays a villain - the wicked veterinarian Dr. Varnick, owner of a Porsche 911. His role is small, nevertheless he's in great shape. Actually, his role is meant to be minor. I don't think it would be necessary to make his role bigger.

As far as family films go, this is definatly a movie for them. If you are watching "Beethoven" on your own, you won't find anything special. Basic plot of there a villians trying to kidnap dogs to do illegal experimental tests. One of the puppies escape the villians. The puppy runs to a home with a dad who refuses to have pets. But when his children beg and beg, he lets them have the puppy they name "Beethoven". The main villian comes back to get the puppy once again. But will the father save the dog he hates in time? You'll have to find out. :-D

Not my type of movie, but show it to your kids or family.

4/10

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.

The title canine is an adorable Saint Bernard puppy who escapes when bumbling, idiotic criminals Harvey and Vernon (Oliver Platt and Stanley Tucci) rob a pet store of their inventory. Beethoven makes his way into the house of the Newton family, immediately endearing himself to the children (Nicholle Tom, Christopher Castile, Sarah Rose Karr) and wife / mother (Bonnie Hunt). The dad (Charles Grodin) is another story. He's not a real dog person, but reluctantly agrees to take on the pup as a pet. In your typical Hollywood fashion, havoc ensues, as the puppy grows into the destructive, messy (but also very loving) big brute that Grodin knew would result. The main plot concerns a thoroughly evil veterinarian (Dean Jones, in a hilarious performance) who collects dogs for test purposes.

Watching this as an adult, you can see the flaws more clearly. Sometimes this is genuinely groan inducing, sometimes predictably silly. (You can tell that co-writer John Hughes, who uses his pseudonym of Edmond Dantes, was still getting Home Alone out of his system.) It's also easier to sympathize with George, even though Grodin brilliantly portrays him as a fastidious grump who craves order in his life. He actually makes his family get up at seven in the morning on Saturdays. Another word of advice is that this isn't totally harmless; some people, not just the younger children, might find certain scenes objectionable.

Overall, though, "Beethoven" is passable family entertainment without being exceptional in any way. It may hit you where you live, however, if you're a dog person like this viewer. The perfectly cast Grodin is well supported by a cast that also includes TV stars David Duchovny and Patricia Heaton as a snotty yuppie couple, and familiar character players like O-Lan Jones, Nancy Fish, and Richard Portnow. A 10 year old Joseph Gordon-Levitt makes his film debut as a schoolchild. It's particularly fun to see Jones playing the raspy voiced bad guy. Beethoven himself is quite engaging and sweet; some of the best scenes here have him making little journeys around town.

Followed by a mind boggling SIX sequels.

Seven out of 10.

Do you enjoy movies with excessive groin biting, stupid mobsters (see "Blank Check"), nauseating cuteness, and the precise timing and rapier wit of Charles Grodin? Then, God help us, Beethoven is for you. Memo to David Duchovny: start buying the copies before the kids who watch this are old enough to stay up for X-Files. It's called credibility, Dave, look into it. Watching Beethoven in the theaters is wonderful. Just me and a friend, and a Mormon family, who, after walking into the theater seventy-five minutes late, gave us dirty looks for yelling well-deserved sarcastic remarks at the screen. "Beethoven" is for people who think "Blankman" was robbed at the Oscars.

If you take yourself too seriously, Beethoven will either gross you out or provide a great, relaxing dose of psychotropic slapstick. It is frequently TOO MUCH, and then again, can't get enough of the gorgeous St. Bernard actors. The honesty of the human kids; the exquisite changes portrayed by their dad, Charles Grodin; the down-to-earth Bonnie Hunt (until her disappointing emergency phone call); and-- You will find yourself thinking, "Here's the puckish Stanley Tucci--" "Oliver Platt--master of deadpan." "David Duchovny's comic range is really broad--WOW." There is also a fine supporting cast of dogs, and i can't even watch the villain, he's so evil. A roller coaster ride that doesn't knock your rug off or mess up your do, with fine irrelevant complexities to keep you from falling asleep too early, i.e. before the kids do.

This movie is a classic. If you love dogs, family, or just enjoy a funny comedy this is the movie for you. The Newman family takes in a dog who ends up destroying their lives. It is a non stop laughter fest as you see everything the dog puts them through. He really ends up bringing the family together and gives kids a good lesson to learn.

A great movie to watch with the entire family. The cast does a great job at bringing you into their family and makes you really connect with the audience.

There are some sequels to this movie as well, the 2nd follows the same actors around and is highly recommended as well.

I have seen Beethoven about three times now and it's still funny. I can reccomend this movie for the whole family. It's one that the parents can enjoy along with the kids. Here we have laughs galore and a story thrown in there too. I also found this movie to be moving, which i did not expect, and towards the end it went quite dramatic which i did expect since theres always a bad guy in these type of movies who is trying to harm the innocent animals. Be careful your kids don't throw tomatoes at the television screen whenever the bad guy shows up, he's a real stinker.

This movie is an otherwise delightful comedy, but its major theme is the abduction of puppies for "scientific" experimentation. This is not suitable material for children to see.

A movie should not start out with me wanting to put a bullet through someone's brain: Dean Jones as Dr. Varnick. Beethoven reminds me of something Stephen King would do: Candy coat something gruesome like he did with Christine or The Green Mile.

Why did John Hughes find it necessary to subject us to animal experimentation and probably torture, and wrap it in the disguise of a comedy? Why?

Both he and Amy Holden Jones have written in pictures that I have liked and that I deem respectable; Breakfast Club, Mystic Pizza, so I have no idea where they were coming from by adding this warped, malevolent current into Beethoven.

Certainly the picture could have done without it and only suffered from its inclusion. It would have been easy to like Beethoven. Had it been a simple comedy with some adventure, I probably would have given it a 7 or an 8. It's a shame that someone with immature, Satanic sentiments had to spoil the picture.

As a personal childhood favorite, I am a big fan of Beethoven. The storyline is basic and fun and that dog could not be any cuter if he tried. The cast have great chemistry and acting is decent. All put together it makes for an easy and fun watch.

A dog named Beethoven is trying to save his family and himself from some bad guys.

This is awful. Actually nearly every single family movie in the 90's were bad. But this is the bottom. I hate the dog, I hate the family and most of all, I hate the screenwriter. It's such a pity, that you can't vote 0 here on IMDb. The dog should have been shoot and the family drowned by those bad guys. The only good about this movie is... sorry, no! There is nothing good about this movie. Just another stupid family movie. I have to say that Hollywood gives me a bad taste in my mouth with all their sweet happy endings and family love. I know all movies contain this, but this is just too much of it. Not only is the dog annoying and stupid. The acting is horrible and most of the actors ends up in B-television movies. 1 vote for this movie.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Kids movies were darker when I was growing up. I remember loving this movie because of the giant, trouble making slobber machine and the family craziness. Did NOT remember the abducting dogs to turn them into medical experiments and lab rats. Everything ends happily, but these bad guys belong in a very special hell, a hell reserved for dog abusers and people who talk at the theater.

Still, enjoyed this more than I expected to. Those darker notes gave it more depth, more substance for my adult brain to chew on and that plus adorable dog is pretty much a win for me.

Despite a nice script co-written by Edmund Dantes (John Hughes' pen name) this film didn't do a lot for me, with the main appeal being seeing lots of famous actors looking a lot younger.

Funny and sappy it may be, but there are still some lovely moments, and Charles Crodin is the best owner Beethoven ever had (sorry Judge Reinhold).

If you love funny animal films, you will laugh till you cry at the antics of Beethoven and his human companions. The scene where the children are trying to find a name for the dog is cute and if you like classical music you will appreciate the humor behind how the name is finally derived. I was rather surprised to see Good Guy Dean Jones, star of many Disney films, in his portrayal of the dastardly and evil Vet. I almost did not recognize him with the thick "soda bottle-bottom" glasses, but as always Mr. Jones gave a stellar performance. X-Files star David Duchovney plays the part of a company representative who wants to try to take over the family's business, and only Beethoven sees him and his female partner for what they are and takes them on the ride of their lives (one of the funniest scenes of the film). I generally find sequels are not as good as the first, but in this case the humor of Beethoven's 2nd and Beethoven's 3rd hold true to first and are also worth viewing.

Beethoven is a St Bernard puppy who escapes from a couple of dog thieves (Stanley Tucci, Oliver Platt). He follows George Newton (Charles Grodin) into his house. The kids fall in love with him and his wife Alice (Bonnie Hunt) wants to keep the puppy. It's a battle between George and Beethoven for the run of the house as he grows into a giant dog. He's trying to sell a business deal to Brad (David Duchovny) and Brie (Patricia Heaton). The dog is super smart and becomes the family's best friend. Evil vet Dr. Varnick (Dean Jones) has a sideline selling dogs for evil experiments while working with the dog thieves.

It's the grumpiness of Charles Grodin that makes this marginally funny. He allows the audience to laugh at him and there are some pretty good slapstick fun. It's mostly good family fare with a really evil villain. The bad guys are a little too ridiculous. That takes a little bit away from an otherwise fun family movie.

OK, when we were younger, we all liked it when movies portrayed families buying unusual pets who proceeded to trash everything. Back in the early 1800s, when Ludwig van Beethoven was writing and performing his great music, he probably never suspected that such a movie would carry his name.

So, "Beethoven" is cute, if nothing else (actually, there really is nothing else). Aside from the main cast of Charles Grodin (when was the last time that he starred in something really good?), Bonnie Hunt and Dean Jones, there are also some people who got really famous within a few years: Stanley Tucci, Oliver Platt, David Duchovny (is Mulder investigating a conspiracy here?) and Patricia Heaton.