Tibetan Mastiff pup Bodi (Wilson) helps his father (Simmons) guard the sheep in their mountain village from lurking wolves below. Bodi secretly dreams of playing the guitar, but his dad locked up all the musical instruments so there are no distractions. That is, until a radio literally drops out of the sky (a plane flying overhead loses its cargo) and Bodi hears the voice of rock legend Angus Scattergood (Izzard), who says that any aspiring musician should “play your guts out, even when your dad says ‘Stop’.”
Loosely based on the graphic novel Tibetan Rock God, this animated adventure has Bodi following his dreams down the mountain and to the big city, unaware some of the wolves are on his trail. While the eager mutt crosses paths with Scattergood (a cool cat, complete with dark shades and an attitude), it may not be the best time to meet his hero as the feline is having difficulty delivering a new song to his frustrated record company.
A tale about following your dreams, Rock Dog is a really enjoyable kids movie that boasts a warm heart and fun script (keep an eye out for Sam Elliott’s wise character, Fleetwood Yak) that should entertain adults, too. It’s simple, sweet, and – while a little predictable for experienced moviegoers – rather adorable, too.
Is Rock Dog suitable for kids? Here are our parents’ notes...
Very young viewers may be scared by the wolves to begin with, though they are later shown to be incompetent.
Young viewers (under 8) may also be upset by a dog being in a fight, and also shot with a tranquiliser gun.
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