Underlying this formulaic plot is a strange tone of desperateness in the movie's smiley-faced depiction of a "perfect" suburban nuclear family... For a family that's not missing any meals, they do more whimpering than any of the animals in the movie.

| Nov 21, 2022

| Original Score: D | Sep 7, 2011

Rallies at the end to prevent chaperoning adults from feeling their time was completely wasted.

| Mar 26, 2009

Elevated from the doldrums of Digby-esque sentimentality by a surprisingly bouncy script, the film is also redeemed by regular interludes of acerbic dialogue and a brace of fine supporting performances.

| Jan 26, 2006

Anti-working mom bias gives a sour feeling to an otherwise innocuous dog movie.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Sep 16, 2004

Beethoven is no classic, but it's a sunny, energetic children's film with a good notion of what young audiences like.

Full Review | May 20, 2003

If I were under the age of 14 and had not already seen all of those earlier animal movies, I might well have enjoyed Beethoven more. It's the kind of clever, innocuous family entertainment that's always in short supply.

| Original Score: 2.5/4 | Jan 1, 2000

Unless you are taking a child, there is absolutely no reason you should put yourself through this almost perfectly mindless exercise in canine celebration (exception: if your favorite comic strip is Marmaduke, this may be the movie for you).

| Original Score: 2/5 | Jan 1, 2000

A waggish tale of canine chicanery, an uproarious if impawsible symphony of drool, doggy fidelity and chewed shoes.

| Jan 1, 2000

| Original Score: D | Apr 3, 1992