Hotel for DogsMovie Reviews

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So-so
Avg. Critic Score: 51 out of 100 Mixed or average reviews Metascore® based on all critic reviews
Information for Parents:
7 OK for kids 7+
Read Common Sense Media review

Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 75
    San Francisco Chronicle | Walter Addiego

    It's no great shakes as a film, but its combination of mild comedy, slapstick, pathos, many photogenic canines and a positive message will make it irresistible to families. Read full review

  • 70
    Los Angeles Times |

    What it is packed with is lots of sneaking around, very cool gadgets, excellent stunts and some clever kids. Read full review

  • 63
    Chicago Sun-Times | Roger Ebert

    A sweet, innocent family movie about stray dogs that seem as well-trained as Olympic champions. Friday, the Jack Russell terrier who's the leader of the pack, does more acting than most of the humans, and doesn't even get billing. Read full review

  • 60
    Washington Post |

    On the upside, the movie could do something really positive for the cause of homeless pets: If audiences respond the way they should, dog shelters could be emptied in a week. Read full review

  • 60
    Variety |

    Ultimately warm and furry, with a wet nose buried in gross receipts. Read full review

  • 50
    The Hollywood Reporter | Kirk Honeycutt

    It's a pretty lazy film in the creativity department save for the dogs. Read full review

  • 50
    Wall Street Journal | Joe Morgenstern

    It's sad to see a promising fantasy turn into yet another industrial-scale fantasy-delivery system that beats up on its audience with mindless intensity and undercuts its own humanity -- and caninity -- in the process. Read full review

  • 50
    USA Today | Claudia Puig

    Between the dogged efforts of the kids to save strays and the antics of the dogs, it's hard to resist this lively, though predictable, family movie. Read full review

  • 50
    The New York Times | Stephen Holden

    Although you wouldn't want an entire movie devoted to such shenanigans, Hotel for Dogs isn't half as zany as it might have been. Read full review

  • 42
    Entertainment Weekly |

    There are still cuddly pups and piddle jokes aplenty. Read full review

View more reviews for Hotel for Dogs on Metacritic

Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says OK for kids 7+ Young pet lovers will get a kick out of dog comedy.
What Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that this Nickelodeon-produced comedy about an orphaned brother and sister (played by tween faves Emma Roberts and Jake T. Austin) who set up a secret refuge for stray dogs is targeted squarely at the family market. Because the main characters are orphans living in foster care, there are some references to dead parents, but it doesn't get too emotional. And with no swearing or consumerism and only mild flirting (though there are a couple of kisses), the movie is age-appropriate for grade-schoolers while still appealing to tweens.
  • Families can talk about why so many movie kids are orphans. Do you feel more sympathy for kids who don't have parents? Do they seem like bigger heroes than other kids?
  • Do movies like this ever make you anxious about your own family? Parents: Talk to your kids about any fears or worries they might have about being without you.
  • Kids: Can you think of ways that your actions can make a positive change in your community?
The good stuff
  • educationalvalue true1 Educational value: May help teach kids the importance of community involvement.
  • message true2 Positive messages: Overall, despite a bit of iffy behavior on the part of the main characters, the film sends the message that young people can make a difference in their communities.
  • rolemodels true1 Positive role models: The siblings are very close, but they also do some iffy things to make money -- like pawning fake cell phones.
What to watch for
  • violence false1 Violence and scariness: Slapsticky violence like characters falling, stepping on poop and pee, etc. Also references to dead parents and "awful" foster care.
  • sex false1 Sexy stuff: Teenagers flirt, and one couple kisses, while another girl gives a boy a quick smooch. A teenage boy calls two characters "fine" and "hot."
  • language false1 Language: Very mild -- "stupid."
  • consumerism false0 Consumerism: Not an issue
  • drugsalcoholtobacco false0 Drinking, drugs and smoking: Not an issue
An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology. © Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.

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Hotel for Dogs Movie Ratings + Reviews

Fans say

So-so 15,708 fan reviews

Critics say

So-so See all critic reviews

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