Oliver is your typical middle school boy. He gets tongue-tied around his crush, he ducks and dodges the school bullies, and he successfully hacks a global satellite communications system. Last part sounds pretty extreme, right? But things get even crazier when Oliver’s best friend and dog, Henry, can now communicate with him via telepathy.
After a school bully tampers with Oliver’s science fair project and blows his chance to impress the Young Inventors bigwig Mr. Mills, Oliver goes home defeated. With a need to prove himself, Oliver hacks a global satellite communications system, which now allows Henry to talk with him through one of Oliver’s mind-reading gadgets. Ego restored, a talking dog–all should be well. But, hacking a global satellite flags the good guys to track him down and tempts the bad guys to steal the genius gadget, making Oliver a target for everyone.
It’s up to Henry and his canine friends to keep Oliver safe and restore the true meaning of communication.
A few elements for parents to be aware of include mild language and name-calling, like “oh my god”, “freaking”, “crap”, “fart face”, and “psychopaths.” Other mild sexual references include, “junk in the trunk”, and several uses of “grow a pair.” A few scenes include bullying, a face punch, and a non-violent interrogation scene between Oliver and a bad guy. However, no blood and gore are present throughout the film.
While we don’t condone the language, sexual references, and mild violence, Think Like a Dog conveys the deep bonds of friendship, showcases a marriage restored, and reminds us that family and love are far more important than scientific discoveries and prestige.
Because of these positive elements, we award this family comedy Dove-approval for Ages 12+.
The Dove Take:
When Oliver, a typical middle school boy, hacks into a global satellite communication system, he quickly becomes a target for the good guys and the bad guys, but this technology hack allows him to talk with his dog, Henry, too.
