SNOW DOGS
US, 2002, 99 minutes, Colour.
Cuba Gooding Jr, James Coburn, Joanna Balcaso, Sisqo, Nichelle Nicholls, M. Emmet Walsh, Graham Greene, Brian Doyle- Murray, Michael Bolton.
Directed by Brian Levant.
Dogs are always popular at the movies. This time there is a whole team of dogs, snow dogs who pull the sleds in Alaska. What we have is a rollicking comedy with a touch of adventure.
Ted Brooks is a rich Florida dentist who suddenly finds that he was adopted. He goes off to Alaska to find out about his mother's will. The snow dogs are hers. One of them, Demon, is hostile to Ted but we know that he is going to come around even if there are a few fights in the meantime. Demon even looks devilish. In fact, most of the dogs look like their personalities which makes it all the more interesting. We know that Ted is going to learn to drive the snow dogs. It's just a matter of seeing how he does it.
There is plenty of knockabout comedy for the younger audiences. Cuba Gooding Jr plays Ted. He must be a good sport because he spends a lot of the time being knocked over, falling down cliffs and struggling with the dogs. Just when you think there couldn't be any more, there is. He crashes into trees, falls through the frozen ice in a lake and, at the climax, he and James Coburn who plays his crusty natural father, are dangling over a precipice and being pulled to safety by the snow dogs.
As an extra bit of comedy, Ted has a dream where the dogs are all in Florida sunbaking on the beach and making critical comments to one another about him.
Snow Dogs is no movie masterpiece, but it is cheerful, rowdy, makes some points about family, has a pleasant love story - and even makes a hero out of a dentist.
1. An American story from Florida to Alaska?
2. The title, the dogs as an inheritance, the focus on Ted and the dogs, his search for his identity? The musical score?
3. Ted, the dentist in Florida, his face on the buses? His practice? His mother, the revelation that he was adopted? The inheritance from his mother, Lucy? His going to Alaska? Seven Siberian Huskies, and Collie?
4. Ted, the Alaskan experience, rediscovering his roots? The terrain, blizzards, ice, the animals, the Arctic Challenge and its preparation?
5. The encounter with Barb, her help, the bar, her falling in love, telling him the truth?
6. Thunder Jack, old, wizened, wanting to buy the dogs? The revelation that he was Ted’s father? His explanation, the best interpretation, false?
7. The deal between Ted and Jack, the dogs for information and the truth? The Arctic Challenge, the race, Ernie coming last? The storm, Jack wanting to go on, Jack’s jealousy of Oliver?
8. The supporting characters, Alaskan characters, old grizzled men?
9. Ted, going back to Florida, his mother and the photo? His going back to Alaska, Jack being lost, Ted going out to search? The encounter with Oliver? His mother arriving?
10. Finding Jack, the confrontation, Jack telling the truth?
11. Demon, bad temper, his bad tooth, the dentist fixing it?
12. The completion of the Challenge, despite the cliff dangers?
13. Ted, bequeathing his practice to his cousin Rupert and the advertisements on all the buses? Going back to Alaska, his mother, his practice, Barb as his receptionist, pregnant, the happy future?
