Pudsey the Dog: The Movie (2014) User Reviews

Lassie meets Babe meets Nanny McPhee & the Big Bang

[martin-montague · 4/10 · 1 August 2014]

My 7 yr old daughter persuaded me to watch this film with her last week. I was expecting to see a film that had some relevance to the reason the dog is famous in the first place i.e. the fact that it's a dancing dog. Although there were some scenes that featured Pudsey dancing & standing on his hind legs etc they were very much shoehorned into the script almost as an after thought & bore very little relevance to the story at all.

So why make a movie staring Pudsey the dog? The answer of course is very simple. If you are a singer & a star on BGT you can of course go on to make lots of money selling CD's & performing at live concerts. Pudsey the dog, even though he may have been taken to the hearts of the nation, is very much a one trick pony. So someone had the bright idea to cash in while he's still famous & stick him in a movie.

To be honest I did enjoy the start of the film, which has quite a few funny, if not particularly original scenes. I also enjoyed pointing out to my daughter the rear number plate on the white trailer, which is absent when the family set off on their journey, but manages to appear & disappear several times on the way. ( one for the Robert Webb show there).

Unfortunately after this the film takes a bit of a nose dive into a sentimental mishmash of Lassie, meets Babe, meets Nanny McPhee & the big bang, meets 101 Dalmatians. These were of course, with the possible exception of Lassie, all very good movies. (In fact I'm not ashamed to admit I was filling up at the end the Nanny McPhee & the big bang.) This however is not a good film.

So what's wrong with it then I hear you ask? Well it's certainly not the acting. In fact John Sessions puts in a very good performance as the pantomime villain. And Pudsey is, well, just Pudsey. The problem is the script. It is written by a guy called Paul Rose who as far as I can see from his page on this site hasn't actually written a film script before. What he has done is scripts for children's TV shows such as Dani's Castle, My Parents are Aliens & Sooty. Shows which are basically a series of quick fire gags. Maybe if there had been enough money in the kitty to employ the talents of George Miller (Babe)or Emma Thompson there might have been a different result.

My daughter, who quite enjoyed the film, asked me to explain to her what was so wrong with it. I told her that when she has seen as many films as I have & has something to compare it with, she might be a bit more critical. But maybe I am missing the point. Because if you're a 7 year old who can watch back to back episodes of You've Been Framed & laugh at people falling over again & again & again then maybe this film is just what you want to see.

Not very good

[elizabeth-12994 · 2/10 · 1 July 2018]

I would love to say this movie was good but it was rather disappointing, without trying to be horrible. The story line wasn't great and I couldn't get my head round the dancing bit. I thought that the film would be good for young viewers, as in young children. Young children would probably like a movie like this and is rather like the buddies films in a way. Saying that, Pudsey is very well-trained dog and maybe if the story line was different, the movie could have been better.

First movie with requires MAXIMAL watchers age!

[ober-on · 2/10 · 13 December 2015]

Normally there is a minimal age of children restricted.

This is the first Movie that got a maximal age of allowed children: 8 years.

All children under 8 will love this movie, all persons over 8 years will be forced to puke.

Never ever seen a "funny" story like this. British humour? Pah. British sickness will be the better description. No plot, no story, no string, no movie. Running gag: a per vereted pig produces tons of manure fertilizer. What a great fun!

2 Stars because our kids 4 & 6 laughed a lot.

Kids love it.

[hayley-billingham · 5/10 · 11 February 2016]

When my kids were like "yeeaaah lets watch Pudsey" my first reaction was to groan inwardly and try and find another film available that would be much better for viewing. But for the lack of films available that we hadn't already seen I gave in and pressed play. And to be honest it's as not as bad as I first thought. Even though my bloke fell asleep while I watching not once but three times, but hey it's not too bad. There were some cringe moments and there were some funny moments. I don't think it deserves 2 out of 10. I think people have given it A low score due to knowing where Pudsey originated from, and it's got Simon Cowells backing. It's really not that awful, I've seen worse in kids movies and this is watchable.

Haters will hate, kids will love

[travelling_minstrel · 16 July 2014]

Asking most of the popular UK film reviewers to give valid opinions on this film is like asking my Mum to review a Death Metal album. She couldn't be less interested or less able to judge whether it was good or not. However, watching it with a bunch of 4-10 year olds, the truth is obvious. Kids love Pudsey, they love the crude jokes, talking horses, slapstick pratfalls and the dancing. No, it's not Slumdog Millionaire, of course it isn't. I've seen it criticised for having a simple plot, for John Sessions acting like a pantomime villain (which he does brilliantly), even for relying on Pudsey's dancing skills. It's like the reviewers have lost all touch with their inner child. Almost as if they are all ...grumpy old men. Too cool to laugh at a simple fart joke. Too blinkered to see what the film is all about and most importantly, who it was made for. They are upset, indignant! Why is this film being made at all? The British film industry should be making worthy films about..social change, or drug addicts or something. A Dancing dog? Preposterous! A film like this will never score well on sites like IMDb. The target audience just don't come here. They don't spend their evenings online blogging or commenting. They are all asleep in bed. The male 12-25 year olds who do visit this page will hate the very idea of the film. There was a top 1000 voter giving it 1 star before it had even had previews.

So what is Pudsey the dog the movie? It's a fun 90 minutes to spend in the school holidays with your kids. That's all. The young (and young at heart) will love it.

Possibly the Worst Movie I Have Ever Seen In Years

[Clank_Zoka · 1/10 · 7 March 2017]

I've seen many bad movies one after another, but this, THIS HAS TO BE THE WORST MOVIE EVER!, IT'S OBNOXIOUS, PREDICABLE, NONSENSICAL, DUMB AND ANNOYING CHARACTERS, A CLICHÉD PLOT, ANNOYING SOUNDTRACK, HUMOR THAT IS NOT FUNNY, THINGS FALL OVER ON PEOPLE THINKING THAT IT WILL MAKE KIDS LAUGH, BUT THAT'S GETTING OLD AND LITERALLY EVERY ACTOR IS SO BRAINLESS IN THEIR PERFORMANCES!.

Okay, I'll calm down but, this is bad folks, like REALLY bad, I like Pudsey, sure he's talent isn't anything special, but I really like what he can do and he's not awful in this movie, he's just having fun and I'm glad he is, but It doesn't really matter because the film is just the worst thing ever on par with Monster Trucks and Transformers Dark of the Moon.

If you want a good family live action movie, watch Paddington, that movie is the opposite of this piece of garbage and It's far better then this, so If you see It at your Tescos, Sainsbarys or Asda, just don't pick It and waste your money, buy Paddington instead, It's worth It.

But this, this will be considered as the WORST MOVIE EVER MADE!.

This piece of garbage gets a 0.1/10!.

Pudsey the Dog: The Movie

[jboothmillard · 3/10 · 1 July 2016]

Ashleigh and Pudsey became the first dog trick act (the second being Jules O'Dwyer and Matisse, not as deserved, due to cheating) to win talent show Britain's Got Talent in 2012, and performing for the Queen at the Royal Variety Performance, and then they decided to give the dog a bone, well, a movie. Basically Pudsey the Dog (himself, voiced by BGT judge David Walliams) is a cheeky Border Collie, Bichon Frise and Chinese Crested powderpuff cross who walks off a movie set after being fired for causing havoc. He now walks the streets of London, but he is a happy stray lone ranger looking out for himself, but occasionally using his ability to walk on his hind legs and jumping skills to save the day. One day Pudsey meets siblings Molly (Izzy Meikle-Small), George (Spike White) and Tommy (Malachy Knights), he helps them rid of some school bullies, the three children take the dog home with them, but their mother Gail (Jessica Stevenson/Hynes) will not allow them to keep him. Pudsey is given to an eccentric woman who wants to dye his fur pink and do other horrible things, like she has to her poodles, but as Pudsey is specially trained he is able to open the door and escape, the poodles escape with him. Pudsey jumps into a white van to hide, this turns out to be the van moving his three friends to a new house in the countryside, in the village of Chuffington. The landlord Mr. Thorne (John Sessions), with his cat Faustus (Lorraine Kelly), appears friendly on the outside, but in fact he is an evil man scheming to destroy the house and the entire village to build a corporate construction. Pudsey stumbles upon this plan and tries to warn the family, but he caught and taken to the dog pound, however with the other doggie prisoners he is able to create a diversion plan, and they dig their way out. In the end the plans of Mr. Thorne are thwarted and he is arrested, and Pudsey is finally welcomed by Gail into the family and praised as a hero. Also starring Olivia Colman as Nelly the Horse, Jim Tavaré as Dog Catcher, Peter Serafinowicz as Edward the Horse, Dan Farrell as Ken the Pig and Finn the Dog. BGT judge Amanda Holden as Sally the Dog and Ashleigh Butler (Pudsey's trainer) as Anabella the Cow, she can also be seen in scenes towards the end. There is no denying Pudsey is an adorable animal, a dog who can dance and perform well, but his cuteness cannot be extended into a full length film, he is a bit of a one-trick puppy here, the story is predictable, the special effects for the animals to talk are wasted, and the jokes fall flat most of the time, this will certainly appeal to children and Simon Cowell, but many adults will be disappointed in this lacklustre family comedy. Adequate!

Not a great movie by conventional standards, but kids will love the charming mutt at its heart.

[shawneofthedead · 4/10 · 3 September 2014]

It is, indeed, the end of days. A dancing dog won a reality television show (Britain's Got Talent), and is now starring in his own feature film. HIS OWN FEATURE FILM. The thought of it is appalling - and, strictly speaking, so is the resulting film. As you might expect from a movie rushed into production to cash in on a phenomenon, Pudsey The Dog: The Movie isn't particularly well-written and is occasionally quite terrible. All that being said, however, there's also no denying that the mutt at the heart of this enterprise has a charm all his own, and will likely win over most kids watching the film.

The plot, such as it is, goes something like this: Pudsey (voiced by comedian David Walliams) acts in the movies, but really longs to find a family of his own. Fired from the set of a Hollywood film (insert great in-joke here for fans of black-and-white classic The Thin Man), Pudsey encounters a set of three children - quirky Molly (Izzy Meikle-Small), quippy George (Spike White) and quiet Tommy (Malachy Knights) - just as their mom, Gail (Jessica Hynes), has decided to move the entire family to the countryside to start a new life. Still reeling from the loss of their dad, the three kids find comfort in Pudsey's steadfast friendship. But life in their new village remains complicated by Mr. Thorne (John Sessions), their creepy landlord who detests dogs and is keen to monetise the land upon which their cottage sits.

This all plays out in predictable ways: Molly learns to embrace her own weirdness; Tommy finds his voice again; Pudsey spins, dances, mucks about in a giant pie and generally saves the day. We've seen it all before, and odds are we've seen it done better than it is here. There are jokes which fall disappointingly flat, and jokes made in awkwardly bad taste - most of which revolve around Ken (voiced by Dan Farrell), a pig who believes himself to be a chicken laying an egg. This is the thinly-disguised reason to stuff the film full of genuinely awful poop jokes that will test the patience of even the most forbearing of audience members.

And yet, mediocre as Pudsey resolutely remains, the film is also broadly watchable. Kids will love Pudsey, and adults - especially as the credits roll - will gain an appreciation of just how difficult it was to capture the right shots of the dog to lend emotional weight to the film. The cast is actually fairly decent, even though they're all playing second fiddle to Pudsey. Knights, in particular, stands out among the younger actors, while fans of British television will enjoy Hynes' work as always, even while lamenting the fact that she doesn't get much to do. Sessions, who is forced into any number of odd costumes for dubious comic effect, soldiers through his scenes with remarkable fortitude, which - given the ignominies to which he is subjected - is deserving of its own odd sort of respect.

Not by any means a very good film, Pudsey nevertheless muddles along in a (mostly) inoffensive way. It's hardly great art, and it's tough not to be bitterly cynical about the reasons as to why it was made. But, for all that, this is a film made for children and, in this regard, it succeeds reasonably well. Kids will identify with the trials and tribulations of their counterparts in the movie, and will no doubt adore the antics of Pudsey and the rest of the animal cast. The grown-ups in the audience might chafe at the bit after a while, but even they are given a couple of chuckle-worthy, properly surreal moments to enjoy as the film trundles along.

There didn't even try.

[MattBrady099 · 1/10 · 11 November 2014]

The one thing that I can't stand about these kids movies is that they treat the children and us like idiots and nothing else.

The story is about a cheeky London stray dog, Pudsey, who is quite happy being a lone ranger, looking out for number one, until he meets siblings Molly, George and Tommy. After losing their father, their mother Gail is moving the family to the sleepy village of Chuffington and Pudsey tags along, to the dismay of their landlord, Mr. Thorne, and his cat Faustus.

Pudsey the Dog: The Movie sounds like a bad idea on paper. I bet the writer's of this movie were sitting down planing this movie and said to each other...

Vertigo Films Producer: "We need to make money and fast, but we are all out of ideas. Horrid Henry: The Movie was a flop and so was Top cat. Wait a minute! what about that dog that can stand on it's two feet? yeah Let's put that dog from Britain's Got Talent into let's give him a movie and let's make him as annoying as possible".

And after seeing it on the big screen... it's a disaster of a film. Pudsey the Movie is a film that will turn your brain into mash, because of it's awful scenes of humor.

The all movie treat's kids and the viewing auditions with no respect and I just hate it when they do that. The soundtrack to this movie (He's Got The Love!) is the most annoying, headache soundtrack that I've ever heard this year. David Walliams voice acting in this movie wasn't good at all. Walliams felt miss cast and they could have picked a better voice actor than Walliams. The directing was bad, the effect's looked really fake and cheap.

Pudsey the Movie is like a big middle finger to the auditions who love movies.

Great children's film

[sue-harper-55657 · 8/10 · 8 November 2015]

What is the matter with people? This is a very entertaining film for children, I enjoyed it too. I agree when you know that it is a talking dog film, what do you expect? Simple and easy to follow storyline for all ages of children to enjoy and understand. The characters are not complex but are made interesting and it is clear that good can overcome bad. Pudsy himself. Is a bit underused as it is not a dancing dog film, although he does dance quite entertainingly a couple of times. The poor reviews that I found on here did put me off buying the DVD. I did buy it when it was reduced. Now I wish that I had never looked at the reviews because it is a much loved film and we could have been watching it before. It would be useful if the only people who reviewed children's films were the ones who watched with children and with children in mind.

Enjoyable for Kids

[loughreyjoe · 7/10 · 2 August 2014]

Brought 4 kids to this movie today aged 4 -8. They enjoyed it, even the 8 year old who protested about wanting to see something with more action.

Nothing mind blowing for adults, don't expect any intricate plots or complex characters but from a child's point of view, talking animals, slapstick and adults acting silly is perfect entertainment. My 4 year old boy especially finds the cinema a bit intimidating but he loved it.

Story is simple enough, family relocating to rural area following death of their father encounters greedy landlord with evil plans. Landlord does not like dogs...you see where this is going.

An afternoon well spent. Innocent fun.

Great heartwarming movie with some innovation and a lot cuteness

[supermaggie · 10/10 · 10 April 2016]

What's with the haters??? This is a dog movie/ a children's movie, and a cute one, so why all this slamming? Eli Roth and Quentin Tarantino are perverts, the makers of AHS are sadistic and disrespectful to foreign nations and people in general, Scorsese is cold as ice and consequently his characters are the same - but all you are bitching about is a cute, little dog who was in some talent show and then got a movie of his own? What in heaven's name is bad about this??? People really are sick. And the movie is a cute, entertaining, funny, heartwarming flick with - sure, some clichés (it's a children's movie!!), but also a lot of originality, innovative fun, great camera work and makes you smile and feel good - can't say this about the critically acclaimed and popular "filmmakers" I mentioned above!!! Best idea to give Pudsey his own movie, keep up with the good work!!!

Just fun !

[cekadah · 7/10 · 31 December 2014]

It's a talking dog movie - what do people expect?

Here Pudsey deals with no end of wacky characters - both people and other dogs. And then throw in a pig that thinks it's a chicken! How anyone can't laugh through this silliness is a wonderment to me.

Fun and adventure for a dog that wants to be with a good family and the dog becomes a local hero! That's how complex this story is.

It's a talking dog movie! Nothing profound happens here - it's all for fun and laughs.

Watch it - and go with the silly!

It's not just for kids!

Amazing

[jackansell · 10/10 · 27 February 2021]

Great film for everyone and a nice plot with a cool dog