Think Like A Dog

Cert PG; Lionsgate digital download

Even the most cynical film lover would be hard pushed to disagree that everything’s better with dogs. As characters in kids’ films, they’re loyal, hilarious and unselfconscious, while providing a fun conduit for the projection of all manner of chucklesome human inclinations.

This family comedy does a fine job of mixing the cuteness with lots of sassy laughs. It does this by not only dubbing a disreputable voice (Todd Stashwick) on to a labradoodle called Henry, but also allowing the pooch to converse with his 12-year-old best pal Oliver (Gabriel Bateman, above).

Oliver, you see, is a tech wizard who experiments with an invention that allows him to read thoughts. An accident with the device results in a telepathic link with Henry. With his parents (Josh Duhamel and Megan Fox) hitting a bad patch in their relationship and a tech giant closing in to steal Oliver’s invention, Henry becomes not only a voice of wisdom but also a heroic partner.

Writer-director Gil Junger dishes up some canny comedy dialogue for Henry, who naturally steals the show. That said, Bateman’s fresh-faced sweetness is a charming counterpoint to the boldness.