We watched this at Grandma's since we'd seen every other available kids movie 100 times. I think this if the first time I'd watched this film all the way through. I've seen it and it's sequels in parts many times on cable, but since I was too old for it when it originally came out, I don't think I ever bothered.

It's not bad for a kids movie. It's part of the series of Home Alone clones that John Hughes wrote and produced during the 90's; where kids, babies and/or animals beat up on mentally-challenged bad guys in slapsticky ways.

The story concerns a family of five accidentally adopting a st. bernard puppy,;the Type-A father wants the dog gone as soon as possible, but when no one comes to claim the dog, they're stuck with it as it outgrows and destroys their house. And of course some evil veterinarian and his bumbling henchmen have a nefarious and pointless plot to separate the dog from it's family; which the kids and dog foil in a "hilarious" fashion.

The usually funny Charles Grodin (what happened to him?) and the go to for "straight-man" mom Bonnie Hunt, make it worthwhile. It was fun to see David Duchovny, Oliver Platt, and Stanley Tucci show up in small roles. The obvious jokes are funny if you're watching from a kid's perspective. The filmmaking is at least competent, not grating in any manner. A decent way to waste 90 minutes.