Let's hear it for Lassie, Rin Tin Tin, Old Yeller, Beethoven, Benji and Skip.

 Yes, Skip is the latest woofer to enter the ranks of canine movie heroes and he's a welcome addition.

 My Dog Skip is a warm, cuddly story of how a pet helped to turn a shy, outcast boy into a popular member of his small community.

 It's 1942. America is at war, and back in Yazoo, Miss., eight-year-old Willie Morris (Frankie Muniz) is embroiled in his own little war.

 Willie wants to be accepted by his classmates and the neighbourhood gang, but they tease him mercilessly.

 He's not just small but frail, and he's far from athletic.

 His mother Ellen (Diane Lane) is convinced he needs a dog, but his father Jack (Kevin Bacon) is adamant Willie is too young for such a huge responsibility. At first glimpse, Jack is just another stern, unbending father too wrapped up in his own misery to help with his son's pain.

 Bacon makes an ominous first impression, but this little movie is filled with character surprises. Few people are what they seem initially.

 Jack Morris really believes he is sparing his son a great deal of pain. As he points out, dogs can get hurt, sick or even killed.

 Jack lost a leg in an earlier war, which has left him feeling inadequate as a man and father. Secretly he blames himself for his son's failure at sports.

 Bacon gives a wonderfully nuanced performance, gaining respect with the audience just as Jack does with Willie. Willie eventually gets his dog, a Jack Russell terrier, and thus begins a touching and believable story of a boy and his dog.

 Skip is no Lassie saving neighbours from burning buildings, or Air Bud winning football and basketball games.

 Skip is simply devoted to Willie and he's such a cute friend that he wins points for Willie with everyone in town, including a sweet little girl (Caitlin Wachs).

 Willie and Skip endear themselves to children and adults alike, making My Dog Skip a true family film as opposed to a kiddie flick.

 This is laudable, but it also means that when Skip eventually dies of old age, it's going to be a difficult moment for younger children. They'll need an adult close at hand for reassurance and comfort.

 Then again, the adult will probably need to hold the child's hand for precisely the same reasons.

(This film is rated F)

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