IMDb > Hotel for Dogs (2009)
Hotel for Dogs
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Hotel for Dogs (2009) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 49 | slideshow) Videos (see all 32)
Hotel for Dogs (2009) -- A group of kids secretly turn a vacant hotel into a shelter for stray dogs.
Hotel for Dogs (2009) -- Clip: Inventions
Hotel for Dogs (2009) -- Behind the scenes: Big dog little dog
Hotel for Dogs (2009) -- Interview: Don Cheadle "On his character and making a movie his kids can see"
Hotel for Dogs (2009) -- This is the first theatrical trailer for Hotel for Dogs, directed by Thor Freudenthal.

IMDb Holiday Movie Guide

Overview

User Rating:
4.7/10   3,640 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 14% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers (WGA):
Jeff Lowell (screenplay) and
Robert Schooley (screenplay) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for Hotel for Dogs on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
16 January 2009 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
No stray gets turned away more
Plot:
Two kids secretly take in stray dogs at a vacant hotel. full summary | full synopsis
NewsDesk:
(107 articles)
Black Friday Movie Deals: Walmart
 (From Cinematical. 23 November 2009, 5:35 PM, PST)

Forget the Oscars, the Fidos are best in show | Charles Gant
 (From The Guardian - Film News. 23 November 2009, 5:14 AM, PST)

User Comments:
The dogs were amusing, the people less so more (42 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Das Hundehotel (Germany)
more
MPAA:
Rated PG for brief mild thematic elements, language and some crude humor.
Runtime:
100 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Company:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The novel upon which this movie is based was first published in 1971. more
Goofs:
Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): (At 47:00) Heather is trying to coax the three legged dog onto the ramp, she then praises him saying "good boy". Then at the end (at 1:22:00) Bernie calls her "Chelsea". more
Quotes:
Andi: You know, I think we might be in a little over our heads.
Dave: It's four-six; we're out dogged.
more
Movie Connections:
Soundtrack:
My New Best Friend more

FAQ

Is "Hotel for Dogs" based on a novel?
How closely does the movie follow the novel?
A Note Regarding Spoilers
more
31 out of 42 people found the following comment useful.
The dogs were amusing, the people less so, 11 January 2009
6/10
Author: Jim T from United States

I saw a preview of this film with kids 6, 7 and 12. We are a dog-loving family, so perhaps we were biased to enjoy the film. That said, we were split on our review. The adults and 12 year old were bored; the two youngsters were thrilled! Hence the score of 6.

Overall, this was a harmless movie featuring a few humans and many trained dogs. It was sugary and nice - there was no real threat anywhere in the film of something bad happening (thus it is kid-safe for very young kids). And they've reduced the idea of foster homes down to a concocted McNugget of a concept. My younger kids didn't even follow that theme at all.

What they did follow, and what I found most redeeming, were the numerous cutesy dog tricks and toys. The creators of the film did a nice job inventing clever ways to mechanize the caring for dogs (think the breakfast scene in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang). That was fun. And the dogs were cute.

For me the drawbacks were these: Slow start, unfunny 'comic' characters - like the foster parents and dog catchers, and a lame plot.

But ultimately - we had a nice outing, and you will too. And you will emerge from the film MORE likely to go get a dog of your own.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (42 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Hotel for Dogs (2009)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
They should have used mutts kaykay8542
Being in REAL animal rescue.... luvtrav
Lisa Kudrow's really aged Loops2112
HELP with Romeo Gizmo-1375
Dog breeds? lkaijane
Which dog(s) in the movie were your faves? lorireece1
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