TheLittleSongbird 'Hotel for Dogs' this reviewer didn't find to be a great film, but there is far worse to choose from out there.'Hotel for Dogs' was basically nothing more or less than a harmless diversion, that knew what it wanted to be and who it was aiming for (though for a family film, children are more likely to enjoy it more than adults).There is a good deal to like about 'Hotel for Dogs', as well as an equal amount of not-so-good things. The star of the film is the dogs, who are simply adorable and very well-trained, loved the scenes and tricks with them that were adeptly choreographed, entertaining and cute. One of the film's highlights was the climactic escape across the city, which was quite exciting and paced in a very spirited way.It's a good-looking film too, while the photography and editing are not award-worthy as such the film flows well visually and narratively and it's very nicely photographed. The locations and settings are beautifully done too. John Debney's score has the right amount of the rousing, the whimsical and the sentimental, with some sweet song choices.Generally the dogs are more interesting than the humans, but Jake T. Austin and Emma Roberts are spirited, charming and compassionate child leads and Don Cheadle brings splendid dignity and compelling charisma to the most reasonable of the human characters, making the most of his very heartfelt speech (which will delight many people, but may be too much for the cynics). The message is well-meaning and heart-warming However, the rest of the cast don't make much of an impression in pretty depth-less stereotypical roles and with too many instances of weak, trite dialogue. The rest of the children are not as natural in their presence or comic timing, which come over as forced and trying too hard.Kevin Dillon and Lisa Kudrow over-compensate badly (and often embarrassingly) as the foster parents (particularly Kudrow, who proved herself very funny and often hilarious and a scene stealer on 'Friends') and the dog catchers are just annoying and there isn't much need for them other than being a plot device.While there are amusing, never hilarious, and touching moments, and many cute ones with the dogs, they don't come consistently. Laughs generally, in number and size, were lacking, and 'Hotel for Dogs' does fall into danger of being on the too-sentimental-and-contrived side. The story, while swiftly paced and with a number of nice scenes (apart from suffering from a slow and uninteresting start), is predictable, contrived and too good to be true, the very idealistic view of the adoption system may not worry people too much (there were some genuinely affecting parts still, if in a disarming way) but how things are so easily and conveniently wrapped up by the end is very likely to do. This reviewer found it an ending smelt from miles away, and even then still found it too easy and convenient.All in all, harmless and inoffensive diversion, not bad, but not great. 5/10 Bethany Cox

vchimpanzee Andi and Bruce keep getting moved from one foster family to another. Their current situation isn't ideal--Lois and Carl are rock musicians who don't really seem to care about the kids--but social worker Bernie warns that if they can't make this family work, the siblings will be split up. That is absolutely unacceptable, so the kids have to try to make this work. I wonder--might Bernie and his wife Carol, a teacher, consider taking the kids? No, a social worker can't rescue every problem child. It's too much to ask.One problem that could end their time with the rockers--Andi and Bruce have a dog which they are trying to keep hidden. If their dog gets caught, it gets sent to the pound, where the employees are all too eager to get rid of excess dogs--if you know what I mean.One day the dog escapes into the abandoned Sir Francis Drake Hotel. Several stray dogs are living there. The kids realize what they have to do to keep their dog. Bruce is a genius who can design science projects that would surely win at science fairs. With a friend who works in a pet store, the kids turn the place into a real "hotel for dogs", with lots of Rube Goldberg gadgets to meet the dogs' every need. Other dogs are brought in from elsewhere, but ...You just know this isn't legal. And if the cops and the evil dogcatchers ever find out what's going on ...This is an okay movie, with some amazing work by the dogs. Some of it is surely CGI, but the dogs are very well trained.Emma Roberts is good, and the gadgets are great. No, none of this is realistic, but it's a kids' fantasy. And wait until you see all the dogs running down the street! Yes, it had to happen in a movie like this.Don Cheadle is a better actor than this, but it's okay. He doesn't have to limit himself to Oscar-quality material. Instead, he can help to make movies like this better. And he does.I couldn't stand Lisa Kudrow or Kevin Dillon. Anything that could make their lives miserable made me happy.This is a family movie. Sure, that means bathroom humor, but there's nothing really bad here.It's not brilliant, but it's good clean family fun.

blazesnakes9 Hotel for Dogs started out like a charming family film that turns into a downhill movie so fast that at the end of the movie, I didn't much care for the movie itself. Hotel for Dogs stars Emma Roberts and Jake T. Austin as foster kids going through Social Services. With a empty heart of love toward their surrounding, since they leave in a harsh environment. So, they run away and they find a rundown, abandon hotel. After finding the hotel, they soon capture puppies and dogs. But, that's where the story is certainly about. These kids picking dogs that are strays. Now, after seeing this movie, I started wondered what would happened if they got caught for stealing dogs,especially stray dogs. Hotel for Dogs has a heart for kids and animal-lovers, but to me, I was thinking about that statement in my head. In other words, this movie said, "It's OK to pick up stray dogs on the streets, alleyways and vacant lots." That is a wrong message, especially in a kids movie. All in all, Hotel for Dogs is a film that tried hard to be good, but leaves a skid mark behind. ★★ 2 stars.

mattkratz This was a truly funny movie that was obviously aiming for the younger set, but just about everyone will find much to like. Emma Roberts, Jake T. Austin, and Don Cheadle were perfectly cast as the kids and social worker assigned to their case. The kids are orphans living with a foster family, and they continuously run scams (which is running them out of options and pushing Cheadle to the limit) and can't let their families know that they have a dog. They go to great lengths to hide it, which often get hilarious. After finding a bunch of strays and an abandoned hotel, well, you can probably guess what happens next. Some teenaged employees at a local pet store (and Cheadle too) get involved and wind up helping. This was a funny and fun movie that will appeal to just about everyone, and I recommend it. You will not regret watching this.*** out of ****