A Very underrated pic

I'm 27-years old and watching this movie for the very first time; I'm totally super-sensitive when it comes to animals (I can't even watch the shows involving the ASPCA because it totally wrecks me to see how people can treat such helpless companions, dogs, cats, birds, what-have-you!) so, I've done nothing but cry throughout this movie and it doesn't help that I'm totally sick with the flu right now, haha!

The mobster part of the movie doesn't really mesh well with the animal-little girl bonding story, though it helps with how far this dog is willing to go to show his appreciation to the one human being who's treated him well, with kindness and love.

Best quote of this whole movie --John Travolta says to his 10-year old daughter, "C'mon! I'll buy you a goddamn hot dog or something!"

I saw this very moving film for the first time today (June 21, 2008). My DP put it on and by the time the doberman was being "disposed of" I asked him to switch to something else. It was too intense for me, by then. We returned to it a short time later (I wanted to see the animal survive, at least!), and I was hooked to the very end. The movie was raw and warm. It had ugly truth and wrenching sentimentality. It puts your emotion, your skepticism and your common sense on a mental roller-coaster. What a ride!

I can't believe that I had never heard of this fine John Travolta film before now. My hat is off to him and everyone who worked hard to make this film. You only have to have heart to love it.

John Martin, 46, Fort Worth