Wikipedia

See Spot Run

This article is about the film. For the catchphrase, seeDick and Jane.For the Canadian rock band, seeSee Spot Run (band).

See Spot Runis a 2001 Americancomedy filmdirected byJohn Whiteselland starringDavid Arquette,Michael Clarke Duncan,Leslie Bibb,Joe Viterelli,Angus Jones,Anthony Anderson,Steve Schirripa,andPaul Sorvino.It is about a mailman who takes in a straybullmastiff,thetitularSpot, only to discover he is a trainedFBIdog who escaped from a witness protection program and is targeted for attacking a crime boss.

See Spot Run
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJohn Whitesell
Screenplay by
Adaptation by
Story by
  • Andrew Deane
  • Michael Alexander Miller
  • George Gallo
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyJohn S. Bartley
Edited byCara Silverman
Music byJohn Debney
Production
companies
Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures
Release date
  • March 2, 2001(2001-03-02)
Running time
97 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$16 million
Box office$43 million[1]

Plot

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Agent 11 is a crime-fighting bullmastiff used by the FBI; he partners with his master, Murdoch, inSeattle,Washington. As they go after the Mafia boss, Sonny Talia, Agent 11 attacks him and rips off one of histesticles.Sonny is taken to the hospital to have it surgically replaced. As payback, he sends his two bodyguards, Gino and Arliss, to kill Agent 11. For protection, Agent 11 is sent to a training facility inAlaska.

After Agent 11 escapes from Sonny's henchmen who were about to kill him, he meets Gordon Smith, who works as amailman.Gordon dislikes dogs and has volunteered to take care of James McGuire, the young son of his neighbor, Stephanie, who has left in a hurry to go on a business trip. Gino and Arliss have continued their search for Agent 11, whom James names "Spot." Agent 11 does not want to catch balls or Frisbees because Murdoch told him not to play when he was a puppy, but he eventually starts to do so with Gordon and James like a normal dog. Later, Gino and Arliss try to kill him while he is with Gordon and James at a pet store, but he outsmarts them.

When the FBI finds out that Spot is living with Gordon, they take him back. He escapes and finds Gordon and James again. Sonny returns and attempts to kill him, but is outsmarted, captured, and imprisoned. Meanwhile, Stephanie's flight is cancelled and she is forced to come back home. Whilst making her way back home, she is drenched in mud, splashed with dirty pothole water and farted on by a Zebra whilst holding a lit match.

The FBI agents try to take Spot back, but in the end they decide to let him choose with whom he wants to live. He chooses Gordon and James, although he gives Murdoch a goodbye lick. A filthy and slightly burnt Stephanie returns and is very upset with Gordon for what had happened, but James convinces her that Gordon is a good guy, and they end up together.

One of the film's last scenes is of Sonny in prison, his testicles having been replaced by metal balls (the other one having also been ripped off by Spot) that constantly clack together. One inmate calls him "Music Man", and he threatens, in a higher voice, "I'm gonna catch you in the yard. We're gonna settle this man to man!"

Cast

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Production

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See Spot Runwas entirely shot inVancouver,British Columbia,Canadafrom June 12 to August 7, 2000.

Reception

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The film received negative reviews.Review aggregatorRotten Tomatoesreports a score of 23% based on 77 reviews, with an average rating of 3.9/10. The site's consensus states that it "has all the elements children enjoy in a movie: a lovable dog, bad things happening to stupid adults, and lots of dog poop. For adults, it's either hit-or-miss".[2]OnMetacritic,the film holds aweighted averagescore of 24 out of 100 based on 23 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[3]Audiences polled byCinemaScoregave the film an average grade of "A-" on an A+ to F scale.[4]

Roger Ebertgave the film 1 1/2 out of 4 stars. Nell Minow ofCommon Sense Mediawas concerned about the movie’s excessive use of adult humor in a PG rated movie as described "Too dumb and too vulgar for anyone".[5]

Home media

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See Spot Runwas released onVHSandDVDbyWarner Home Videoon August 28, 2001.

Soundtrack

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  1. "Atomic Dog"-George Clinton
  2. "Can't Smile Without You"-Barry Manilow
  3. "Bust a Move"-Young MC
  4. "Dog" - Milo Z
  5. "At Last"-Etta James
  6. "Mr. Sandman"-The Chordettes
  7. "Hampster Dance"-Hampton the Hampster
  8. "For Once in My Life"-Stevie Wonder
  9. "As Long as You're Loving Me"-Vitamin C

Box office

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The film opened at #3 at the North American box office making $9.7 millionUSDin its opening weekend, behindHannibalandThe Mexican,which opened at the top spot. Despite this, it was a success and went on to gross over $43 million worldwide, in part because the film featured the first trailer for the already-heavily-anticipatedHarry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

References

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  1. ^See Spot RunatBox Office Mojo
  2. ^"See Spot Run".Rotten Tomatoes.Fandango Media.Retrieved2019-09-15.
  3. ^"See Spot Run Reviews".Metacritic.Fandom, Inc.RetrievedJune 27,2023.
  4. ^"Home".CinemaScore.Retrieved2023-06-27.
  5. ^"See Spot Run".Common Sense Media.
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