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My Dog Skip

Based on the autobiographical book by Willie Morris, the film is rated PG for some violent content and mild language. Frankie Muniz from the Fox hit sitcom, Malcolm in the Middle stars as Willie, a shy and somewhat geeky eight-year-old growing up in the sleepy town of Yazoo, Mississippi. Muniz, a theatrically trained actor, does a good job of portraying Willie and his southern accent is really pretty adorable.

An only child with no friends, Willie looks up to and confides in next-door neighbor Dink Jenkins, the town's star athlete. In the beginning of the movie Dink is shipped out to fight the Germans in WWII, destined to come home a hero.

Willie's father, Jack Morris (Kevin Bacon), a stern but good-hearted veteran who lost his leg in the Spanish Civil War, is chiefly responsible for Willie's overprotective upbringing.

Pushing in the other direction is his mother, Ellen Morris (Diane Lane), a capable woman who knows that what Willie needs most is a friend.

Willie's ninth birthday gives her an opportunity to offer him a friend, in the form of a Jack Russell terrier puppy that the delighted Willie names Skip. Skip's outgoing personality helps Willie to build a friendship with the prettiest girl in school Rivers Applewhite. Skip lends a paw after Willie is challenged by Big Boy Wilkinson, Henjie Henick and Spit McGee to prove his worth in a football game. With Skip's help they no longer think of Willie as a "sissy" and he starts becoming "one of the boys."

Dink unexpectedly returns to Yazoo. However, the unimaginable truth emerges - Dink went AWOL. In trying to reconcile his hero worship of the Dink he once knew with his disappointment in the disgraced soldier, Willie begins to contend with the complexities of war and human conduct. He reaches a new perspective on these matters with the help of his father.

After promising to make it to Willie's first baseball game, Dink fails to show up and the disappointed Willie takes it out on Skip, who runs away. The dog's disappearance and subsequent recovery teach Willie the strength of forgiveness and also gives Dink a chance to embrace the power of redemption.