MBF: Man's Best Friend (2019) User Reviews

I thought the movie was enjoyable

[masonidaho2010 · 7/10 · 17 July 2023]

Good movie. But they left a little bit of a cliffhanger at the very end.

The movie has a spiritual aspect to it. But it is not preachy. People pray in the movie.

There is a cemetery scene.

It does have some life lessons in it.

The movie would be a good film to have a family watch together.

The rating for the movie is due to a little bit of violence. But the language was pretty decent.

They did use the name of the Lord in vain a couple times.

There is the insult of word "retard" used in the movie several times.

I enjoyed seeing Don most in the movie.

Warning, there are several mentions of dead dogs in the movie.

extremely weak plot, stereotypical cardboard characters

[lequan-90829 · 2/10 · 27 February 2020]

Let's ignore the poor production quality, awkward sloppy editing, and the inept acting. These are most likely due to a lack of funding which results in cutting corners in production. Simply put, it looks like they didn't have enough of a budget to take the time and effort to create a quality product. Instead, we will look at the story itself, which one cannot blame on a lack of money. Once you finish watching this movie and you are even semi conscious, you will be asking yourself several questions. Why are all of the military characters unblemished and flawless? Does military service do this to people? Or is this meant to be a flag waving patriotic message? Conversely, why are all the villains so shallowly bad? They hate the protagonist and the military in general for no particular reason. Why? Again, is this some sort of "if you don't fully support the military" you're a really bad guy? This kind of thing is pure wartime propaganda that this country has thankfully outgrown. In general, every character in this small town is either good or bad, pure or corrupt, without dimension, nuance, or depth. They often spend a great deal of the movie spewing "info dumps" (good movies show not tell) rather than acting. This adds to the already poor performances we are forced to watch. I will finish by asking two more questions. Why does a man who could hear his whole life, but recently lost his hearing, talk like someone who was born deaf? That's not what happens. Secondly, why didn't the writer do a bit of research on how things really work in court? From the female lawyer's inappropriate dress to long winded proselytizing from the witness stand, it is obvious that the only experience the writer has had with the justice system is watching court scenes in movies and TV shows.

Great Movie

[cawjr · 10/10 · 15 September 2019]

A great movie from the beginning to the end. Very moving story with plenty of life lessons and social awareness. Everyone I brought to the World Premiere loved this movie and some were tearing up several times. Definitely a good family movie, a watch when you get the chance.

unbelievably bad

[xbgxtmpxabh · 2/10 · 9 April 2020]

Just watched this in quarantine. It is unbelievably bad. But what about all the glowing reviews here on imdb that use words like "fantastic," "wonderful" "powerful," or "blown away?" When ever you see so many rave reviews for a small indie movie such as this you can be sure that those reviews are friends of the people who made this. trust me, none of those words accurately describe this movie. If I had to pick one word to sum it up that word would be "poor." A poor story made worse by poor acting. I understand that this was shot on a small budget. This movie just screams low budget. But that's why I gave it a two, just because they put the effort in and completed it. However, a limited amount of money has nothing to do writing a good story or creating good performances.

Solid acting from journeymen and up-an-coming actors!

[joevet-53877 · 8/10 · 15 September 2019]

A story that needed to be told! And Anthony Hornus and DJ Perry told it well. They put together a great group of actors, and their dedication to the story and their craft came through on the screen. The focus on the dogs was a wonderful medium to get the larger problem brought to light. I liked it a lot, and I am looking forward to the DVD so I can see it again, and share it with my grandchildren.

ponderous message

[pushtmpivlo · 3/10 · 21 July 2021]

If they spent more than 20 grand on this they wasted their money. My god this movie just screams "NO BUDGET!" Every take looks like it was the only one they shot. The crappy editing either points to a a careless and clueless attitude, or possibly it is simply a reflection of the fact that there were not enough takes to choose from. Each and every character has the emotional depth and nuance of a sledge hammer. The only aspect that is crystal clear about this movie is the message itself. However, the message could have been presented in about a tenth of the time, preferably as a documentary. Why is it that these ponderous message movies are so incredibly bad? It appears that the producers of these faith films cannot learn that simple fact that beyond your "IMPORTANT MESSAGE" the movie should actually be good.

A HIT!

[steveaundrea · 9/10 · 15 September 2019]

An emotional tale, well acted and produced. Honestly, the best movie I have view this year. I am hopeful this production makes it well on the national stage. Many layers of thoughtful circumstances of everyday life. A must see!

nope

[koletmpnkiep · 2/10 · 10 May 2021]

You can see exactly what the producers were intending with this movie. After all, who doesn't love man's best friend? Who doesn't appreciate the sacrifice of our fighting men and women in service to our country. Mix up these two concepts and you've bound to tug at those heart strings, right? Nope. What went wrong? This artless faith feel good movie fails at every level; acting, plot, and photography all appear to be rushed, careless, and.unrefined. I would be surprised to find the actors were given more than one or two takes as their roles are weak and inconsistent. The story lacks any nuance or refinement, opting for shallow simplistic characters to carry the juvenile message. The photography shows a lack of insight as to how the camera can be used to support the story. It's obvious that the camera was haphazardly placed in any convenient location, with minimal movement after initial placement. This all makes for a painful viewing experience that I, hopefully, have helped you avoid.

Hallmark Channel level movie, but not nearly as good

[sofija-41293 · 15 November 2019]

This is sort of a Hallmark Channel level movie, but not nearly as good. It is way, way too long, unbelievably obvious in its over the top attempts to pull at your heart strings, and most importantly, creates an atmosphere of "false patriotism" would make any conservative proud to stand up, stomp up and down main street furiously waving the flag! Perhaps if they edited it down to a reasonable length, after all it's not Ben Hur. Perhaps if they didn't shove wounded soldiers and dogs down your throat with all the subtlety of a jackhammer. Perhaps if they didn't hide the real villains and their motives behind a vague faceless condemnation of the system that has forgotten these soldiers. Perhaps.

Insipid

[dominicmunoztmp · 2/10 · 31 March 2021]

Military good. Those against the military bad. This is how the entire movie is structured. The characters that have been in the military are all exemplary, forthright, noble, and of course physically and emotionally scarred from their experience. The bad/evil characters hate the military characters for some unspecified reason. Give us a reason! The whole story revolves around two dimensional bad "straw man" characters who face off against two dimensional noble warriors. That's as about as deep as it gets. No shades of grey, no possibility that soldiers might not all be that perfect. Now if that wasn't enough, top this all off with bland camera work, rushed acting jobs, and what must be a very limited budget. Lazy writing. Lazy directing. Pure patriotic garbage. Insipid.

Amazing film

[michaelssilas · 10/10 · 18 September 2019]

This movie does a great job of blending lots of messages that don't get talked about enough. PTSD, treatment of our wounded soldiers, the inhumane treatment of animals, etc are all covered in this movie. It's very tasteful and the writing and acting are just amazing. I urge anyone to check it out!

Rushed and slapped together

[daratmpgqzdc · 1/10 · 13 March 2021]

It's a sure bet that this entire film was shot in less than 30 days. Most likely even less than that. All of it looks rushed as if they didn't have time enough to develop the characters, establish thoughtful story enhancing uses for the camera, or promote any kind of artistry in this movie at all. Several scenes are blatantly obvious fist takes that the editor tried their best to cover up (it didn't work). The actor's dialog is stilted and lacks any kind of honesty and believability. The scenes are shot in a hodge podge way that feels hasty and careless. Nothing about this movie radiates any kind of finesse or workmanship. Instead one finishes this feeling that everything was slapped together, the whole goal being to simply finish it.

Great Movie

[tlt-03800 · 8/10 · 15 September 2019]

I enjoyed being at the World Premiere of this film, I was brought to tears more than once by the great storyline! I found the actors engaging, including Brown Boy! All in all a very good movie!

Great Movie!

[rushtonchalmer · 9/10 · 16 September 2019]

Lots of solid performances from some very talented folks, with a positive, and engaging storyline. It's a film that anyone can appreciate, but it'll hold some special appeal for those whom advocate for veterans and animals, especially dogs.

Amazing,

[carolann-65410 · 10/10 · 15 September 2019]

This movie made me laugh, cry, and I can say that this is the best movie I've seen in a long time. DJ Perry is an amazing writer, actor, producer and all-around extremely talented person.

All of the actors in this movie gave very captivating performances and dogs were so beautiful. This movie should be released throughout the country and DJ and this movie should be nominated for Academy Awards.

Powerful message!

[gonetothedogs-15928 · 9/10 · 20 September 2019]

The story that needed to be told and was done so in a thoughtful, provocative manner. The message and most of the scenes are so powerful that the one or two scenes that are too stereotypical are easily overlooked. I cried more than once - so will you!

Great Movie

[mikelm-82430 · 10/10 · 15 September 2019]

Very Moving Movie. Makes you think of what U.S. Veterans go through back in civilian life. I respect them but this movie upped my respect for them. Best movie that I have seen in a long time.

Moving Story

[glennmorten · 10/10 · 15 September 2019]

As a veteran and a dog lover, this movie really hits home. Looking forward to a national rollout as it is a must see. Nice tie in at the end...but I will not give it away.

Excellent movie

[corunnatim · 10/10 · 15 September 2019]

The movie was a great, the movie full filled the story line that it was all about. I would like to see the movie again and hope that it is shown at many movie theaters around the nation.

Fantastic

[kellymbrady · 10/10 · 16 September 2019]

This movie hit deep. The story is compelling, the acting top-notch and the musical score adds to the full-bodied emotions. I laughed, I cried - I wanted more. So many amazing performances in this piece - from DJ Perry's wounded vet, Tim Abell's grieving father (heart-wrenching), Paul's 'dream team' defense counselors Don Most and Curran Jacobs, the 'kids' and the rest -so believable and amazing. Stellar.

Compelling & Heartbreaking w/ Strong Messages

[blair-167-663935 · 10/10 · 20 September 2019]

"Man's Best Friend" truly touches one's heart. It's centered around the life of a disabled veteran who's love for dogs is both compelling and heartbreaking. This film should interest both male and female audiences... it involves war scenes, violence, the love of animals, human compassion, family interaction, and true-to-life present-day scenarios. With all combined, it creates several strong moral messages. It not only had an excellently written script, but it had fantastic craftsmanship throughout. The actors were extremely talented, camera angles were wonderful, lighting superb, and locations perfect. Cast, graphics, content, direction, writing... just everything was phenomenal. One could indeed see that "EVERYONE poured their heart and soul into this film". A Must See!

Wonderful Movie

[donnaopie · 10/10 · 16 September 2019]

A painfully accurate account of the challenges our veterans endure and how the very thing that can help them (dogs) also face similar challenges. Will definitely look forward to seeing this movie again!

Important Issues

[rky99 · 10/10 · 19 September 2019]

Included in this story are PTSD, animal cruelty, over crowded shelters, bullying, lack of empathy, service animals, and justice. Such an incredible story that takes you into a full circle that no one expected. So poignant and moving, it takes the viewer through so many emotions and perspectives. DJ Perry gives an amazing performance that had to be so difficult in so many ways. I was really impressed.

Blown away

[tdmrbusiness · 10/10 · 18 September 2019]

I can't speak enough on how amazing this movie was. If you love veterans and dogs, this movie is right for you.

This movie was incredible

[lkulp1-778-60806 · 10/10 · 15 November 2019]

I just had the absolute pleasure of watching this film. The story was incredible, I am an animal lover and supporter of out military veterans and this movie hit home in so many ways.I am in awe of DJ Perry, as both the lead character (Paul Lansing) and the writer of this film, in both regards he is brilliant. The cast was amazing, Shane Hagedorn as Deputy Palmer, Don Most as Ian Tapper, Melissa Anschutz as Lisa Bixby and Anthony Hornus as Glenn. Also kudos to Mr Hornus for also directing this fabulous cast. Last but not least Tim Abell as Robert Landings; he never ceases to amaze me. Tim is a powerful actor who makes you feel everything his character portrays. Please this movie is amazing and I hope you watch it and love it as much as I did