Air Bud

Moviegoers and more than a few critics found much to enjoy in this Disney film about a lost dog named Buddy. The canine is befriended by a lonely boy and proceeds to become the star of the kid's junior high school basketball team. Demonstrating an abundance of on- and off-court agility, Buddy can dribble like a pro (no, not the wet kind of dribble), and he never misses a shot. Michael Jeter plays Buddy's original owner who returns to get his dog back (don't worry, he's an unworthy weasel), and director Charles Martin Smith brings a refreshing flair to the climactic basketball scenes. Air Bud was a modest hit for Disney, and the film's entertaining vitality gets a touch of poignancy from the fact that Lucky, the canine actor in the title role, died of cancer not long after the film was released. --Jeff Shannon

Theatrical International release dates:
Europe: Oct 23, 98
Australia: Apr 9, 98

Movie Details

Cast: Michael Jeter, Kevin Zegers, Wendy Makkena, Bill Cobbs, Eric Christmas, Jay Brazeau, Nicola Cavendish, Brendan Fletcher, Norman Browning, Stephen E. Miller, Shayn Solberg, Chris Turner, Christine Kennedy, Frank C. Turner, Marian Dodd
MPAA Rating: PG
Running time: 98 min
DVD Aspect Ratios: 1.33:1

International rating:

Europe: U

DVD International release dates:
North America: Feb 3, 98
Europe: Feb 4, 98

VHS International release dates:
North America: Sep 29, 98
Europe: Jun 21, 99