See Spot Run

What's a children's movie without a boy and a dog? Throw in a boy-meets-girl scenario, and you're sure to have a winning formula. Well, you'll have a formula anyway.

In this case, our boy is cute little James (Angus T. Jones), son of young attractive single mother Stephanie (Leslie Bibb). They live in the same building as mailman Gordon Smith (David Arquette), a guy who some might say arrived with postage due. The beer drinking, junk food consuming couch potato dated Stephanie...once. Since then, he's tried relentlessly to convince her that he's not junk male. The day Stephanie has to leave town on a business trip and her babysitter is late, Gordon seizes the opportunity to prove his worth by offering to watch James for a few minutes. Seeing no other alternatives, Stephanie agrees.

The dog's name is Agent 11. Partnered with Agent Murdoch (Michael Clarke) of the FBI, the trained canine has broken up so many plans of crime boss Sonny (Paul Sorvino), that he's now a wanted dog. Put into the Witness Protection Program, Agent 11 should be headed for Alaska, but instead finds himself in Gordon's mail truck. Coincidentally, James is also along for the ride, because (surprise, surprise) the babysitter never shows up. Equally unpredictable is James' realization that the Bull Mastiff, whom he names Spot, could make a perfect pet. But even before discovering how sought after the animal is, Gordon, whose profession has prohibited positive pooch experiences, is reluctant to agree.

Children will likely laugh at bumbling crooks pursued by inept lawmen, but parents will find only stale material here. This stinky script (that ranks flatulence as funny) relies on slapstick schlock, like falling in doggie-do, or getting bit in the crotch and losing part of your anatomy.

Considering Gordon's lack of respect for Stephanie's parenting style, and that the couple is seldom seen together in this movie, putting the film's third class delivery of a happy ending into reality would result in an unavoidable sequel: See Stephanie Run.