Lassie (2005)

93% of critics liked it
(68 reviews)
51% of users liked it
(47,211 ratings)

Everyone's favorite collie returns to the screen -- and to her native home back in Britain -- in director Charles Sturridge's faithful adaptation of author Eric Knight's sentimental kid and canine novel Lassie Come Home. When Lassie saves a fox from the hunting hounds of the duke of Rudling (Peter… More Everyone's favorite collie returns to the screen -- and to her native home back in Britain -- in director Charles Sturridge's faithful adaptation of author Eric Knight's sentimental kid and canine novel Lassie Come Home. When Lassie saves a fox from the hunting hounds of the duke of Rudling (Peter O'Toole), the captivated nobleman becomes obsessed with the idea of purchasing the collie for his adoring granddaughter Cilla (Hester Odgers). Unfortunately for Rudling, the pooch already has a loving family in the form of kindly miner Sam Carraclough (John Lynch), his wife, Sarah (Samantha Morton), and their young son, Joe (Jonathan Mason). When Sam is laid off from his job, however, he is forced to sell the loyal dog to the duke in order to put food on the family table. Incensed at the dog's repeated attempts to escape and seek out her original loving family, the villainous duke charges kennel-keeper Eddie Hynes (Steve Pemberton) with the task of teaching Lassie how to stay as World War II looms ever more heavy on the horizon. When the dogs of war finally stop barking and start biting, Rudling beats a hasty retreat to the safety of northern Scotland with both the child and the canine. Realizing that her newfound companion is far from the people she cares about most, Cilla later helps her ever-loyal four-legged friend escape from the family's heavily fortified compound so that she may begin the 500-mile journey back home to Yorkshire. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 40 min.
Directed By: Charles Sturridge
Genres: Action & Adventure, Kids & Family

In Theaters: Sep 1, 2006 Wide
On DVD: Nov 14, 2006
Studio: Roadside/Samuel Goldwyn Films

Critic Reviews

Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune
Dog and movie lovers, take note: Lassie has come home.
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
It's a welcome throwback to the carefully crafted family films of the studio era.
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
I think just one of the best family films of the year.
Kathy Cano Murillo, Arizona Republic
Lassie proves to be top dog in her latest feature film.
Nancy Churnin, Dallas Morning News
...The collie that became a star back in 1943 can still make you cry and cheer in the all-new Lassie.
Dana Stevens, Slate
It's such a relief to settle into a film that lets dogs be dogs, children be children, and old-fashioned movies be old-fashioned movies.
Jane Boursaw, Common Sense Media
Schmaltzy return for classic cinema canine.
Simon Weaving, Screenwize
This story of a boy and his dog comes home to its roots in Yorkshire with a beautifully sensitive and traditional rendering. Using the original 1938 short story as its source, writer & director Charles Sturridge %u2013 best known for his superb work on Br
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
Writer/director Charles Sturridge adapts the heart-warming story with strict attention to its modest emotional underpinnings of family, devotion, and a beautiful collie.
Jeffrey Chen, Window to the Movies
An ode to the beleaguered people who face hardships, physical and emotional, with hopeful optimism.
Timothy Knight, Reel.com
A sweetly old-fashioned, tail-wagging charmer of a family film.
Ron Wilkinson, Monsters and Critics
Lassie déjà vu filmed in the magnificent British Isles with more than enough animal stampedes to enthrall an entire theatre of ten year olds, and their parents.
Steven D. Greydanus, Decent Films Guide
Knows that kids live in a grown-up world, that they are not isolated from such realities as unemployment or war, and can relate to the problems of adult characters as well as those of children and animals.
Daniel Eagan, Film Journal International
...an utterly beguiling success.
Rebecca Murray, About.com
Terrific performances by those with fur and without.
Scott Tobias, AV Club
If that doesn't bring a tear to your eye, then you're a robot with cross-wired circuitry.
Andy Klein, Los Angeles CityBeat
It plays your lacrimal glands like a violin, but honorably so.

Read all 17 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Directors C

It's well constructed and all but very much lacking the emotional depth I was expecting and hoping for. This was an unnecessary remake to begin with so it doesn't really have any real reason to exist. It also doesn't add anything new to the mix that the original already… More
It's well constructed and all but very much lacking the emotional depth I was expecting and hoping for. This was an unnecessary remake to begin with so it doesn't really have any real reason to exist. It also doesn't add anything new to the mix that the original already did and isn't as engaging or ambitous. There are a lot of good moments in the film and it's certainly not a bad one but it's not that amazing either. But hey dog lovers are going to love it and fans of the original will. But only because it's the same movie.
Dean M

I love the cute Collie dog and it looks familiar to the original one of adventure Lassie movie. (Disappointed again that DVD has no English substitles.)
Walter M

[font=Century Gothic]"Lassie" takes place in 1939 in Yorkshire, England where following his noticing the collie Lassie during a very wild fox hunt, a duke(Peter O'Toole) offers to buy the dog from a miner, Sam Carraclough(John Lynch), and his wife, Sarah(Samantha… More
[font=Century Gothic]"Lassie" takes place in 1939 in Yorkshire, England where following his noticing the collie Lassie during a very wild fox hunt, a duke(Peter O'Toole) offers to buy the dog from a miner, Sam Carraclough(John Lynch), and his wife, Sarah(Samantha Morton), but the dog is not for sale because of her strong attachment to their son, Joe(Jonathan Mason). But that changes after the mine closes and the family badly needs the money. Lassie has other ideas, making three escape attempts from the duke before being returned each time. Now, she is set to accompany the duke and his granddaughter, Cilla(Hester Odgers), several hundred miles to Scotland...[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]"Lassie" is an old fashioned and entertaining movie with a very good cast, the juvenile actors being especially impressive. Cameos from two of Scotland's national treasures and shots of the beautiful countryside do not hurt, either.[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]At the beginning of the film, there is a sense of class consciousness.(You cannot buy the love of a dog or anyone else for that matter which is a maxim the duke ignores.) Then, it gives way to the necessity of kindness and generosity in times of war.[/font] [font=Century Gothic]And what is it with Peter Dinklage and dogs lately?[/font]
Dannielle A

It was a splendid two hours of my life! I got choked up at the sad part and choked up at the joyful part. It was such a well-crafted masterpiece. Probably the best Lassie film I've seen.
William G

Old-fashioned and bound to be appreciated more by adults than by kids.

Cast

            Peter O'Toole as The Duke of Rudling

            Samantha Morton as Sarah Carraclough

            John Lynch as Sam Carraclough

            Peter Dinklage as Rowlie

            Steve Pemberton as Eddie Hynes

            Jemma Redgrave as Daisy

            Edward Fox as Colonel Hulton

            John Standing as Colonel French

            Gregor Fisher as Mapes

            Brian Pettifer as O'Donnell

            Kelly Macdonald as Jeanie

            Jamie Lee as Tom

            Robert Hardy as Mr. Justice Murray

            Nicholas Lyndhurst as Buckles

            Jonathan Mason as Joe Carraclough

            Hester Odgers as Cilla

            Gerry O'Brien as Watson

            Eamonn Hunt as Alf Patterson

            Jim Roche as Miner

            Gabrielle Lloyd as Miss Branson

            Paul Meade as Policeman

            Susie Lamb as Martha

            Terence Orr as Butler

            Alec Heggie as Truck Driver

            Finlay Welsh as Scottish Policeman

            May Veale Smith as Mother

            Samatha McShane as Nell

            Ken Drury as Campbell

            Robert Carr as McBane

            Angela Thorne as Doctor Gull

            Christine Ozanne as Martron

            Dermot Ward as Court Usher

            Alan Stanford as Defence Barrister

            David Parnell as Sergeant of the Court

            Celyn Jones as Snickers

            Peter Halliday as Vicar

            Peter Wight as Doctor Jarrett the Vet

            Ian Mercer as Yorkshire Policeman
See full cast