Plot: An abused beagle runs away from his abuser owner. He then runs into Marty (Blake Heron), who takes the dog in. Ray's stern father (Michael Moriarty) won't let him keep the dog because it belongs to a local hunter, who abuses the dog that Ray names Shiloh. Shiloh is returned to his owner, but runs away again and Marty hides him, knowing his father will never allow him to keep Shiloh. Will Marty be able to save Shiloh?
Review: The minute you hear that this is a movie about a boy and a dog, you think you know what you're gonna get. That it's the same story that's been done to death. But I think a great majority of you would be wrong and surprised by the direction the movie takes in it's plot, characters and themes.
What works about the film's plot is that it takes you by complete surprise. Because it's a story of a boy and a dog, you expect the story to be about if the boy will get the dog. But it's not entirely so. The film's story (based on the award-winning novel by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor) is about whether or not the boy deserves the dog.
The family film deals with a wide variety of mature themes: taking responsibility, property, growing up, doing what you think is right and stand by it, and the strong bond kids have with pets. The story is about a boy who loves a dog so much that he cannot bear to see it being abused, mistreated by its owner. So he's willing to do anything at all to save him. The plot deals with all of these themes amazingly well and it blends together perfectly.
So that leads to many questions. Is this young boy mature enough to handle the responsibility of a pet? He loves the dog but is he ready and grown up enough for it? The dog belongs to someone else, but because he treats Shiloh better than the actual owner, does it give him the right to claim the dog? This is one of few family films that I can remember that makes you question and makes you think. Because Marty is the representation of one side of the discussion, whilst Marty's father is the other side of the topic.
I watched this movie a lot when I was younger. And I only watched it again recently and I realized how incredibly mature and heartbreaking the movie actually is.
I honestly can't think of a family-orientated film that handles these kinds of mature topics that some family movies would try to avoid because it would be taboo or the kids would find it too sad. It is a sad movie. It's not that entirely uplifting for the most part. It deals with the real aspects of life and all of the themes that I mentioned above from a kid's perspective.
The film's acting is terrific. Blake Heron I thought was very good and held his own in this. Michael Moriarty is fantastic in this. I didn't like his character for most the film, but he still sells it. Ann Dowd plays Marty's mom and I thought she played the torn mother and wife perfectly as she sides with her husband, but agrees with her son. Scott Wilson plays Judd, Shiloh's abusive owner. He is a completely unsympathetic character. I didn't like him at all. But Wilson is great.
Shiloh is one of those movies that you think is going to be something but it takes you by complete surprise. Shiloh is an incredibly moving and inspiring film.
Rating: 4.5/5
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