Who let this dog out? No, seriously, why is Disney so dead set on remaking all its old classics when the classics were just fine to begin with--and readily available on DVD for any generation to watch? It's a rhetorical question, really, because the remake virus will most likely never be cured, so audiences just have to hope for a non-disaster when a new one comes around.
This retread passes the road test, but just barely, as heartless lawyer Tim Allen finds himself accidentally morphing into a canine at the most inconvenient moments. He learns from his fleas--the family confides in him as a dog, so he discovers he needs to be a better husband and father--and changes his ways after performing plenty of digitally enhanced stupid pet tricks. Young ones will squeal for Allen's ear-scratching antics, but their parents with fond memories of the original will itch from beginning to end.