Oh! Heavenly Dog
Seen it?1980 | 103 min | Comedy, Crime, Fantasy
Weeknight Watchearly ratingWhy it’s a Weeknight Watch
With a box office flop and middling reviews (41 on Metacritic), it's a mixed bag. Fine if it's on; don't plan your night around it.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- A natural pick for armchair detectives and anyone who's ever talked to their pet. It plays fair with the clues, so you can play along. Shelve it next to The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! or Family Plot. An animal steals a fair few scenes.
- The mood
- Light and funny.
- The pace
- Quick and easy-going, at 1 hr 43 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated PG. Worth a look first if you have very young kids.
- Not the pick if you want something heavy or meaningful.
Browning is a PI with a bad cold, who's sent to investigate a case by a mysterious client. He stumbles across the body of a young woman and is stabbed to death, and when he wakes up in heaven, they tell him he's "marginal material," and they can only decide on his final destination through one last assignment: to go back and solve his own murder. As a dog. A cute fluffy little dog (Benji). Undaunted, Browning begins to investigate the case as best he can around his canine disabilities (dialing the phone presents a special challenge) to solve the murders, save the girl, and see justice done.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsBelow par
41 on Metacritic
- AudiencesNot counted
Not measured yet: not enough ratings
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Box office & staying powerWeak
$6 million worldwide
- Buzz & cultural impactBelow par
About 22K people sought it out in the past year
More like this
Mr. Monk's Last Case: A Monk Movie
Sunday Safe BetAnother detective crime comedy, and a safe bet for a quiet night.
The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
Saturday SpecialAnother detective crime comedy, and a Saturday Special.
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective Weeknight WatchAnother detective crime comedy, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
Who's Harry Crumb? Weeknight WatchAnother detective crime comedy, though it's more of a weeknight watch.
Family Plot Saturday SpecialAnother detective crime comedy that's easy to miss.
Want more like this, picked just for you? Get my picks
Cast & crew
Directed by Joe Camp
- Chevy ChaseBrowning
- Jane SeymourJackie
- Omar SharifBart
- Robert MorleyBernie
- Lorenzo MusicHeavenly Public Address (Voice)
- Stuart GermainHiggins / Deaf Postie
- Alan SuesFreddie
- John StrideAlistair Becket
- Donnelly RhodesMontanero
- Barbara Leigh-HuntMargaret