In Finn on the Fly, twelve year old Ben Soledad moves to Port Hope, Ontario from Barcelona, Spain and his only friend is his Frisbee-loving dog Finn.  When Finn chases a cat during a walk with Ben, he ends up in the garage/laboratory of the neighborhood’s mad scientist who is creating a transmogrification serum.  A vial of that serum splashes all over Finn’s face and he wakes up human the next morning.  Chaos ensues as Ben convinces his parents that human Finn is really a cousin who had been scheduled to visit but was detained (unbeknownst to this remarkably clueless family) by homeland security.  Finn helps Ben gain acceptance at school by coaching his ultimate Frisbee team, but danger lurks as the mad scientist and her assistant try to capture Finn.  Ben must also decide whether or not to give Finn, who is not altogether happy in human form, the antidote that would return him to his happy-go-lucky former self.
 

The dogs, both the actual canines and comedian Ryan Belleville as the human Finn, are charming.  Kids will especially enjoy human Finn’s doggie antics and the requisite flatulence jokes.   Matthew Knight is endearing as the lonely and kind Ben and there is a gentle sweetness to the film that is appealing.  I like that the lessons about friendship, love, and packs aren’t overplayed and the film’s final scene left me smiling.  I’m torn on Ana Gasteyer (Saturday Night Live) as scientist Dr. Madsen.  For much of the movie she’s deliciously campy, but she occasionally crosses the line into obnoxious over-acting, and it’s jarring. 
 

Finn on the Fly is bloated, especially for a kid’s film.  The 101 minute running time could easily have been trimmed twenty minutes just by shortening the endless montages and cutting the uncomfortably out-of-place cousin Eddie is mistaken for a terrorist subplot.  The plot holes and inconsistencies are distracting even for children, stereotypes abound, and the production values are so low that the movie often feels more like a Nickelodeon show than a feature film.
 

For bonus features, there is the theatrical trailer and a ten minute “Fun with Finn” featurette that goes behind the scenes with the dogs and their wrangler. While I wish there had been more in-depth explanation of some of the techniques and hand signals used, this truly is a fun extra.  The dogs are adorable, and trainer Sheri Davis is heartbreakingly matter of fact as she explains how she gets her rescue animals.  There is also a (very) mini Finn comic included with the DVD and some fun bloopers run over the closing credits.
 

With its made for television feel, over the top antics, and too-long running time, Finn on the Fly is an often cute but ultimately forgettable movie.  It’s targeted to the 6-12 age range, and that’s about right (the cavity search jokes would be tough to explain to anyone younger), but stick to a rental.  Kids will enjoy it, but they probably won’t be clamoring to watch it again, which is good news for parents because once the overplayed Baha Men’s “Who Let the Dogs Put” gets in your head, it doesn’t want to leave.