The Tender

I watched Eyes of an Angel years and years ago and recently revisited it. It's not perfect-some moments are downright silly or unrealistic, and John Travolta might be the worst dad in movie history-but there's something oddly heartfelt about it. The bond between the girl and the Doberman is genuinely touching (yes, I have a soft spot for Dobermans), and the emotional beats land more often than they miss. It's one of those under-the-radar '90s flicks that has enough soul to make you overlook the flaws. Imperfect, but worth a watch if you want something offbeat and sentimental. Highly recommended!

I think maybe some folks missed the opening line --- based on a true story. When you realize that this was a docudrama, it's pretty good stuff. I can't say much more without giving away part of the plot. I don't care whether you're a dog person or not. And, I won't spoil it, but I thought the ending was well-deserved! Definitely worth watching. Started out a little slow and I was a little worried about the graphic nature of the movie, but Travolta was good in this indie film, as was Raab in her role. Better than some movies I've paid $8.50 at the theater to watch lately! Interestingly, I find Travolta a better view in indie films than in some of the big budget films that he's been in.

Not a "great" movie, but nice if you're a dog-lover. The title was "The Tender" in the TV listing for UPN. I had to dig to find it in imdb, looking for movies with John Travolta and Ellie Raab together. In retrospect, the eyes of the dog were the eyes of the angel, as the dog came to the rescue more than once. Lots of good shots of the dog's eyes.

This was a well done movie. It said it was based on a true story, I don't know how much was true, but it was a sweet movie about a Doberman pinscher dog and a ten year old girl. In the beginning of the movie there are some scenes of dog fights that look brutal, but are an eye opener for those of us who have never seen a dog fight. If it isn't an issue you have ever personally thought about, this scene in the movie will make you an advocate against such brutal activity. The movie shows the devotion a dog has for a girl that saves its life after losing a battle against a pit bull. I had never heard of this movie, but decided to watch it since John Travolta was in it. It was interesting to see a younger John and it was a good part for him to play and he did it well. If you love dogs or are just looking for a movie that the family may enjoy, this may work for you. There is some cursing, but nothing that most kids haven't heard.

Just watched this on HBO this morning. I had never heard of it before , and was curious. Despite the opportunity for extreme corn, most of the flick is really engaging. It seems like it ought to be a lame Disney movie, with the kid and the injured dog, but it has cussing and violence. I was pleased to see Travolta playing a loser. Usually if he's not the hero, he's a ridiculous melodramatic villain. He's usually too smug for my taste, but in this (Probably a reflection on the state of his career at the time) his character is pathetic for most of the movie. The villains are not original, but I really liked the little girl. For the most part, it is surprisingly good. Until you get to the end. The end of this movie is so completely lame, you will kick yourself for sitting through the whole thing. They really, really dropped the ball with that stupid, illogical, unrealistic ending. Ucccch!!! I would recommend just turning it off right before the dogfight at the end. Imagine something cooler happened instead. Trust me, whatever you can come up with in 30 seconds will be better than the crap these people thought up. I would really be interested in knowing who came up with that ending. Test audiences? Studio people? Travolta? The director? If that was what the writer originally wrote, I will eat my shoe.