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Air Bud

Play trailer Poster for Air Bud PG 1997 1h 37m Kids & Family Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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50% Tomatometer 30 Reviews 38% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
Diffident in the wake of his father's death, high schooler Josh (Kevin Zegers) struggles to adapt to his new home in Washington state. That all changes, however, when he signs up to be the school basketball team's manager and discovers that his pet dog Bud, a stray golden retriever he took in, can play the sport amazingly well. After Bud joins the team, Josh's life brightens considerably, until the dog's former owner Norm Snively (Michael Jeter) returns in hopes of reclaiming the pooch.
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Air Bud

Air Bud

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Critics Consensus

Air Bud's wacky concept isn't entirely enough to fill a feature-length film, but this rather silly family-friendly outing is partly redeemed by its extremely charming title character.

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Critics Reviews

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Kevin Thomas Los Angeles Times Mar 1, 2024
Admirable for the way in which writers Paul Tamasy and Aaron Mendelsohn have injected a sense of reality amid lots of rousing fantasy calamities... Go to Full Review
Lisa Alspector Chicago Reader Mar 1, 2024
Dubious highlights include the dog wearing two pairs of basketball shoes and eating a frightening amount of vanilla pudding. Go to Full Review
Stephen Hunter Washington Post Mar 1, 2024
A smart pet trick that turns into a stupid movie. Go to Full Review
Amelia Navascues Triple J Mar 6, 2018
Who wouldn't love a story about a homeless golden retriever who runs away from his alcoholic clown for a father, Norm, to shoot hoops? Go to Full Review
Tim Brayton Antagony & Ecstasy Nov 27, 2014
2/10
The writing is so messy and aimless that when the film retrenches to generic kid flick mediocrity, it actually counts as a relief. Go to Full Review
Heather Boerner Common Sense Media Sep 9, 2010
4/5
A high-flying dog tale for kids. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Andrea M @RT43246490 Oct 21, 2026 This movie was and is so special to me being a child born in the 90's. When this movie was released my family and I had a golden retriever and he was the best, smart, gentle, and loving dog we ever had. When he passed away at 14 years old of cancer it really hurt my siblings and parents as we loved and cherished our dog who was much like Air bud. So watching this brings me a lot of emotions today. It takes me to a place of happiness and also a place of sadness thinking back to when we lost him to cancer. He is still talked about in our family to this day. He was a member of our family who brought nothing but joy and love. Watching air bud brings tears to my eyes any time I watch it. There's sadness in the movie, you feel so bad for Air bud in that scene if you know you know. 😢 good classic Disney Channel movie that has always held a place in my heart. See more Spencer P @s_plewe Sep 15, 2026 The original "Air Bud" belongs on any dog lover/basketball kid's list, with a good mix of wholesome dog-and-kid stories and adorable canine tricks. See more tvisha B @tvisha May 15, 2026 love this movie it is absolutely flawless looking forward to the next one See more TheMovieSearch R @TheMovieSearch Apr 24, 2026 Air Bud is one of those rare family films that feels built on pure charm and heart. The idea of a dog playing basketball sounds silly at first, but the movie turns it into something genuinely fun, emotional, and surprisingly engaging. It embraces its concept fully and delivers a story that is both entertaining and uplifting. At the center is Buddy, who brings personality and warmth that make him feel like more than just a gimmick. His bond with the young boy gives the film its emotional core, showing growth, confidence, and true friendship. The basketball scenes are fun, the humor is light and effective, and the emotional moments land without feeling forced. It keeps you invested not only in the game but in the characters as well. While it has some simple storytelling elements, that adds to its charm rather than taking away from it. Overall, Air Bud is a heartfelt, family-friendly film that is easy to enjoy and even easier to love. See more Tiger S @RT53224295 Mar 14, 2026 I really loved it a lot. Why is it so low rating. All you guys are no fun. I love dogs. I’ve had so many dogs all my life See more Noah S @movieguy101571 Mar 7, 2026 a nice family movie to watch See more Read all reviews
Air Bud

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Movie Info

Synopsis Diffident in the wake of his father's death, high schooler Josh (Kevin Zegers) struggles to adapt to his new home in Washington state. That all changes, however, when he signs up to be the school basketball team's manager and discovers that his pet dog Bud, a stray golden retriever he took in, can play the sport amazingly well. After Bud joins the team, Josh's life brightens considerably, until the dog's former owner Norm Snively (Michael Jeter) returns in hopes of reclaiming the pooch.
Director
Charles Martin Smith
Producer
William Vince, Robert Vince
Screenwriter
Kevin DiCicco, Paul Tamasy, Aaron Mendelsohn
Distributor
Walt Disney Home Video [gb], Buena Vista Pictures
Production Co
Walt Disney Pictures
Rating
PG
Genre
Kids & Family, Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 1, 1997, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 1, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA)
$24.6M
Runtime
1h 37m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby Digital
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