Gangling great dane Marmaduke walks the walk and talks the talk in this effects-assisted family frolic, which uses clever lip-synching so man's best friend can address both the audience and his four-legged pals. It turns out that moving to a new town and making new friends is as stressful for a galumphing hound as it is for his owners. The kids of the Winslow family aren't having an easy time after moving from Kansas to California where dad (played by Lee Pace) has started working for an organic pet-food tycoon (William H Macy, merely coasting here). The movie has lessons for canine and workaholic dad alike, about not trying too hard to be an alpha dog, for example. But its real purpose is keeping younger viewers happy with lots of furry mischief (parties, surfing, flatulence!), while Owen Wilson's witty voiceover will have the grown-ups smiling. Yes, it's all a tad contrived, but young and old alike will get something from it - even if the lip movements take a bit of getting used to.

When Phil and Debbie Winslow relocate from their native Kansas to the sunny climes of Orange County, their big-hearted, havoc-wreaking Great Dane gets a taste of the dog's life, California-style.