What do you get when a rough-around-the-edges dog willing to do anything to get to the top is murdered by a downright nasty dog who sees him as a hindrance to his fortune? One ticked-off dog! Street-smart Charlie has just escaped the pound with his pal Itchy, and their arrival does not bode well with Charlie's former partner, Carface, who framed him in the first place. The time has come for more drastic measures, so Carface arranges for Charlie to become drunk and be pushed off a bridge in a car. When Charlie is greeted by the angelic canine whose job it is to let him into Heaven. She explains that all dogs go to Heaven because of their virtues of kindness and loyalty, though he seems to be lacking a bit in both departments. Impressed though he is by the scenery, Charlie is not ready for such a dull and unsurprising afterlife, and he secretly winds up the stopwatch that represents his life, much to the dismay of his heavenly host.

Back on Earth, Charlie pairs back up with a despondent Itchy and is determined to make this borrowed time give him a life better than what he ever had before. Revenge on Carface becomes a secondary concern as he seeks a way to find riches and success, and he finds the key to that in a young orphan named Ann Marie. This child can talk to animals, thus enabling her to learn before a horse race who the winner will be. With her at their side, Charlie and Itchy rack up a fortune. Ann Marie, meanwhile, begins to feel that she is being used and wishes more than anything for Charlie to help her find new parents.

Charlie is soon torn between his own greed and Ann Marie's desire to share the wealth with those who need it more. And as he becomes more accommodating towards his young friend, something in Charlie gradually begins to change...In the movie's climax, Charlie must face a painfully difficult decision: walk away from Ann Marie in her time of greatest need and continue to live in leisure, or risk losing it all for the sake of the little girl he has grown to love.

With the terrific animation, splendid songs, and great story that are typical to Don Bluth films, this tale of how one dog earned his wings is a tail-wagging good time for all concerned.

Don Bluth reviews:
All Dogs Go to Heaven
An American Tail
An American Tail: Fievel Goes West
The Secret of NIMH
Land Before Time
Anastasia

Recommended: Yes