Little Spies

Little Spies, Directed by Greg Beeman

Part of Disney’s Wonderful World of Color, Little Spies is a film about the strength of chosen family.  Having recently lost his dog to a careless driver, Jason, a suburban teenage boy, takes in a stray dog that is being pursued by a band of ruthless dog-nappers, who work for the local pound.  Jason and his friends, including Jason’s crush Kristi, bond with the dog, and initiate him into their secret club.  After the evil dog catchers kidnap the dog from Jason’s home, the club finds an unusual mentor in a local recluse (played by the legendary Mickey Rooney), who takes them through rigorous paramilitary training, with a goal of breaking into the pound to steal back their beloved pet.

Little Spies, while primarily an action/comedy film, has several tender moments, and expertly captures not only the love between boy and dog, but also the purity of budding teen romance.  The film gets bonus points for having a wacky aerobics montage, set to The GoGo’s classic “We Got The Beat.”  The film stars some familiar faces, namely Candace Cameron, of Full House fame, James Tolkan, the hardened school principle from Back to the Future, as well as Jason Hervey, best known for playing Wayne Arnold on The Wonder Years.