A Girl's Best Friend 2015

     Penelope is 11 years old and she likes to be called Polka-Dot instead of her given name.  Her mother is sick and she has a liver disease.  She’s in her 40’s but not sick enough yet to get her name on a liver transplant list.  She’s not doing very well.  Frances and Polka-Dot have just moved to this community of Seal Bay.  They contacted a local pastor to help them if Frances needs to go to the hospital.  This does happen and Polka-Dot doesn’t tell anyone that Frances went to a hospital.  She is afraid Child Protective Services may step in and Polka-Dot spent a month away from her mother once before.  Polka-Dot starts helping out with the police K-9 dogs at their kennel, she especially likes the bloodhound Luey.  She tells Officer Cooper that she is involved with Cops for Kids, a program that doesn’t exist. 

     This is interesting and a good family film except for some sadness near the end.  Luey helps Polka-Dot find the hospital where the ambulance took Francis.  He can find people by tracking the cells people shed from their skin.  Polka-Dot gets courage from her favorite story of Huckleberry Finn.  He was an orphan who navigated a river to a new life.  3 ½* (I liked this movie)

88 min, Family directed by Terry Ingram with James Denton, Lilah Fitzgerald, Laura Mennell, Kristen Robek, Chris Gauthier, Dalias Blake, Michael Kopsa, Zantha Radley, Jordan Ashley Olson. Bronwen Smith.

Note:  Imdb 6.8 out of 10, 50% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Amazon 4.5* out of 5* with 45 reviews.

Special Note:  This film is also titled My New Best Friend.