Air Bud: Golden Receiver

Air Bud: Golden Receiver
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Richard Martin
Produced by	Robert Vince
Written by	Paul Tamasy (screenplay) Aaron Mendelsohn (screenplay) Paul Tamasy (characters) Aaron Mendelsohn (characters) Kevin DiCicco (character Air Bud)
Starring	Tim Conway Dick Martin Kevin Zegers Cynthia Stevenson
Music by	Brahm Wenger
Cinematography	Mike Southon
Editing by	Bruce Lange Melinda Seabrook
Distributed by	US Dimension Films (theatrical) Walt Disney Pictures (video) Canada Alliance Atlantis Universal Studios Home Entertainment
Release date(s)	August 14, 1998
Running time	90 minutes
Country	United States Canada
Language	English
Box office	$10,224,116

Air Bud: Golden Receiver is the 1998 sequel to Air Bud. This family film was shot in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is also the last of the Air Bud films to be released theatrically. Outside the United States the film was often titled 'Air Bud 2.' This is also the last Air Bud film to star the original Air Bud (Air Buddy), who died of lung cancer in 1998. This film is in memory of him.

Plot

Several months after becoming Buddy's legal owner, Josh Framm (Kevin Zegers), now a teenager, becomes angry when his mother, Jackie, begins dating Patrick Sullivan, the town's new veterinarian after a couple of failed dates. It all starts when Sullivan innocently tosses Josh's basketball-savvy dog, Buddy, a football one day, and he discovers that Buddy also has an uncanny ability to play the sport of football. Soon enough, Buddy begins playing on Josh's Junior High football team. Meanwhile, two Russian siblings by the names of Natalya and Popov kidnap Buddy in hopes of having him perform as the special attraction in the Russian circus while Josh runs away when Patrick proposes to his mother. His coach finds him and convinces him that just because Patrick is in his life now, he doesn't have to stop loving his father and he returns home, but Patrick is gone and Buddy is missing. The Timberwolves are forced to play the final game without Buddy and are unable to win. Buddy and the other animals manage to escape and Natalya and Popov are placed into the custody of the Russian embassy after their van falls into a lake following a chase sequence. Meanwhile, Patrick finds Buddy and takes him to the game. With the help of Buddy, the team catches up, but Buddy is tackled and taken out of the game. The Timeberwolves are forced to finish the game without him and thanks to Josh and Tommy, they win. Later, Josh stops Patrick from leaving and convinces him to stay. The family later goes to a football game and Buddy sneaks onto the field.

Rating

Prior to the film's theatrical release, it was originally rated PG by the MPAA (as seen in the original theatrical trailer).^[1] When the film was released in theaters, it was re-rated G by the MPAA.

Cast

Air Bud catching a football

• Air Bud - Himself
• Kevin Zegers - Josh Framm
• Gregory Harrison - Dr. Patrick Sullivan
• Robert Costanzo - Coach Fanelli
• Tim Conway - Fred Davis
• Dick Martin - Phil Phil
• Cynthia Stevenson - Jackie Framm (Josh's Mom)
• Nora Dunn - Natalya
• Perry Anzilotti - Popov
• Shayn Solberg - Tom Stewart
• Suzanne Ristic - Principal Salter
• Alyson MacLaren - Andrea Framm
• Joey Galloway - Himself
• Warren Moon - Himself
• Alex Vlisides - Vice Principal Van Nostrane

Home video release

This film was released to VHS in 1998, and was later released to DVD in 2000. Disney continued its line of Air Bud Special Edition DVDs with the release of Air Bud: Golden Receiver Special Edition on February 2, 2010. The special edition includes a play-by-play action exclusive Sports Channel by the Buddies (the pups of Air Bud), led by Budderball.

References

External links

• Air Bud: Golden Receiver at the Internet Movie Database
• Air Bud: Golden Receiver at Rotten Tomatoes
• Air Bud: Golden Receiver at AllRovi
• Cinema Connoisseur review of Air Bud: Golden Receiver