Benji: Off the Leash! (2004) - full transcript

There was a different kind

of casting call in
Chicagoland this past week,

it was for the lead
in a Hollywood movie,

but to qualify four legs,
a shiny coat,

and some attitude are required.

A star could be born
right here in Atlanta.

A movie producer
is in town

looking for the actor with
that special something.

His first and only stop?

The Humane Society.

The creator of Benji



is on the hunt for a new
generation of the canine hero

and he's looking right
here in the Twin Cities.

And now
Benji's creator is searching

for the new Benji
here in the animal shelters
of Phoenix.

Oh man.

What a good puppy.

I'm different, too,
don't worry about it.

You're the cutest.

Hey girl, you hungry?

Brought the good stuff
this time, canned stuff.

Hmm! You're gonna like this.

Okay, take care now.

Stay inside,
no wandering about.

See ya later.



What's this?

You stole this dog from me.

No, I didn't,
she got loose on her own.

Don't give me that.

This is the most rare,
most expensive breeder I got.

Now look what's happened.

It's gotten tied up
with some mongrel

and had mixed breed puppies.

Probably these, too. Leastwise they look
like their mama

so I can probably still
sell 'em for pure.

I'm 'bout inclined to sell you,
too, or something worse.

Now pick up these pups and
get your butt in the truck.

You hear what I said, boy?

Pick up these puppies.

Did you forget that you slung
one clear across the room?

Not that one, I can't
get nothing for no mutts

so it ain't going
on the payroll.

Get the black ones.

What's gonna
happen to this one?

Not my concern.

Now move it.

You leave him here, he'll die.

What's your point?

Hurry up and finish that
and get up to your room.

No dinner for you tonight.

Puppy

Puppy.

Puppy?

Hello.

Merlin,
this is Puppy. You're gonna have
to watch after him.

Uh-oh.

This will be your
home for a while.

Merlin will keep you
company when I'm not around

and I'll try to dig up some
things for you to play with.

First I'll get you some water.

Aw, you can't even
eat for yourself yet.

Hope you appreciate me.

Now you stay.

I'll be back.

I'll be back,
I'll be back.

Uh-oh.

Come on, Daisy.

Come on, Daisy.

Down.

Let's go, Daisy.
Come on, let's go.

Hello?

Hello? I'll be back.

What a good puppy.

Be sweet later, let's get
the feeding thing done.

It's way past my bedtime.

Be sweet later. Kissy kissy.

Kissy kissy?

Where'd you get that.

Uh-oh,
past my bedtime.

Get rid of the bird.

Okay.

Yeah, okay.

But he's a stray,
we gotta get him.

We got more
important business.

We're on the hunt.

Major investigation, remember?

But it's our job,
we gotta get him.

Our job is bigger
than one mutt.

You said you wanted to
move up, the mutt can wait.

It doesn't matter, he's gone.

No he's not.

That is the longest
tongue I have ever seen.

Wait here.

Come here poochy woochy.

Cute little bundle
of fluff

with a tongue long enough
to be a lizard.

Hang on a minute,
I'll flank him.

Come on now.
I got you.

Come here,
you little lizard tongue.

That's it, he's mine.

I say we forget him.

We got bigger work.

No, work will have to wait.

Hello, 911?

Do you think you're
as smart as me?

Do ya?

Do you have my education?

Have you been breeding
dogs as long as I have?

Doesn't take
a rocket scientist
to see that she's sick.

You little--

I don't think so.

Don't worry, mom,
he wouldn't dare.

You got no respect.

Neither of you.

I just think she
should get well before you put her through
another litter.

The book says that--

I don't care
what the book says.

The book don't pay my bills.

Now get out there like
I told ya and walk that dog.

And then put her
in old Duke's cage.

How are you, girl, huh?

Come on.

Let's go.
Come on.

Come on, it's okay.

Come on.

Let's go for a walk.

Let's go.

Gee girl, do you think we
should drop in on Puppy?

Hello?
Come in now.

Kissy kissy.

Gross.

It's not gross, you're gross.

Uh-oh.

Allsystems operational.

Uh-oh.

Full power,
perimeter's all clear.

Uh-oh.

Why didn't you warn me?

Oh, so you did.

Sorry, ring the bell next time.

Too loud.

Do you wanna go back
to the humane society?

Yeah well, don't be a butthead,
no talking back.

Don't be a butthead.

No, stay.

You know the drill,
jump in, jump out,

go to the sleeping
bag, whatever.

Come on, girl.

No, you mustn't tell him,

he'd make life miserable
for you and the puppy.

But he's not a puppy
anymore, he's fully grown.

I can't keep him
locked up forever.

Except for when I walk him,
whenever gets out of that fort.

Please,
don't irritate your father,

we'll all be the worse for it.

Just sit down and
have your lunch.

Come on,
the puppy will be fine.

What I really want is
to have him for my dog.

As I said,
don't irritate your father.

Why do you stay with him?

He doesn't love you.

Two parents are
better than one.

Besides, we gotta eat.

Mr. Paul down at the
market keeps asking me

why you don't come back.

And why don't I go to law
school like I wanted to?

Because my place is
here looking after you.

Because he won't let you.

Like I said,
he doesn't love you,
and he doesn't love me.

You don't treat folks you
love like he treats us.

Oh you don't, do ya?

No, you don't.

Don't you go out that door.
You hear me?

Get back in here this minute.

See?

Look at this mess.

It's a crummy breeding factory
is what it is.

Man, we gotta get this guy.

I don't see any laws broken.

You know there are.

You just gotta find 'em.

We need a search warrant.

Nobody's gonna
give us a search

warrant without just cause.

We'll just have to
catch him in the act.

Well we gotta be on this guy
24/7, stuck to him like glue.

We need to pitch a tent right.

It's lizard tongue!

Will you shut up?

-We are trespassing.
-Whoa, whoa.

Now do you want us to get, oh.

Go after him.

Oh my God, get him.

I think I'll go in
and take Puppy for a walk now.

He went that way,
it was him, I swear it.

Ah, I think
you're seeing things.

No, I swear it was him.
Come on, we gotta go after him.

Let's go.

If we go we're going calmly
and quietly and with a plan.

I'll get the tranquilizer gun.

What's the matter with you?

Uh oh,
get rid of the bird.

What is this?

This yours?

And what is Daisy
doing out here?

And who's that?

It's that mixed breed puppy,
ain't it?

Should've done away with
that mutt when it was born.

-I'll take care of that now.
-No, you leave him alone.

Are we interrupting something?

Hello.

Hey,
we've got a leash law, ya know?

My property.

This is Mississippi
Forestry land, Sir.

Well pick nits,
it adjoins my property.

That dog doesn't
look too healthy.

Is she a breeder?

I don't breed much.

Well, not her.

Well, just every
once in a while.

We know exactly
how much you've been breeding

and we're gonna be
watching you.

Watching you.
Exactly.

We're watching you, buddy.

One misstep, just one,
maybe two, you're gone,
you're ours.

And we're gonna be all over
you like a wet blanket.

Yeah, one misstep, trust me.

Oh, yeah.

Be back in an hour
or maybe sooner.

Oh, Mr. Finch?

Hey, Mr. Finch.

Mr. Finch?

Who's responsible for this?

Show yourself right now.

Well this is thievery,
stealing.

Repent and you
shall be forgiven.

Ask and you shall receive.

Steal and you get
your head blown off.

Might as well finish it off,
I'm not eating after you.

Whoever you are.

Okay, he's right there, right?
Just over the bunker?

Right, he's right there.

In the range of the tranq gun?

He's not six feet away,
these eyes don't lie.

Are you absolutely sure?

I told you
these eyes don't lie.

Okay, here goes.

He's not here.

I'm thinking you missed.

Maybe I did, maybe I didn't.

Really?

So what'd he do then?

He just laughed and said
you're exactly right, Colby,

so everybody gets
out 10 minutes early

and the class went nuts.

Ah, that's great.

So you're a big hero.

He's really nice.
Yeah.

It takes a special
kind of person
to admit he's wrong.

Yeah, it does.

Well, so, what's
happening in social studies?

India.

Ancient India.

I liked Greece better.

Do you know that's where
the Olympics started?

I did.

Back in a minute.

You stay well now.

What's this bike
doing in the driveway?

So you don't
even say thank you.

What kind
of upbringing is that?

Don't you have any
manners at all?

Shame on you.

You hear what I say?

Shame on you.

Uh oh.

Gotcha!

You're mine now,
you mixed mutt.

I'll be waiting for you!

Butthead.

Morning, Mr. Finch.

I've got your delivery
bright and early
just like you said.

It's not just like
I said, the day is half gone.

Those whose lives
are spent in bed

will never prosper it is said.

Ebenezer Payne.

Yes sir, sorry.

And what's with the dog food?

Did you get a dog?

Mind your business,
don't mind mine,

only thence your
star will shine.

Ebenezer Payne?

You'll go far, son.

Mr. Finch,
who is Ebenezer Payne?

We haven't studied
him in school.

Well, of course not.

I made him up.

It's all clear, come on.

Would you please tell
me again why I'm dragging

my belly through
cockleburrs and stickers.

For the greater good.

We're gonna nail
this Hatchett guy,

we have to catch him
in the act.

Doing what?

Something illegal.

Anything that
doesn't pass muster.

What's muster?

Oh, get down.

Where do you
suppose he's going?

I don't know, but
we've gotta follow him.

Take a look.

It's him.

I know it's him, now move
out we gotta follow him.

No, not that
him, the other him.

What are you talking about?

Will you move out
before we lose him.

The dog him, he's right there.

The dog, the miserable scum
of a lizard tongue dog.

Will you pull
yourself together?

We got bigger business
than that dog.

Gimme the tranq gun.

Yeah, I'll give it to ya,

same place I gave it to ya last
time, now move out, soldier.

He is the devil.

We saw
that, Mr. Hatchett.

Saw every bit of it. I beg your pardon.

We saw exactly what you did.

-Shut up.
-Ow.

We saw exactly what you did.

Hey look, I'm sorry,
and I'm not one to litter

especially in this
beautiful river.

But I brought my
lunch up today and...

I know, trash in the
river, it's not right.

Look, if you don't tell
I promise not to do it again.

What do ya say?

It wasn't your lunch,
Mr. Hatchett.

No, it wasn't.

Prove it.

Hey, he threw that sack
over in the water,

let's go find it.

Come on.

Who's there?

Hey, get out of here!

Filthy mongrel.

You show up around here again
you're food for the worms.

Yeah, I caught ya at last.

Ah, you're not very
hungry tonight.

And I'll expect you
to replace the flower pot.

At least clean up the mess.

You again.

You the one been getting to
my females, you mangy mutt?

Ain't you the dumb one.

Come here.

Come on, let me get my hands
around your little neck.

You.

No, you
leave him alone.

Feed the dogs.

Now!

Yes?

Something I can do for you?

I believe there is,
Mr. Zachariah Finch.

One and the same.

We understand that
you've had a stray dog

coming around here on occasion.

Now how would you
be understanding
something like that?

Well, that would be
none of your business.

Would it?

Or maybe it would be.

One Dudley Morrison, I believe
he delivers your groceries,

says you've been
buying dog food lately

but you don't seem
to have a dog.

Yeah, and I think there's
some of that dog food

right in this bowl
right over here.

It's him, it's lizard tongue!

Is this your dog?

'Cause if it is
you're in big trouble

'cause that dog has been
running wild all over the c--

Ow.

Sorry about my
associate, he's an idiot.

But I do need to know
if this is your dog.

I don't see a dog.

Do you see a dog?

I put that food out
there for the otters.

Otters?

Yeah, they're
good to have around.

They keep the bears away.

We don't have any
bears in these parts.

Hey, see, it's the otters.

Now if you gentlemen
will excuse me

I have a souffle in the oven.

Wait, I have a few more
questions here, Mr. Finch.

Mr. Finch?

He's
the devil, you know.

Mr. Finch? No, that mutt.

He's messing with our minds.

Did you know that
about the otters?

I don't care about otters,
I care about finding that mutt.

I think it's interesting.

I mean, if a little bitty otter

could intimidate
a great big bear.

No different than
a little dog intimidating

two great big men.

I feel like we're
being followed.

Lizard tongue?

Now be calm, we can do this.
We just have to be calm.

We can't chase him,
we have to become his buddies.

His friends.

I can't do that,
this is lizard tongue

you're talking about.

Your butt doesn't still hurt
because of lizard tongue.

I still got mud in my nose
because of lizard tongue.

Just follow my lead
and this'll be a snap.

Hi there, lizard tongue,
how you doing today?

Isn't this a great day?

Let's go for a walk.

Yeah, go for a little walk.

Right on, huh, Sheldon?

Just a friendly
walk in the woods.

♪ Friendly walk in the woods ♪

♪ With a tranquilizer gun ♪

We need to keep him
close so be calm.

Don't chase him. I gotcha.

I told
you not to chase him.

Go after him.

Come on, hurry up.

There he is, spread
out and go slow.

I almost had him!

Why you lookin' at me for?
Let's go get him.

Grab my hand, Sundance.

I'm gonna
Sundance your butt right over
the bottom of this river.

Why, that dog's got
more brains than you do.

-Hey.
-How did...

Did you see that?

I do, I'll throw you right
down there after him.

I can't believe it!

Do I know you?

Well, well, well.

Looks to me like
you've been abandoned.

It's all right.

I'm not gonna hurt ya.

Go ahead and eat your fill,
I'll just sit over here, rest my bones,
I'll talk to the weeds.

It's a cold cruel world
out there, ya know?

Hard to get along all
on your own, nobody to talk to.

Don't ya think?

That, Mr. Shaggy Dog,
is the longest tongue
I've ever seen.

What happened to that tail?

Looks like you were wagging

when you should've
been running.

I can see you've been out
on those streets for a while.

All you need's a bit of
good old-fashioned TLC.

I can do that as long
as you don't tell anybody.

Yes.

Good boy.

That's a good boy.

What is it?

Oh.

This soup's ice-cold.

It's supposed to be,
it's cold potato soup.

I like my soup hot.

It's French.
It's called vichyssoise.

I don't care what it's called,

it's not soup if it's cold,
it's something else.

The macaroni's cold too.

It's pasta salad and
it's supposed to be cold.

This is a light Summer dinner.

When I've been
working since dawn

I expect a good hot meal

not this pansy
cold Frenchy stuff.

Just sit right back down

and I'll make you
a big bowl of hot bean soup,
okay?

It'll be really good,
really good.

Colby.

No, no, no, you just
sit and enjoy each other, okay?

No, no, no, just
sit right back down.

You're gonna love it but
it'll take one more minute.

Leave me be, boy,
I was just getting a beer.

Mom will do that.
Right, mama?

Wrong, I'm not
getting him a beer.

Mom, we messed up
his dinner trying to

make him something special,
now we gotta make it up to him.

You just sit here
and be waited on.

Whoa, whoa, whoa,
sit right back down.

I'll just be one more minute.

I was just
getting my paper on the porch.

I told ya, we're
here to take care of ya.

Right, Mama?

Come on.

I'm telling you
I have nothing to do with it.

I have no idea where she is.

Get your butt outta
the truck and we'll find out.

Why would she be here?

Because this is where
you put her last time.

I didn't put her
here last time,

and if I did,
why would I be so stupid

as to bring her here again?

Because you think
I'm stupid, that's why.

We'll find out
who's stupid, won't we?

All right, up the stairs.

Ha!

She's gotta be here somewhere.

Ha.

South County Animal Care
and Control.

Oh I know very well who
you are, Mr. Hatchett,

you're rather well
documented around here.

Is that a fact?

And you're calling us for help?

Base to unit one,
unit one come in.

This is unit one, over.

I just received a very
interesting phone call.

I think you're wrong.

That old house would be a good
hideout, nobody lives there.

How would she get in?

Besides, dogs go where
there are people,

where there's food,

they don't have sense
enough to hide out.

Oh, don't tell me
dogs don't have sense.

Lizard tongue has
plenty of sense.

So far he managed to outwit me.

I just can't believe that jerk

would have the gall
to ask us for help.

We, who would love nothing
better than to nail him good.

This could be our big chance.

If we can just get our
hands on that black dog.

If we could just get our
hands on that dog we'd, we'd...

What?

Well, we'd give her a complete
medical workup for one,

examine her from top
to bottom so-to-speak.

Whatever's wrong with her
we can lay on Hatchett

and we'll have evidence
to take him to court.

Stop the car!

Hey, it's the tongue's buddy.

Almost not.

Come on, let's get him.

Hold it, we've gotta
focus on the priority.

Right. Which is?

The missing dog,
the one that'll nail Hatchett.

Exactly.

What about this one?

Guarantee the minute you make
a move toward him he's gone.

Get him out of the
street and let's go.

I don't see how you
deal with it every day.

It's a depressing job. And yours isn't?

My job is about helping
people most of the time.

Well my job's about helping
people too by helping animals.

Yeah, but look how many
you have to, you know.

Not nearly as many
as when I started here

and I can feel good about that.

Anyway, finish up,
get outta here,
I've got work to do.

Enjoyed lunch. Movie tonight?

Who's buying?

On me, my lady.

-I'm in.
-I'll call ya.

Oh, Ozzie, wait a minute.

I've got a situation here
and wondered if maybe.

Uh-oh.

It's just a little favor.

We've been down
this street before.

I don't think so.

Oh, oh I know so.

How do you know so?

'Cause there's that dog again.

What's with him?
It's like he wants
us to nab him.

Maybe he wants us
to follow him.

Maybe he knows where
that black dog is.

Oh, right, like
in the Lassie movies

where the dog was
smarter than the people.

Exactly.

It's possible.

In your case it's probable.

This is not
a nice guy, Ozzie.

I don't know, you need
some kind of probable cause--

Sheldon and Livingston
have seen the backyard,

they're pretty sure
the dog shelters
don't conform to the law.

Sheldon and Livingston.

I wouldn't wanna rest
my case on those two.

My point exactly, that's why
I want you out there.

Check it out yourself,
let him know
he's being watched.

How could they not know
with the bumble twins
snooping around?

Ozzie.

If you find that dog
and she's been abused

then you'll have a case.

His dogs are being
treated poorly.

It's clear he doesn't
care about them.

Oh, except for the
puppies he can sell.

There is no telling what all
is going on out there and--

Let me do some research.
What's the guy's name?

Hatchett.
Terrence Muncie Hatchett.

Lives out east
just outta town?

What?

Not sure.

Let me check it out.
I'll call you.

Thanks, Oz.

Uh-oh.

Empty.

Nada, zero.

I bet you that bird
knows where he is.

Nada, zero.

Get rid of the bird.

The bird knows, the dog knows.

What are ya, Doctor Doolittle?

Well I might be.

You know, they all
laughed at him, too.

-In the beginning.
-Oh, come on, let's go.

Livingston, I'm telling
ya, we should follow this dog

he's telling us something.

What exactly is he telling us?

-He... He...

You think I'm being
stupid don't ya?

In a word yes.

Now come on.

You can do this, ya hear me?

No matter how hard it gets,
no matter how long it takes,

you can do this.

You can rise above
the simple folk

who think animals
are stupid, who think--

-Sheldon!
-Coming!

Just remember,
keep the faith,
you can do this.

South County Animal
Care and Control.

Hey, it's me.
I was right, this guy
Hatchett has a record.

Animal abuse?

People abuse,
his wife and their kid.

He was given a stiff warning
but promised
it wouldn't happen again.

We can't wait, Ozzie.

We don't wanna have
to say we had a chance

to do something and we didn't.

All right, I'll pay him
a friendly visit.

What do you want?

Come on,
don't be silly, you know
I scan the police radio.

This is big.

You gonna arrest him,
take him to jail?

Oh, hang on, let me turn
on my tape recorder.

Do not turn on the recorder,

do not follow me up there.

Do get into your car
and leave here immediately.

Oh, come on, Ozzie,
give me a break.

My listeners wanna know.

Know this: if you're not
out of here in ten seconds

you're gonna be broadcasting
from a jail cell.

At least tell me
why you're here.

He's mistreating
the dogs, right?

Puppy mill,
miserable conditions.

He's reported by every
neighbor in South County.

It's a social call.

Oh, jeez.

Mr. Hatchett?

Can I help you?

I'd like to ask
you a few questions.

Can I see your backyard?

Is it about our dog
that's missing?

She's awful sick and--

Didn't I tell you to
go on about your chores?

Why do you wanna
see the backyard?

We've done nothing wrong.

Nobody's saying you have
but there are a few questions.

And if I say no?

Mr. Hatchett, I can report

that you're being
uncooperative,

I can get a search warrant,

I can take your last citation
before Judge Williams

or I can report that
you're being very cooperative

and that everything's
gonna be just fine.

We're never
gonna find her this way.

We've been up and down every
street in town six times.

What do you suggest, Dr. D,

that we stop
and ask a squirrel?

No, I suggest we
get outta this vehicle

and go look under
some of these houses.

You know,
prowl the back alleys,

go where a dog on
the run would go.

Oh, now you know where
a dog on the run would go.

Do you realize that
we are two, just two.

It would take us days,
weeks, to check under
every house in this town.

How are we gonna
do that, huh

Fine, then stop
and I'll ask a squirrel.

Better yet, stop and
I'll ask lizard tongue.

What are you talking about?

The tongue, he's right
here, and the other one too.

Livingston!

I've had enough of this.

I'm gonna do
something productive.

I'm either gonna catch
me a lizard tongue

or find out why the devil
they won't leave us alone.

Sheldon, get back in the van
we have work to do.

I'm about
the business of doing it.

Gentlemen, start your engines.

Doctor Doolittle, indeed.

It's okay, mama.

Everything is gonna
be okay now.

Sheldon,
you in there?

I don't believe it.

I'll take my told ya so's later

but we gotta get her to
the clinic right now.

How did you?
-Now, Livingston.

Help me.

I wanna see it cleaned up
under those cages

and more shade for the dogs,
an exercise area in place,

and fresh water in every
cage when I get back.

Is that clear?

Anything else?

I'll let you know after
I do a bit of research.

On what?

Like I said,
I'll let you know.

And the news of the day
here in South County

is the police visit to
the Terrence Hatchett
household

all along the QT of course
but your journalist

was there on the scene
and saw it happen.

No comment from the Hatchetts
or the officer in charge,

Sergeant Oswald Lewis,
but this:

from neighbor
Zelda Pinkstrum.

I just
say it's about time

because everybody knows the
awful way he treats those dogs.

They're his breeding
machines is what they are.

I heard he was
selling the puppies

to some foreign country
for who knows what.

My sister Betty Lou
down at the pet store--

He buys the cheapest food and
not near enough for 100 dogs.

That's what I heard,
a hundred dogs.

Of course, I ain't actually
seen 'em to count.

Ooh, it looks like
headaches for the Hatchetts.

And we'd like to thank Zelda
for telling us like it is.

The lines are now open
for anyone else
who has inside info--

We've gotta do
something, Merlin.

I gotta do something.

Be sweet later.

Yeah.

I'll be back,
I'll be back.

She's dehydrated
and anemic and infected
with hookworms.

I've started an IV
and an antibiotic.

I think she might also
have a mammary tumor

from too much nursing.

Now all that we can deal with,

the larger issue
is she has pyometra.

What's pyometra?

It's an infected
uterus from overbreeding.

It's a fast-moving
awful condition

and without immediate
surgery we could lose her.

And I mean surgery right now.

She'll have to be
spayed in the process.

-She won't breed again.
-Can't do it, honey,

not without clearing
it with Hatchett.

I was hoping he wasn't at home

then at least we
could say we tried.

How do you know he's home.

Busy.

Lady, I don't care
what you think

or what
the radio station thinks,
my dogs are my business.

Hello?

No, I have done
nothing of the sort.

I love my dogs
now stop calling here.

I'm warning you people.

No, I have 10 dogs,
that's it, 10.

You're my witnesses.

Seven, eight,

nine, 10 rings.

We tried.

Yeah.

Dr. Garret.

Yes, ma'am?

Proceed with the surgery,
save the dog's life, please.

I'll do my best.

Hey, what's going on out here?

You did what?

Do you have any idea
how rare that dog is?

And now she's worthless.

She would've died
if we hadn't operated.

I can't believe you people.

You wanna fix
every dog in sight.

Well this time you overstepped
the line, young lady.

You had no right
to do what you did.

That dog belongs to me.

We had an obligation
to save her life if we could.

The only obligation
you had was to me.

Nancy called,
is everything okay?

No, everything is not okay.

We tried to reach you,
you weren't at home.

That was my prize breeder.

I believe you told
an animal control officer

that you rarely breed her.

She...

She was--

She was being way overbred,
that's why she was so sick.

Now, I assume that since
she can no longer have puppies

you will have no
further need of her.

We will find her a good home. Oh, no, not on your life.

-She's coming home with me.

You have no use for her.

Oh, yes, I do.

She'll be my evidence when
I take you people to court.

Now get me my dog.

Ooh, did you spend a night
in a garbage bin?

Calm down, calm down,
it's gonna be okay.

Everything's gonna be
all right, I promise.

You can talk to these guys,
go on, tell him.

No, there's no use in
getting his hopes up.

Nah, I think you
should tell him,

this could be a big deal.

-No, I don't think so.

Why not?

He might not want
any part of it.

A dog should be able
to make his own decisions
on stuff like this.

And if you build up
his hopes for nothing?

What then, huh?

You have no compassion.

What do you mean build
up his hopes for nothing?

It's not gonna be for nothing.

Just look at that face.

Well, look at that.

It's the mutt you been hiding
out in the woods, ain't it?

That's our dog they're
trying to run off with.

Our dog.

Our dog?

Even if it was the same dog
it's not our dog,

you left that puppy to die.

Well, not anymore.

They're gonna pay if
they think they're gonna

make our dog a star, pay big.

Those animal people owe me.

Go put on a decent shirt,
we're gonna go down
there and claim our dog.

I don't wanna go.

Well, what you want
makes me no nevermind.

You're going and you're gonna
tell them it's your dog,

it'll play better
coming from a kid.

You're going, too.

We're gonna go down
there as a family,

To claim our dog,
or our reward.

I'm not going.

Oh, yes, you are.

We picked him
up three days ago.

Legally he now belongs
to animal care and control

to do with as we feel best.

Look, you don't
understand, okay?

The legal issue doesn't matter.

If this dog belongs
to that young boy

then we're not taking
him away, okay?
We're just not.

I don't care what the law says.

The dog has been on the
street for a long time.

These guys have seen him
and I'm telling you

that guy out there
is a bad dude.

He lies, mistreats dogs.

The one out there almost
died because of him.

And there's gotta
be some connection.

This dog is the reason
that dog's alive.

He led us right to her.

He did,
really did, right to her.

Well, you're never
gonna convince me that that kid is gonna
come in here and lie,

so if it's his dog
it stays his dog.

I guess, we'll bring him in.

All right,
y'all can come on in now.

Go on, tell 'em.
Tell 'em it's your dog.

What's your name?

Colby.

Well, Colby,
they tell me this dog

has been on the
street for some time.

How are you gonna be
sure that it's your dog?

I'll know.

She'll know.

Go on.

Well go and tell 'em.
Tell 'em it's your dog.

I'm sorry, mister,
there must be some mistake.

This isn't my dog.

What do you mean
this isn't your dog?

This most definitely
is your dog.

Do you hear me?

You tell 'em this
is your dog right now.

Just calm yourself down,
Mr. Hatchett.

Get your hands off me.

Either you calm down

or you'll be spending
the rest of this day
in a jail cell.

Come on out here.

If I were you I'd sit here
nice and quiet

and don't as much as move
a muscle to go back in there.

Hey, Nancy.

Is everything
all right in there?

It's gonna be.

Hey, it's me Ozzie.
Darnell there?

All right, thanks.

Ozzie, he's getting away.

I suspect a judge
will be sending him

to a nice place where
he can get some help

and in the meantime
he won't be around

to do any more harm to
you guys or your dogs.

So it is
your dog after all?

It's her dog.

Well, son, the last thing
we wanna do

is take your dog away.

No, no you got it all wrong.

I wouldn't do
anything in the world

to stop him
from becoming Benji.

This dog has had
a really hard life.

He deserves something good.

I love him very much
but if you think he could
be a star...

Well...

Looks to me like he already is.

Just one thing, if maybe...

I could come visit him
every once in a while?

Oh, well,
I think we can fix it

so that you can come and
visit him any time you want.

How about that?

Looks to me like it's time
to call in the favors, dude.

♪ It had to be you ♪

♪ It had to be you ♪

♪ I wandered around
and finally found ♪

♪ The somebody who ♪

♪ Could make me be true ♪

♪ Could make be blue ♪

♪ Or even be glad just to
be sad thinking of you ♪

♪ Some others I've seen ♪

♪ Might never be me ♪

♪ Might never be cross ♪

♪ Or try to be boss ♪

♪ They wouldn't do
for nobody else ♪

♪ Gave me that thrill ♪

♪ With all your faults
I love you still ♪

♪ It had to be you ♪

♪ Wonderful you ♪

♪ Had to be you ♪

♪ Some others have seen ♪

♪ Might never be mean ♪

♪ Might never be cross ♪

♪ Tried to be boss ♪

♪ They wouldn't do ♪

♪ For nobody else
gave me that thrill ♪

♪ With all your faults
I love you still ♪

♪ It had to be you ♪

♪ Wonderful you ♪

♪ It had to be you ♪

♪ Some others have seen ♪

♪ Might never be mean ♪

♪ Might never been cross ♪

♪ Tried to be boss ♪

♪ They wouldn't do ♪

♪ For nobody else
Gave me that thrill ♪

♪ With all your faults
Benji I love you still ♪

♪ It had to be you ♪

♪ Wonderful you ♪

♪ Had to be you ♪