It holds some charm, but <em>'Big Red'</em> is mostly average. Gilles Payant gives a likeable, if wooden, performance as Rene, while Walter Pidgeon adds a touch of elegance to the film as James. Émile Genest and Janette Bertrand are alright, too. The cast I actually like, it's just the plot and how it is told that hampers the film for me. The onscreen dogs are adorable and their story ends in a cutesy manner, but there's not much more to enjoy past that. It's a very basic premise which is revealed in a very basic way. Nothing necessarily bad, but nothing all that good either. Forgettable, in a word.