The entire Newton family of Charles Grodin, Bonnie Hunt, Christopher Castile, Nicolle Tom, and Sarah Rose Karr are back in their roles from the first Beethoven movie. That lovable slobbering St.Bernard is also back and he's now a family man.
In the first Beethoven movie the star has a leading lady who is a female of the same breed. But now Beethoven's beloved is the object of a custody battle between Debi Mazur and her ex-husband. Mazur doesn't really want the dog, she's just using her as leverage. Now Beethoven becomes a daddy when the female gives birth to four handsome young pups.
This of course is a bad situation, but the Newtons one and all take a hand and families human and canine are stronger than ever.
Debi Mazur does her best Cruela DeVille imitation in her performance and she's Cruela if Cruela came from Bensonhurst in Brooklyn. Her boyfriend Chris Penn is muscle head with his little gray cells few and far between. They deserve each other, but they're pretty funny too. Mazur looks like she's enjoying herself.
Best moment for me though is Nicolle Tom when young rich player Ashley Hamilton invites her up to his bedroom for a quick romp. Beethoven rescues her in a truly spectacular manner. Those St.Bernards are really strong animals.
Beethoven's 2nd even got some Oscar recognition in the Best Song category for The Day I Fall In Love.
Beethoven's 2nd may not have pleased the critics, but it's still fine family entertainment.
