K-9 Reviews

James Belushi teams with a German shepherd named Jerry Lee in this forgettable but amiable comedy crime thriller. Belushi plays San Diego cop Mike Dooley, a loner who's hot on the trail of cocaine dealer Lyman (Kevin Tighe). When Dooley gets word that Lyman is storing a shipment of coke in a warehouse, he gets a superior (Ed O'Neill) to lend him a dope-sniffing dog, but since Dooley is working strictly outside department guidelines, he doesn't get the pick of the litter. Instead, he winds up with K-9, an ornery pooch with a fondness for three-alarm-chili. The two misfits warm to each after a shaky start, and K-9 plays a key role in cracking the case. The plot has lots of holes, but veteran TV director Rod Daniel keeps the proceedings light and lively, and Belushi does a fine job of relating to a dog as a multidimensional character. Jerry Lee--while no Benji in the acting department--is likable and receives ample help from the film's editors.