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Air Bud is a 1997 American-Canadian family sports comedy film that tells the story of a golden retriever named Buddy, who becomes a skilled basketball player. The movie was directed by Charles Martin Smith and starred Michael Jeter, Kevin Zegers, and Wendy Makkena. The film opens with the heartwarming story of a young boy named Josh Framm (Kevin Zegers). He has recently moved to a small town in Washington State with his mother and little sister, Andrea (Katie Stuart), after the death of his father. Josh is feeling lonely and misses his dad very much. However, things start to change when he discovers Buddy, a stray golden retriever, who can play basketball.

Buddy, the golden retriever, used to belong to an abusive owner, who neglects him and throws him out of his car on a country road. Josh finds him and takes him home. After some time of playing catch, Buddy accidentally discovers that he has a talent: he can play basketball. Josh is amazed by the dog's skill and soon realizes that he has found a new friend who can not only fill the void left by his father's death but also help his underdog school team win some games.

Initially, the coach of the high school basketball team, Coach Barker (Bill Cobbs), is reluctant to let a dog play on the team, but Josh convinces him otherwise. As Buddy becomes a star player, the team starts winning games, and the school's image is lifted. The team attracts the attention of a scout for the professional basketball team, the Denver Nuggets, who offers to sign Buddy to their team.

However, the story takes a dramatic turn when Josh's mother, Jackie Framm (Wendy Makkena), discovers that the scout's motives are not what they seem. The scout is only interested in Buddy and is willing to buy him off from the family. Josh and his mother refuse, and the scout resorts to dirty tactics to take Buddy away from them. Josh must fight to keep his new friend and save him from the grasp of the greedy scout.

The film is full of heartwarming moments between Josh and his newfound friend Buddy. One particularly touching scene is when Josh teaches Buddy how to dribble and shoot, and the two of them share a secret handshake. It is clear that Buddy is more than just a dog to Josh, and their bond is unbreakable.

Air Bud features some great basketball scenes that would make any basketball fan proud. Buddy's acrobatic moves and dunks are impressive, and you can't help but cheer him on. The film also features some great performances from the cast, particularly Kevin Zegers, who does a fantastic job portraying the lonely and grieving Josh.

In conclusion, Air Bud is an excellent family sports comedy that is both heartwarming and entertaining. It has a great message about the importance of friendship and loyalty, and it is sure to delight children and adults alike. While the film may not be entirely realistic, it is a fun and light-hearted story that will leave you feeling good.

Air Bud is a 1997 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 38 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.3.