M.V.P: Most Valuable Primate (2000): Dir: Robert Vince / Cast: Kevin Zegers, Jamie Renee Smith, Ric Docummun, Dave Thomas, Alexa Fox: Everything that has been done before stressing that animals can be smarter than people. That theory is severely tested when they wind up in this junk. Ads specify that this film is from the creators of Air Bud while neglecting the xerox plot of this film as if a different animal makes the difference. Instead of a dog trying to be Michael Jordan, we have a chimpanzee trying to be Wayne Gretzky. Jack is a chimpanzee whose owner has a heart attack so he is sent on his way. Or maybe the owner read the script and had a horrid reaction as to what he sold his poor chimp into. Jack is befriended by a girl who communicates by sign language. The result is a predictable act of lunacy with director Robert Vince trying his best with familiar material. Jamie Renee Smith as the mute girl has more potential than this monkey show. Kevin Zegers repeats his Air Bud role only he doesn't find the chimpanzee as he did the dog. Also with Ric Ducommun and Dave Thomas who will no doubt hope to get past this. Chimpanzees are listed as amongst the most intelligent of animals yet they are subjected to such dimwitted projects as this. Despite its message of friendship the film is an Air Bud rip off with kitty violence that reduces the film to monkey dung. Score: 2 / 10

Jack, a chimp, has been trained by a college professor, Dr. Kendall (Lomax Study) to do various human tasks. Each week, a small gathering of adults and children come to a seminar to see his progress. But, alas, one night, the prof has a heart attack and passes away. The head of the department wants to sell him to the highest bidder, even if it means Jack will be subjected to experimentation. That cannot happen, so a janitor, Larry, smuggles Jack out of the lab and puts him on a train to California. That's where Jack's family resides. However, Jack oversleeps and ends up in British Columbia! There, a California family has just transplanted themselves as residents. The son, Steven (Kevin Zegers) is a hockey player who joins a young adult team. Of course, they give him grief for thinking a So-Cal guy can compete with Canadian players. Even in a worse situation is Steve's sister Tara (Jamie Renee Smith) who is deaf and has no luck making friends at her new school. It is Tara who finds Jack and takes him to her room. Before long, Jack is skating alongside Steven and gets himself "placed" on the team. Since the chimp can go through other skaters legs and perform other unusual feats, Steven's team starts winning big. But, with the college looking for their once valuable primate, will everyone's dreams be spoiled? This is a cute film with a funny script and a nice cast. It has a bevy of clichés, as to its story, but each one works enjoyably. No, a chimp would never be allowed on a team, but it doesn't matter. Only animal activists will frown at the flick so, unless you are one of those, get this MVP for your own Most Valuable Family.

I'm way biased on this type of movie. Anything at all with hockey in it I love. But really this movie kicks arse. (I'm doubting IMDb will let me use the other word).If you play hockey, or you have kids that do, you gotta get this movie. It may not have the best acting in the world, but you won't be bored at all. That Air-Bud kid, Zegers, is a good actor. From Canada too I understand so naturally I'm biased there too. He could use a little work on hockey though. Come see me Zegers, we'll get you in shape & work on those slap shots eh.I really like animal movies too, so again bias comes in. That chimp in this movie really moved along. You just had to feel for him. I wonder if he really skated that good or if it was effects.Now some people have picked on this movie a tad, and that's their right, but it's supposed to be a fun movie made for kids, and it shouldn't be judged by standards set for bigger productions. This WAS a fun movie and every kid I know (especially me) had a good time watching it.Hey, if you liked this movie, there's another good kid hockey movie about a kid who is a genius and makes some weird device under the ice rink that makes people float or whatever. The ice breaks apart during a game too. Awesome. Can't think of the name of the movie though.

What appears as another random, corny pet movie, turned out to be really good and entertaining. Jack the chimp provided a lot of laughs throughout the movie, which followed deaf Tara and her older brother in the local hockey team...Really, a very good movie.