MEGAN LEAVEY | FAMILY MOVIE REVIEW INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND KIDS

"MEGAN LEAVEY"
(2017) (Kate Mara, Ramon Rodriguez) (PG-13)

QUICK TAKE:: Drama: After being assigned to clean up the K9 unit as part of her disciplinary action, a young Marine bonds with an aggressive bomb-sniffing dog as they serve on dangerous missions together.

PLOT:

It's the early 2000s and Megan Leavey (KATE MARA) is a 20-year-old with no friends, a rocky relationship with her mom, Jackie (EDIE FALCO), who left her dad, Bob (BRADLEY WHITFORD), for another man, Jim (WILL PATTON), and no reason to stay in her small New York hometown. Accordingly, she enlists in the Marines and makes it through basic training. But when she's caught drunkenly relieving herself in public, her punishment is to clean out the K9 unit stalls under the command of Gunny Martin (COMMON). Megan soon desires to be one of the dog's handlers and, after passing basic requirements, is assigned to work with Rex, an aggressive German Shepherd who bit his previous trainer, breaking six bones in his hand.

Megan eventually succeeds in earning the dog's trust and love and -- after learning of the perils of such work in hostile environs from war veteran Andrew Dean (TOM FELTON) -- ships off to Iraq with Rex. There, she gets tips from fellow Marine dog handler Matt Morales (RAMON RODRIGUEZ), and ends up serving on various dangerous missions with Rex, attempting to sniff out IEDs and other hidden explosives and thus prevent other Marines from falling prey to them.

After she and Rex are wounded by such a device, however, she decides not to redeploy for another tour. From that point on, she does what she can to adapt back into civilian life, all while contending with her PTSD and worries about Rex's safety while he's still serving in his bomb-sniffing role.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: Those interested in the military and particularly canine units could show some interest, as might anyone who's a fan of someone in the cast. Otherwise, it doesn't seem that likely.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13: For war violence, language, suggestive material, and thematic elements.

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