So many other animal-oriented family films go astray with a distracting preoccupation on the cuteness of the animals and the big bad evil world that wants to separate said cute animal with the film's juvenile protagonist. Shiloh is solid and substantial enough to rise above this paper thin formula and give the audience, instead, a real, believable story that runs along the same lines but is less about the kid winning a happy ending than earning it. In this case, the kid is a young boy and the animal is a dog named Shiloh who has an abusive owner. The boy wants to keep Shiloh for himself, but does he deserve him? The film is remarkably sturdy, a fine drama, with a healthy dose of "sapless" warmth.