Director / Lasse Hallström (CHOCOLAT, HACHI: A DOG’S TALE, WHAT’S EATING GILBERT GRAPE)
Stars/ Bryce Gheisar, K.J. Apa, Britt Robertson and the voice of Josh Gad

Swedish-born filmmaker Lasse Hallström makes a return to the dog-movie genre, after the audience favourite HACHI: A DOG’S TALE from 2009, which starred Richard Gere. This passable family comedy/drama is based on a 2010 novel of the same name by W. Bruce Cameron, who is also one of the several screenplay writers.

A DOG’S PURPOSE is a film featuring a handful of shorter stories that are each narrated by our lead canine companion. Though the same voice is sharing the thoughts from inside the mind of Bailey (voiced by BEAUTY AND THE BEAST star Josh Gad), he is reborn as a different breed of dog and in the care of separate owners each time. In every story, Bailey questions the meaning of his existence and searches for his purpose.

A DOG’S PURPOSE will serve its purpose for dog-lovers, who will be content to turn a blind eye to the blandness of this film. Cat-lovers are likely to give the brown eye to the one-dimensional storytelling and obvious trajectory.

Beginning in the early 1960s, Bailey first finds himself in the hands of a young boy named Ethan (Gheisar, pictured above) who finds comfort and a friend in his canine companion. As Ethan gets older (soon to be played by Kiwi actor K.J. Apa from TV series Shortland Street), his bond with Bailey becomes closer yet as he distances himself from his aggressive and alcoholic father, which leads him to meet Hannah (TOMORROWLAND’S Britt Robertson). But separation from his pooch looms as life-changing events occur.

It is necessary to note that while A DOG’S PURPOSE is accessible for most ages, it does also depict death and contains a couple of scenes that may be very upsetting, especially for younger viewers. Being a film in which the main character reincarnates, you can be assured that A DOG’S PURPOSE won’t stay that way for long at all. There are numerous scenes of a cute nature which demonstrate the high skills and super intuition of the very well-trained animal cast. This footage is adorable to watch and truly does capture the beautiful feeling of that special bond shared between you and your pet.

A DOG’S PURPOSE is no MARLEY AND ME by any means, but it certainly has more meaning and fares better than our very own RED DOG sequel, released last Boxing Day.

2 ½ stars

Viewer Discretion/ PG (mild themes)

Trailer / A DOG’S PURPOSE

Moviedoc thanks Entertainment One and The Backlot Studios for the invite to the screening of this film.

Review by Moviedoc / “LIKE” on Facebook – Moviedoc

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