A Dog’s Purpose (DVD) – Movie Review
The world has a lot of different creatures, with humans being one of them. They like to have some company, which is a perfect job for dogs and cats. The thing is, what is the purpose for a dog in life? Is there a meaning why they are here? In ‘A Dog’s Purpose’ we get a glimpse of what the trusty pet is thinking while keeping us company. Get the hankies ready, it’s going to hit home.
People can’t really know what their pet is thinking, even if they have thoughts of their own. Some claim that their dog can understand what they’re saying. In A Dog’s Purpose, the life of a young puppy is narrated by John Gad. At the beginning, it seems that everything is just big fun but our young friend is wondering his purpose in life. Our little pup has some brothers and sisters he can play with, but the good times end rather fast. Afterwards, the story starts anew and this time, he is hoping to get picked by one of the big humans. When this doesn’t happen, he sees his shot of escaping and free he is. Captivity isn’t far off though and he is left behind in a burning hot car. His short life seems to be ending but he is saved by some unknown people. Ethan (Bryce Gheisar) and his mother (Juliet Rylance) rescued him and, although father (Luke Kirby) isn’t too keen on the new member of the family, life is good. Bailey and Ethan are inseparable and together they have a lot of fun. Even when growing up, Ethan (K.J. Apa) had a lot of support from his trusty pet and even found a girlfriend (Britt Robertson).
Of course, years go by and things change. Sometimes things don’t always go as expected and this has its influence on the rest of your life. Dogs also have a shorter lifespan, which means that a companion has to go to the afterlife. During this longer life, the question of Bailey’s purpose in life isn’t answered yet. The cycle starts over again and his quest continues. Can he find the true meaning of life? Why does bacon smell so good, just like goats? Life doesn’t always give you cookies, he’ll find out himself as well.
The movie takes place in different time spans. This isn’t mentioned specifically but it can be derived by the environment and the available technologies. As this isn’t really defined, it doesn’t feel like you’re in different zones which might confuse you at times. The flow of the film is just right though, it doesn’t go too fast and it doesn’t feel like you’re dawdling too long on a certain event. Of course, with this more atypical story you’re in for a treat as you get both the side of humans and a dog. The balance is just right, as the narrator can give it that extra swung by conveying his emotions on the right moments. Story-wise, there is a lot to take in, especially the underlying thoughts. It will get to you more than you can imagine beforehand and will get you thinking about our trusty pets.
Acting in this film can’t be that easy with all of the different dogs and their characters but they are all trained for ‘stunts’ and they’re great in what they do. Of course, for the human actors this is also a new way of acting as their counterpart doesn’t really follow a tight script. Everyone does a nice job acting wise and takes you on a trip into the past. Seeing the young Ethan growing up and the effect his trusty pet Bailey has is something a lot of people can relate to, making the story behind the movie that much more powerful. The transition to the older Ethan is also quite nicely done but some of the elements at the end felt a bit rushed.
Of course, in a movie where a lot of animals are big stars, it’s expected to have some extras with behind the scenes footage and that’s exactly what was added. You can get some insights of how the stunts of some dogs were filmed, while there are some extra details added on how the story was written. Deleted scenes were also added while you can also enjoy some bloopers. In the end, a lot to dive into and a welcome bonus.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for something with a rather emotional story that will get you thinking, be sure to check out this movie. It’ll take you on a rather emotional journey where the star is a dog who gets the name Bailey, for the biggest part of the movie at least, and his journey and life questions. It might not be the most happy movie to watch but you won’t regret it.
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