A Dog's Purpose (2017) - Movie Review

SUMMARY: This movie, directed by Lasse Hallstrom follows Bailey; a dog that starts out as a Red retriever puppy who was rescued and adopted by a small town family. They take care of him till he dies, but the story doesn’t end there, as he is reincarnated as a different dog and this continues whenever he dies. It follows his various reincarnations along a period of up to fifty years as he tries to figure out his purpose

RATING: 7 out of 10.

REVIEW: This movie is sure to be hit among any dog lover’s, showcasing a nice list of cute, lovable dogs and their relationships with their owners. All of the dogs focused on are Bailey (voiced by Josh Gad) of course, living as one of his various reincarnated forms. The movie follows Bailey through his different lives: A female German shepherd named Elle, owned by a lonely, old police officer named Carlos, that dies while defending her owner from an armed criminal; then as Tino, a Corgi belonging to a lonely and over-studious University student named Maya (Kirby Howell Baptiste) who he helped by dealing with her loneliness, in other words bringing fun into her life.

The movie is really moving, winning your heart with each dog our protagonist lives as, before they are unfortunately taken away by death so the premise of reincarnation can continue. Josh Gad also does an excellent job in his role as Bailey, interpreting the life a dog in a realistic yet humorous tone, though it’s the kind of humor that will put a smile on your face even though you are feeling bad. For example in his first life, Bailey noted that his owner’s father, Luke Kirby, was a very playful person as he chased him around the front yard with a slipper held over his head; the scene would however not have been viewed the same way by the people.

However, the movie also has an uncanny resemblance to other old time dog movies in certain circumstances, like Old Yeller and The Incredible Journey. This brings in to question the developer’s creativity and the overall originality of the movie.

There was also a leaked video about the climactic scene in which Bailey, as Elle the German shepherd, jumped into a fast moving body of water to save someone from drowning. In the video however, there was footage shown of Elle being dragged and thrown into the water while visibly resisting. The directors vehemently denied the validity of this video.

All in all, A dog’s purpose, even though it has its flaws, is a nice movie that is sure to tug on your heartstrings. The funny and surprisingly philosophical dog protagonist provide for a good movie, that will have you happy and sad at the same time. 

Review By Davies Iminabo Jedediah