A Dog's Purpose (2017)/Dog's Journey (2019)/Dog's Way Home (2019) (3 Viewers)

[Johnny Angell]

If you want to read (in my case, listen to) a wonderful dog story, try The Art of Racing in the Rain. The novel is narrated by a dog named Enzio (if I remember correctly, been a few years). Yes, there is a fantasy element but author and the reader in the case of the audio book made me believe a dog could tell his story.

You will be crying in the first 5 pages and have the heart warmed and worried the rest of the novel. Highly recommended.

 

[Mike Frezon]

You're consistent, Johnny!

 

[Mike Frezon]

Here's the current trailer for the upcoming A Dog's Journey (sequel to 2017's A Dog's Purpose):



A Dog's Journey is just a couple weeks away from its May 17th premiere. The trailer makes it look like this film will also be a reasonably close adaptation of Cameron's book.

And HERE'S my mini-review of my recent viewing of the Blu-ray of A Dog's Way Home.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Peg and I went to one of our local theaters on premiere day for the release of A Dog's Journey.

For those who have seen A Dog's Purpose, the poster above will clue you in that the saga of Bailey the dog continues in A Dog's Journey. In an extension of the tale that focused on the adventures of Bailey and his relationship with Ethan Montgomery (Dennis Quaid) and others, this sequel continues the spirit of Bailey (voiced by Josh Gad) and his continued relationship with Ethan, his wife Hannah but most specifically his connection with Ethan's granddaughter CJ.

The formula remains the same. There's drama, laughs and tears as the emotional and deep bond between dogs and their owners are spotlighted throughout the tale. The author of the books Bruce Cameron, has an incredible knack of putting us inside a dog's head...understanding why the dog thinks the way it does and what it is feeling. That is probably what makes these tales so enjoyable for me. In both films, Cameron helped bring the stories to the screen as a screenwriter with his wife Cathryn Michon and a couple other people. This helped the films retain the feel of the books

I had really enjoyed reading the book A Dog's Purpose. When I became aware that there was a sequel, I was wildly enthusiastic--and not disappointed. And the same has been true of the films. To anyone who has a love of dogs (and, I suppose, even a love for any type of animal) I wholeheartedly recommend these books and films. They really go a long way towards helping explain the depth of the bond that can exist between human and animal. And they do it with an engaging fictional approach that will have most pet owners shaking their heads in agreement and understanding that our animals understand so much more than they are supposed to be able to.

I have some friends who intentionally stay away from films like this because they want to lump them in with films like Marley and Me as "dead dog" stories which will be too sad for them to enjoy. I disagree for a couple different reasons. First, it is a good thing when a film can touch a viewer enough to evoke such a strong reaction. It's a fiction and the only reason we would feel sad about the story line is because we care enough about the characters. I always lean on that sentiment whenever a friend hurts after the loss of a pet because it is true that the more we love our animals, the greater the hurt when we have to say goodbye. Second, with the Dog's Purpose/Journey films, the grief is intentionally, and exceptionally brief as...


In fact, it is an integral part of the storytelling technique that we do not have to dwell on the loss of any of the characters for any length of time.

I also re-watched the first film, A Dog's Purpose just a day or so before viewing the sequel. I was thrilled to find that my affection for that film was unabated as I become completely immersed in the film and left with the same good feelings and joy that I had the first time out.

The cast is exceptional. Gad was an excellent choice as the voice of the various dogs. Quaid turns in another fine performance as Ethan. In the sequel, his wife Hannah is played by Marg Helgenberger (who fills in for recently departed Peggy Lipton). And the rest of the cast was superb with some excellent turns by Kathryn Prescott and Abby Fortson as CJ...and Betty Gilpin (who was also excellent as Doctor Carrie Roman on the TV series Nurse Jackie).

And, even though one of my favorite directors, Lasse Hallstrom, was replaced by Gail Mancuso...Mancuso acquitted herself nicely. She is a veteran director of several popular TV series (Gilmore Girls, Friends, 30 Rock, Roseanne and Modern Family--just to name a few) and brought just the right touch of drama and comedy to this film.

A Dog's Journey is an uplifting family film. I give the entire series of films my heartiest recommendation.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Ernie REALLY wanted to go to the theater...

 

[PMF]

Ernie REALLY wanted to go to the theater...

Perhaps a purchase of the 4K will help smooth things over.

 

[Mike Frezon]

People really like dogs in their movies...

 

[Neil Middlemiss]

Hey @Mike Frezon - I just had the pleasure of interviewing W. Bruce Cameron about the move, A Dog's Purpose (I even gave your wife a mention in one of my questions ) I should have it up in the next few days, but in short, he was a delightful interviewee!

 

[Mike Frezon]

Very cool, Neil!

Can't wait to read the entire thing. Please be sure to post a link to it here when it goes live.

On the subject of Cameron, I just bought the DVDs of 8 Simple Rules: Season 1...and my daughter gave me a copy of his book "A Dad's Purpose"--an anthology of newspaper columns he wrote on the subject of his family. Those columns are what lead to his book "8 Simpke Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter. I love the way his mind works. Very funny!

 

[Neil Middlemiss]

Very cool, Neil!

Can't wait to read the entire thing. Please be sure to post a link to it here when it goes live.

On the subject of Cameron, I just bought the DVDs of 8 Simple Rules: Season 1...and my daughter gave me a copy of his book "A Dad's Purpose"--an anthology of newspaper columns he wrote on the subject of his family. Those columns are what lead to his book "8 Simpke Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter. I love the way his mind works. Very funny!

Here it is, @Mike Frezon
https://www.hometheaterforum.com/co...e-cameron-a-dogs-journey.363306/#post-4773031

 

[Mike Frezon]

Congratulations on another first-rate interview, Neil!

And many, many, many thanks for name-dropping Peggy!

Not surprisingly, I found the entire thing a particularly interesting read.