A Dog's Purpose Review

The film A Dog’s Purpose is a tale of a devoted dog (voiced by Josh Gad) and the different experiences a dog faces during its life. The film is an adaption from the bestselling book by the same name; directed by Lasse Hallström. The film spans over 50 years with the dog taking on four different lives.

Each life the dog learns something new over the time towards the goal of finding a definite purpose. The general focus of the film was the dog's first life, going by the name of Bailey. Bailey is taken in by a small family and he instantly bonds with their son Ethan (Bryce Gheisar). The film shows that no matter the amount of time a dog spends with the family, it has an impact on everyone involved.

I’m not too familiar with Hallström's work but this film is put together well. Hallström did an excellent job not only showing how fun and easy dogs have it, but also how hard their lives could be at times. He also did a good showing how different people and families react to owning a dog. I personally liked that they showed the different lives of the dog with him taking up different roles, breeds, and families across the decades. Having the dog voiced by Gad helps the viewers know what the dog is thinking, how he interacts with his owners as well as the overall flow of the movie.

The very little CGI they used in the film was unnecessary as everything they used it for could’ve just been filmed regularly. A Dog’s Purpose has good talent in it like Dennis Quaid, Josh Gad, and some up incoming stars such as Britt Robertson and K. J. Apa.

But even with this talent the acting felt forced. However, the interaction with the actors and the dogs used in the film was great. The scenery of the movie is nothing to write home about, it was just typical city escape, and the farm that Ethan grew up stayed looking the same over the five decades the film took place.

The Conclusion

To wrap things up, A Dog’s Purpose is a nice easy hearted film that you’ll go see with the family. If you are a dog lover, like most people you’ll truly enjoy it. I would suggest bringing a few tissues with you as there are a few tear-jerking moments throughout the film. But as for it being a cinema master piece, it’s not coming across fairly average with a definite targeted market of which it should do well.

A Dog's Purpose Review at Theater with Standard Viewing
Screening Provided by NBC Universal

Rating Overall: 5.9