A Dog’s Journey
(Movie review)
“Love transcends time and form” is what this heartfelt 2019 American adventure comedy
drama film directed by Gail Mancuso in her feature film directorial debut reminds the audience. A
novel masterpiece written by W. Bruce Cameron that caught the hearts and emotional response of the
audience where the film explores themes of love, family, loyalty, and reincarnation through the eyes
of Bailey, a dog who repeatedly returns in new forms to fulfill his purpose. The cast were indeed great
artists delivering their role well most especially the role of Josh Gad’s voice is the one that outstands
the most as well as the piece that completes the movie’s purpose. While the movie offers a thrilling
rollercoaster ride filled with both bittersweet moments and bursts of joy for dog lovers, it also suffers
from certain storytelling flaws.
The story begins with Bailey, a St. Bernard/Australian Shepherd, living with Ethan and his
family on their farm. Before passing away due to illness, Ethan asks Bailey to watch over his
granddaughter CJ in his next life. Bailey is reincarnated multiple times—first as Molly, a beagle who
becomes CJ’s loyal companion during her turbulent youth; then as Big Dog, an English mastiff who
briefly reunites with CJ; and finally, as Max, a Biewer Terrier who helps CJ reconnect with her childhood
friend Trent. Over the years, Bailey witnesses CJ’s struggles with neglectful parenting, abusive
relationships, and personal insecurities. In the end, Bailey’s unwavering support helps CJ find
happiness and love with Trent while reuniting her with her family. The film concludes with Bailey
crossing the Rainbow Bridge to reunite with Ethan in heaven.
This movie is a sentimental movie told on a childlike sentimental level, but the idea behind the
telling, the belief at the core of the story, is profound. The story line was amazingly made as each twist
and turn offers a new glimpse into their playful world which what makes it interesting and eagerly to
watch each portion of the movie. The film shines in its portrayal of unconditional love and loyalty
through Bailey’s perspective. Josh Gad’s voice acting brings warmth and humor to the narrative,
making the dog’s journey relatable and endearing. The performances by Kathryn Prescott (CJ) and
Dennis Quaid (Ethan) are heartfelt, adding emotional depth to the story. They were the ones who
drives the storyline adding a romcom genre too. The cinematography captures picturesque rural
landscapes beautifully, enhancing the film's nostalgic tone. For dog lovers, A Dog's Journey is a
tearjerker that celebrates the bond between humans and their pets while delivering moments of joy
and hope.
On the other hand, despite its emotional appeal, the film struggles with story scenes that are
not really for a younger child under 13 years old to watch. Scenes such as violence, sexual references,
exposure of drugs and other substances, nudity, and coarse language. Although, the story line is more
likely for a family and children to enjoy, parental guidance must be present with younger children. In
addition, the constant reincarnations of Bailey and his subsequent deaths become predictable and
emotionally exhausting rather than impactful. The roller coaster of emotion from high emotional
appeal when Bailey died and change of moods as he is reincarnated was 4 times became less impactful
in between the scenes. These issues are ¼ flaws of 100% perfect story line of this movie which suggests
an improvement for future projects of the director.
In conclusion, bring the tissues for A Dog’s Journey, which pushes a lot of emotional buttons
as it takes viewers through four more lives for Bailey the dog. You don’t need to be a dog lover to
appreciate the movie’s messages about companionship and unconditional love. But the movie also
deals with big issues like parental neglect ,violence, and exposure of illegal substances, so it’s best
suited to older children and teens. While A Dog's Journey succeeds in tugging at heartstrings and
celebrating canine companionship, it could benefit from a more innovative narrative structure that is
less harmful for younger children to enjoy and comprehend. For future projects, Gail Mancuso might
consider balancing emotional depth with fresh storytelling techniques to avoid redundancy that will
be exhausted for audience to feel. Nonetheless, this film remains a touching watch for dog enthusiasts
and fans of heartfelt dramas.