Get ready for what may prove to be the most huggable dog movie of the year. With A Dog’s Journey, veteran TV director Gail Mancuso (“Roseanne”; “Modern Family”) expertly tugs on heartstrings you may not know you have, warmly continuing the canine companionship of A Dog’s Purpose (2017).
The story of a dog named Bailey (voiced by Josh Gad) moves from the sweeping pastoral imagery of Michigan farmlands to the clotted urban byways of New York City on his mission to help CJ (Kathryn Prescott, AMC‘s “The Son”) find the dirt road back to reconciliation with the estranged parents (Dennis Quaid and Marg Helgenberger) of her deceased father. It’s no easy task for Bailey as he contends with CJ’s struggling widowed mother Gloria (Betty Gilpin, Netflix‘s “GLOW”) and a host of teenage torments that carry into CJ’s budding adulthood.
Younger viewers may get antsy during the longer scenes of grown-up family drama. But, as promised, this movie is all about the dog’s journey, and any kindergartner will be able to happily follow along. Indeed, the whole film plays out like a live-action doggy picture book, painted in vibrant cinematic brushstrokes, making it a joyful viewing experience for children and adults alike, and one full of heart and humor.
In the midst of a steady emotional torrent, there are plenty of laughs to be had, and not just for dog owners who can relate to the roving thoughts of a cavorting canine. Older audiences may also chuckle at the retrospective nods to the 1990s. The movie opens when CJ is a toddler and tracks her growth to the present day, so watch out for a clip of “Friends” playing on a tube TV and gratuitous usage of a Motorola flip phone. With a soft focus through the lens of nostalgia, it’s clear that the technology may change, but people stay the same.
All told, A Dog’s Journey proves to be a solid, good time at the movies, helmed masterfully on its course and steered home with the verve and cohesion of a Sunday sermon — one delivered by a plucky dog hero who shepherds the flock of willing viewers back to the fold.
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