dog's journey characters

Meet the dog thespians of 'A Dog's Journey,' a mutt method-acting masterclass

Spoiler alert! What follows reveals key plot points in "A Dog's Journey," though not the ending. You might want to see the movie before reading.

The pooch ensemble in "A Dog's Journey" (in theaters Friday) has serious acting chops.

These skills are required in the saga, a continuation of 2017's "A Dog's Purpose," which follows the spirit of Bailey as he's reincarnated into pup after pup (all voiced by Josh Gad ) before eventually passing to heaven.

The circle of life requires the full spectrum of canine emotion – from cuddly to consequential. Director Gail Mancuso, who has five dogs of her own, pulls Oscar-worthy performances from her canine thespians in a movie where there's a pooch in every scene.

For your consideration, we present the leading contenders:

Buddy brought the beautiful heartbreak early.

Boss dog Buddy (a Great Pyrenees/Bernese Mountain dog mix) was played by three lookalike dogs, but mainly Odin, the film's primary star.

Odin was tasked with dying in the lap of Buddy's beloved owner Ethan (Dennis Quaid), which happens early in the film. It was already a Kleenex moment before Odin lifted his head for a final, soulful look into Quaid's eyes and faded. "That look was pure magic," Mancuso says. "That moment resonated with me, as I have experienced my own dog looking at me during our goodbye. It's a special bond."

'A Dog's Way Home': How Shelby went from junkyard stray to Hollywood star

Molly was more than adorable energy.

The energetic Molly, who steps in to support the movie's human heroine CJ when her mom moves her away, was played by two Beagliers (a beagle crossed with a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel). Lead dog Lemy showed parkour skills, bounding through backyard obstacles (down stairs, over a gate) to jump into young CJ's arms (played by Abby Ryder Fortson). "And then started licking my face all over," Fortson says.

But Lemy had to get tough later and "bite" the leg of the film's villain (Jake Manley). Dog trainer Bonnie Judd first taught Lemy to tug with a toy, then placed a pouch of meat in Manley's pant leg. "It's kind of like a pinata," Judd says. "The more they go at it, the more they get."

Firefighter says goodbye to rescue dog in viral post: Dog owners can relate because pets are family

Parting is such sweet sorrow for Big Dog.

Big Dog, played by an African Boerboel named Phil, has a small role, portraying a chance meeting with his spiritual owner CJ, now an adult played by Kathryn Prescott, in a roadside store. Phil hit his marks, and gave a hearty paw-shake. But the soulful-eyed dog hit dramatic paydirt when he bid farewell forever to CJ.

"When he's saying goodbye as he's leaving, it's so sad that it made me cry," Prescott says.

Related: The 25 most heroic dogs in America

Buddy and an adorable toddler make giddy magic.

Emma Volk was 2 when she shot her screen debut as Buddy's kid friend (and Ethan's granddaughter) in "A Dog's Journey." But her giggling chemistry with Odin's Buddy is magic, with dog and toddler clearly happy together in a way that goes beyond acting. "Emma just really loved the big brute, and it looks natural," Judd says.

Max's exit scene was tough even for the dog actor.

Rescue dog Max, CJ's adulthood dog, was played by four Biewer terriers. Belle, the character's primary actor, was so invested in her death scene, she had trouble letting Prescott's CJ tearfully sing to her.

"The first time, Belle really wanted to kiss her tears away, but after that she kept her head down and closed her eyes each time," Judd says. "It's a tough scene for any dog but Belle was still a super-hyper puppy. Yet she did exactly as I asked over and over again. On each cut, she would quickly kiss CJ and play."

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A Dog's Journey

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Rent A Dog's Journey on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

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A Dog's Journey is as sentimental as one might expect, but even cynical viewers may find their ability to resist shedding a tear stretched to the puppermost limit.

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Betty Gilpin

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A Dog's Journey (film)

2019 film by gail mancuso / from wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, dear wikiwand ai, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:.

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A Dog's Journey is a 2019 American family adventure comedy-drama film directed by Gail Mancuso in her feature film directorial debut [3] and written by W. Bruce Cameron , Cathryn Michon , Maya Forbes , and Wally Wolodarsky . The film is based on the 2012 novel of the same name by Cameron and is the sequel to the 2017 film A Dog's Purpose . The film stars Josh Gad , Dennis Quaid , Marg Helgenberger , Betty Gilpin , Kathryn Prescott , and Henry Lau .

The film is a co-production between Amblin Entertainment , Reliance Entertainment , Walden Media , and Alibaba Pictures and was released by Universal Pictures in the United States on May 17, 2019. [4] Like its predecessor, it received mixed reviews from critics.

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‘A Dog’s Journey’ Review: Good Boys (and Girls) on a Mission

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By Glenn Kenny

May 16, 2019

The preponderance of viral dog videos proves that the animals are sufficiently attractive, intelligent and resourceful that they don’t need stories about their reincarnation to entertain and warm hearts. Nevertheless, we now have “A Dog’s Journey,” the sequel to “A Dog’s Purpose” (2017), all about a multiple-incarnation pooch on a mission to protect a human.

We begin with the always-welcome Dennis Quaid, as a farmer with a strong bond to the shaggy St. Bernard/Australian shepherd mix Bailey. As Bailey is put to sleep, Quaid’s character begs the dog to look after his granddaughter CJ.

Among the many challenges in CJ’s then-toddler life is Gloria, a single mom possessed of more hostility than the entirety of Elvis Costello’s 1970s output. Gloria becomes a drunk and the older CJ adopts Molly, a delightful beagle/Cavalier King Charles spaniel mix who is, yes, possessed by the spirit of Bailey. (Josh Gad provides the cloying dog voice-over regardless of the gender of any individual beast.)

Adult CJ moves to New York and becomes Maggie Rogers with stage fright, or something like that. There, the new incarnation Max, a Yorkshire terrier, “improves” CJ’s life by making her homeless.

Directed by Gail Mancuso, the movie is packed with cardboard characters who only exist to check off bad-things-happen plot points. Stick around long enough and irritation may turn into incredulity as “Journey,” with the enthusiasm of a pep squad turning cartwheels, flips an increasing number of morbidity-skirting twists. Could you have predicted, when Molly learned how to be a cancer sniffer, that Max would retain that talent and use it to diagnose a central character?

I suppose it’s a genuine achievement that a movie packed with as much delightful canine (and agreeable human) talent as this one should be so insufferable.

Rated PG for mature dog themes. Running time: 1 hour 48 minutes.

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A Dog's Journey - Full Cast & Crew

43 Metascore
1 hr 49 mins
Drama, Fantasy, Family, Comedy
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In this sequel to A Dog's Purpose, beloved dog Bailey discovers a new purpose as he sets out to find his owners' missing granddaughter. Now on a whole new journey, Bailey finds himself touching multiple lives with his good heart and determined spirit.

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Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, a dog's journey.

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Is “A Dog’s Journey” one of the sweetest canine films out there, or one of the meanest? While I generally favor the latter reading, the gentle sniffling mixed with occasional awws and chuckles that broke out during my screening suggests the majority of the audiences will understandably lean otherwise, as they did with the film’s 2017 predecessor, “A Dog’s Purpose.” In theory, this unconditional affection seems mighty unjust for a shameless family franchise that kills an average of four to five dogs per movie, sometimes, in unspeakably wretched fashions—seriously, where is John Wick when you need him? And yet, as visually uninspired and ideologically conservative as it may be, there seems to be something beguiling about the series that keeps one (including myself, admittedly) on a short leash. Turns out, very few are immune to the sneaky suggestion that certain dogs and humans are meant for each other for life.

This is indeed the philosophy behind TV veteran Gail Mancuso ’s “A Dog’s Journey,” which follows in the paw prints of its Lasse Hallström-directed ancestor with its assembly line of doggie fatalities. (Every dog-loving cinephile’s most cherished website “DoesTheDogDie.com” must be having a field trip with these films.) And before you cry out “spoiler alert,” know that spelling out the mounting corpses of our four-legged furry pals in these tearjerkers is not exactly a wrongdoing. Adapted from W. Bruce Cameron’s best-selling novels, the pair of syrupy films follows a Buddhist philosophy, imagining a world in which a dog’s spirit reincarnates in the body of a new adorable puppy (somehow, voiced by Josh Gad even when it’s a female) and pursues its original human to eternity.

“Journey” picks up where “Purpose” had left off, dropping us on a tranquil Midwestern farm ran by the impossibly wholesome couple Ethan ( Dennis Quaid ) and his wife Hannah ( Marg Helgenberger ). Their carefree “Boss Dog” Bailey, a handsome Great Pyrenees Bernese Mountain Dog, runs around the picturesque fields and happily chases his own tail, while keeping a watchful eye on Ethan and Hannah’s baby granddaughter CJ (affably played by Abby Ryder and Kathryn Presscott in later ages), parented by the couple’s heavy-drinking widowed daughter-in-law Gloria ( Betty Gilpin ). Bailey exits the picture soon enough—poor Boss Dog has a cancerous lump—but returns promptly in the body of Molly the mischievous Beagle, reuniting with the 11-year-old CJ to keep a promise he’s made to Ethan. Now living away from her grandparents with the negligent Gloria, CJ finds the kind of comfort and support every child needs in Molly.

Our determined pooch returns again and again as Bailey drops dead in a continuous loop: once, as the African Boerboel Big Dog living on a roadside convenience store (or, “a house made of snacks,” as he calls it), and then as the snippy Terrier Max. Meanwhile, CJ goes through her own transformation and finds herself in the unforgiving streets of New York City as a budding musician with a severe case of stage fright. A series of mean boyfriends—one, a dangerous stalker responsible for Molly’s horrific death—doesn’t help with her insecurity, until she stumbles upon her beloved childhood friend Trent ( Henry Lau ) and falls in love. (Guess what wet-nosed character masterminds the reunion with a paw shake and tail wag?)

Rest assured, there is sufficient amount of cuteness to go around in “Journey,” complete with dutiful canine humor around pooping, face licking, and the perpetual pursuit of food. But while the film engages with the sadness and despair of certain life crises head-on—an unexpected case of terminal illness is especially well-conceived in that regard—it strangely falls short of treating others with the empathy and seriousness they deserve. Written by Cameron, Maya Forbes , Cathryn Michon and Wallace Wolodarsky , the story is outright hostile to Gloria, a paper-thin character whose mourning and alcoholism receives a cruel one-dimensional treatment. A gold-digging ex-girlfriend of Trent suffers in the hands of a similar caricaturized vision. And yet, no one comes to a film like this, where the world is divided into absolute goods and evils, for nuance or subtlety. If you can look behind the flat visuals and prescriptive pleasantries of “Journey,” you might just get on board with its compelling-enough tale of lost souls, found and lifted up by their forever-loyal pooches. On this earth and beyond.

Tomris Laffly

Tomris Laffly is a freelance film writer and critic based in New York. A member of the New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC), she regularly contributes to RogerEbert.com , Variety and Time Out New York, with bylines in Filmmaker Magazine, Film Journal International, Vulture, The Playlist and The Wrap, among other outlets.

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Film credits.

A Dog's Journey (2019)

Rated PG for thematic content, some peril and rude humor.

120 minutes

Dennis Quaid as Ethan

Betty Gilpin as Gloria

Josh Gad as Bailey (voice)

Abby Ryder Fortson as Young CJ

Marg Helgenberger as Hannah

Kathryn Prescott as CJ

Ian Chen as Young Trent

Daniela Barbosa as Liesl

Jake Manley as Shane

Gail Mancuso

Writer (book)

W. Bruce Cameron
Maya Forbes
Cathryn Michon
Wallace Wolodarsky

Cinematographer

Rogier Stoffers
Robert Komatsu

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A Dog's Journey

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A Dog's Journey is a 2019 American comedy-drama adventure film directed by Gail Mancuso . The cast of the film consists of Marg Helgenberger , Betty Gilpin , Henry Lau , Kathryn Prescott , Dennis Quaid , and Josh Gad .

The film was released in the United States on August 30, 2019 by Universal Pictures .

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Marg Helgenberger as Hannah Montgomery
Betty Gilpin as Gloria
Ian Chen as Young Trent
Abby Ryder Fortson as Young CJ
Dennis Quaid as Ethan Montgomery
Josh Gad as the voice of Bailey

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A Dog's Journey - Official Trailer (HD)

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Summary A dog finds the meaning of his own existence through the lives of the humans he meets.

Directed By : Gail Mancuso

Written By : W. Bruce Cameron, Cathryn Michon, Maya Forbes, Wallace Wolodarsky

A Dog's Journey

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Kathryn prescott, marg helgenberger, betty gilpin, abby ryder fortson, young trent, johnny galecki, jake manley, daniela barbosa, conrad coates, arlene duncan, kevin claydon, victoria sanchez, cherissa richards, shiong-en chan, trent's mother, kenneth liu, trent's father, scott gibson, critic reviews.

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‘A Dog’s Journey’ will make you cry, but it does not earn those tears

“A Dog’s Journey” tries to prove that it’s possible to make an uplifting movie in which a dog dies — repeatedly. That’s not a spoiler; it’s literally the plot of the film.

“Journey” rests on the same conceit as its 2017 predecessor, “A Dog’s Purpose.” In both films, based on best-selling books by W. Bruce Cameron, a dog named Bailey (voice of Josh Gad) gets repeatedly reincarnated, each time to protect someone important. The previous film focused on a character named Ethan. Now it’s Ethan’s granddaughter, C.J. (Kathryn Prescott.)

We first meet her as a toddler (Emma Volk), living with her grandparents (Dennis Quaid and Marg Helgenberger), whose son was killed in a car accident before C.J. was born. The son’s widow, Gloria (Betty Gilpin), lives with her daughter C.J. — rather tensely — on the family farm. When a major conflict arises, Gloria and C.J. head to Chicago, where Gloria is planning to pursue a singing career. Through the course of four lifetimes and various dog breeds and genders, Bailey is always there to protect C.J. from danger, including a less than desirable home life and abusive boyfriends.

There’s nothing wrong with a good cry at the movies. But a bad cry is emotionally manipulative and, well, just mean. “A Dog’s Journey” is the latter.

Because the story belongs to Bailey, we have to watch him die, over and over. At these moments, it feels like the entire film is structured to get the audience from one death to another. Although there are some very nice scenes between Gloria and the adult C.J. (as well as with the tween version, played by Abby Ryder Fortson), how can we appreciate them if there’s always this looming sense of doom? Is it even possible to enjoy Gad’s charming performance while we’re waiting for the next time Bailey goes to doggy heaven — a place that looks like the field Russell Crowe glowered over in “Gladiator”?

A movie should earn our tears. And it does that by giving us complex characters to whom we can relate. It doesn’t have to take long: “Up” did it in a near-silent opening montage that covered the span of a married life in just minutes. Here, nearly all the characters are underwritten. When it comes to Gloria, it’s just vicious. Gilpin manages to add some nuance in early scenes, where it’s clear that her anger and selfishness come from grief at the loss of her husband. But eventually, the script falls back on an old trope: she’s a bad mother because she drinks wine (admittedly too much), wears leather pants and has her own headshots hanging on the wall.

There are laughs; many of them come from the fact that dogs sniff rear ends and relieve themselves in inappropriate places. Cleverer moments show up from time to time, though they’re few and far between.

“A Dog’s Journey” plays on one of the rawest nerves humans have: the one triggered by our bond with dogs. (If you want to add tension to any scene, just put a dog in jeopardy). The love we share with our canine companions is one of the simplest emotions there is, and to build an entire film around manipulating that love is lazy storytelling. If you want to cry at the movies, “A Dog’s Journey” will achieve that. If you want to have a satisfactory cry — one that comes from empathy and not cheap emotional manipulation — stay home and watch “Up.”

PG. At area theaters. Contains mature thematic elements, some peril, rude humor, drinking and minor drug use. 108 minutes.

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DVD & Streaming

A Dog’s Journey

Comedy , Drama , Kids

Content Caution

In Theaters

May 17, 2019
Voice of Josh Gad as Bailey the dog; Kathryn Prescott as C.J.; Betty Gilpin as Gloria; Marg Helgenberger as Hannah; Dennis Quaid as Ethan; Henry Lau as Trent

Home Release Date

August 20, 2019
Gail Mancuso

Distributor

Universal Pictures

Movie Review

As Bailey sits in the kitchen, in his favorite spot by his favorite chair, the aging St. Bernard can’t help but think that life is good on his little farm. His boy, Ethan, well, isn’t quite a boy anymore. And his girl, Hannah, isn’t so girlish either. But that’s OK. There’s still sunshine to lie in, chores to help with, golden fields to romp through and a purpose to fulfill. Oh, and … bacon.

Yeah, bacon is definitely good.

And that’s why the littlest member of their pack, C.J., is one of Bailey’s favorites. That toddling girl is good at playing and snuggling. But she’s great at bacon. All Bailey has to do is wait by her chair at meal times, like now, and any number of treats will drop to the floor and into his domain. Yum. Good C.J.

Now C.J.’s mother, Gloria, isn’t so much fun. Or good. Or nice, even. But since she’s the one who brought CJ into the pack, everything else is forgiven.

Maybe it’s the fact that Gloria sleeps so long or talks endlessly into that tiny box in her hand. Maybe that’s what keeps her so unhappy. Maybe it’s that stuff she drinks that makes her smell funny most of the time. Or maybe it’s that Ethan and Hannah’s son hasn’t come home. He has been gone a long time it seems. (Of course, time is something a dog like Bailey doesn’t really understand very well.) It’s probably bacon. Gloria just needs more bacon. She ought to spend more time around C.J.

Bailey would share.

As Bailey sits and looks lovingly on, though, he can sense that things aren’t so good for the humans he protects and loves. And that feeling is soon proved out as Gloria starts to yell and begins to wave her arms anxiously and grabs C.J. out of her chair.

Then, before you know it, Gloria and little C.J. leave. And this leaves Ethan and Hannah so very sad. Bailey can sense their sorrow as plainly as he can remember the taste of bacon he’s no longer eating.

But soon, Bailey gets sick with a strange lump in his belly. And before Ethan can say, “Good boy, Boss Dog,” things have gotten worse. The lump hurts. Bailey isn’t hungry, even for bacon, anymore. He’s pretty sure that he’ll be leaving soon, too.

Ethan holds Bailey’s head and looks lovingly into his eyes and says nice, soothing things as the doctor lady sticks him with a small, sharp needle. And his time—that thing that dogs know so little of—runs out. “If you come back. You look out for our C.J. You hear me?” Ethan says as he strokes Bailey’s fur.

Bailey understands completely.

You see, this isn’t the first time Bailey has had to leave. He’s left and come back many times before in the form of one canine or another. He always returns and seeks after his purpose. But now, Bailey has a new purpose, a new goal.

Bailey will come back. He’ll come back for little C.J., whatever that takes. He’ll protect her. He’ll help her.

That’s his purpose now. And guiding C.J. as she grows up will be a remarkable journey for both of them.

Positive Elements

One of the biggest positives in this film is Ethan and Hannah’s loving relationship. It’s not that they don’t have their share of worry or disappointment and pain in life. They do. But throughout all of those many ups and downs, they display a consistent love and support for each other and for their family members. They even make repeated attempts to reach out to their estranged daughter-in-law, Gloria, after she leaves with little C.J.

That kind of unconditional consistency is very much a part of Bailey’s character, too. “Loving people is my purpose,” the beloved dog declares, voicing his narrator-like internal monologue throughout the film. He even wants the best for unlikeable people, wishing that Gloria might find a dog someday. “She needs love,” he opines—accurately. And the film likewise emphasizes that intention to see the best in others, to love and be loved, as valued aspirations for dogs and humans alike.

Through most of the film, Gloria is in desperate need of that loving lesson. She makes a number of self-destructive choices that drive an adult C.J. away. But eventually, Gloria comes to understand her failings and takes steps to clean up her life and to reconcile with her daughter.

C.J.’s long-lasting relationship with a friend named Trent is also a great representation of self-sacrificial love and consistency. At different stages, these two both step forward to support and care for each other, through sickness, health and ongoing storms in their respective lives.

There are certainly sad moments here as both beloved pets and beloved people pass away . But through those painful losses, the film gently reminds us that grief is a natural part of life—especially when you love someone. Loss is something we must face, embrace and learn from, it tells us.

Spiritual Elements

This film gently hints at a heaven and a reunion with loved ones after death. The spiritual message here isn’t well defined, but at the end of the film, in the doggy hero’s apparent last passing, Bailey runs to join a loving human who’s waiting for him in an open golden field, representing paradise.

Before that final passing, though, Bailey comes back over and over again, reborn repeatedly into the bodies of different kinds of dogs. Each rebirth is prefaced with him running through that golden field of grass. Bailey’s consciousness, however, is always the same, and he retains memories from previous existences.

How that rebirthing process works or what it means is never explored. What’s more, it’s never hinted at or insinuated that humans might have those same rebirthing experiences. In fact, Bailey’s meeting with a deceased beloved human in that heavenly field, would suggest just the opposite.

Sexual Content

Gloria wears a few cleavage-baring outfits. And while C.J. is only a young girl of 11, Gloria leaves her on her own as she heads out on late-night dates. In one case we see that she has brought the guy back home, and that he’s apparently slept over. Another brief relationship implies that a guy has moved in with Gloria. And later, a twentysomething C.J. is living with her boyfriend, though we never see them in any intimate moments.

After Bailey gets reincarnated the first time, he recognizes that he is now a girl puppy (played in a humorous way). We see couples kissing, something Bailey repeatedly describes as people “licking each other.”

Violent Content

We see various incarnations of Baily’s doggy selves die on several occasions. Once, it’s from cancer: he winces and comments about the pain he feels, and his painful decline prompts Ethan to (mournfully) have their vet put him to sleep. In another life, Baily and a teen C.J. are in a car chase that ends with C.J.’s vehicle being purposely rear-ended by another vehicle. Their car crashes and flips, and Bailey is critically injured (though bloodlessly so).

A toddler C.J. wanders into a horse paddock and is in danger of being stomped by a rearing horse before she’s saved by Bailey and Ethan. As both a teen and an adult, C.J. is grabbed roughly by two different guys. In the earlier incident, her shirt is ripped and it appears she might be physically harmed (or perhaps sexually assaulted) before Bailey bites the guy’s leg so that C.J. can pull away and run off.

One of Bailey’s incarnations is a small dog that tends to bite peoples finger’s to keep them at bay.

Crude or Profane Language

We hear one clearly voiced “oh god” as well as another potentially unfinished usage of that profanity. Characters also exclaim “oh my gosh” a couple of times. Trent mentions that his father got angry about something and did a lot of “swearing in Mandarin.”

Drug and Alcohol Content

Gloria drinks heavily, repeatedly downing multiple glasses of chardonnay before and after leaving her 11-year-old daughter to fend for herself. We see her quite drunk in one scene and passed out in another, and it’s obvious that her relationships with her boyfriends are all alcohol related. A sleepover boyfriend fixes drinks for breakfast, for instance, etc. In fact, a teen C.J. reports that her mom is “drunk half the time.” And Gloria justifies her inebriated choices as being something that’s perfectly acceptable for an adult.

Eventually, though, Gloria assesses all that her choices have caused her to lose—including a relationship with C.J.—and she takes steps to get sober and fix her broken life.

In spite of her experience with her mom, C.J. agrees to go to a party with a boy she likes. The house is full of underage people drinking beer. The guy tries to coax her into drinking as well, but she’s not at all interested and is very uncomfortable being at the party. We also witness the sale of some kind of illicit drug at the party, a transaction that C.J.’s boyfriend is a part of. Before C.J. can leave the party, the police raid it and arrest her.

As mentioned, a veterinarian injects Bailey, who’s suffering from the growth of a tumor, with a chemical to put the animal to sleep.

Other Negative Elements

Plenty of dog-centric giggles involve backside sniffing, doggy destruction of property, dogs peeing and defecating on things.

Gloria repeatedly illustrates what a bad mom looks like: abandoning, emotionally abusing and even stealing from her daughter.

Like its predecessor, A Dog’s Purpose , this tear-jerking flick avoids nasty content as determinedly as the average mutt scorns a bath. In fact, this canine sequel is unquestionably of the same breed and straight out of the same litter as the original.

That being so, the story’s unexplained doggy reincarnation is likely the biggest issue that parents of faith will have to navigate with little viewers. Some critics have dog-tagged that pup-to-pup soul transfer as “Buddhism for beginners,” but this aspect of the film is actually handled in a pretty non-theological way: It’s simply used as a plot device to help move a somewhat nonsensical tale forward. In addition, the movie’s depiction of heaven as a dreamy golden field of grass could be a great way to talk to kids about what Christian families actually believe when it comes to the things of life, death and the afterlife.

Other than that, there’s a bit of car-crash peril, a struggle with alcoholism, an attempted assault and the sad deaths of both human and canine characters. It’s the sort of unsettling stuff that could ruffle the fur of the youngest dog lovers in your pack.

But if you can make it past those relatively minor barks and growls, you’ll find a warm story here. It not only speaks of the bonds between people and their pets, but it also takes the time to deal with very real issues of bereavement, brokenness, addiction, reconciliation and family commitment.

A Dog’s Journey is a sweet, loving and endearing pic. And it will certainly make you smile a little bigger when you get back home to your own joyous, tail-wagging buddy.

Like Bailey, we can make a strong commitment to love our family well and to help them through the ups and downs. For some ways to add a bit more bark or a little wag to your family, check out these Focus on the Family resources:

Building Family Identity

Navigating Tough Issues in Your Family, Part 1

Score One for the Family

After spending more than two decades touring, directing, writing and producing for Christian theater and radio (most recently for Adventures in Odyssey, which he still contributes to), Bob joined the Plugged In staff to help us focus more heavily on video games. He is also one of our primary movie reviewers.

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A Dog’s Journey review – corny canine caper

Bailey the body-hopping hound bounds back in this unashamed agglomeration of poop jokes and puppy eyes

T his dogtainment is the sequel to A Dog’s Purpose (2017), the Lasse Hallström holiday timekiller chiefly notable for its faithful translation of author W Bruce Cameron’s bizarre concept: its onscreen walkies were narrated by a free-floating canine spirit (bearing the voice of Frozen’s Josh Gad) who jumped from dog’s body to dog’s body like Scott Bakula in some canine Quantum Leap reboot.

On a second runout, that USP seems less eccentric, but equally some of the oddball novelty has worn off. Four credited screenwriters – including former Simpsons scribes Maya Forbes and Wally Wolodarsky, upping the poop-joke quotient – merely use that astral projection to usher another conveyor belt of pooches through much the same cornily conservative scenarios the studios churned out in Rin Tin Tin ’s heyday.

Only its restlessness feels novel, tailored as it is to wet-nosed viewers made distractible by hours of scrolling through floof-centric Instagram feeds. Bailey, spirit Gad’s ultimate canine destination the first time round, has settled down on the ever work-shirted Dennis Quaid ’s perpetually sun-dappled farm, yet – tissues at the ready – he hasn’t long for this world. Our spirit guide must thus find his way back in another form, an odyssey that entails shepherding Quaid’s songbird granddaughter Clarity Jane (Kathryn Prescott) away from Glow’s Betty Gilpin, marked as a Bad Mother by her tendency to liberally decant pinot grigio in the hours before sundown.

Any cheap tears can be attributed to the way Cameron’s writing rubs up against earthlier experiences: seeing out thunderstorms alongside your pet, sudden health crises, ominous visits from the vet. (The finale goes full-blown Six Feet Under, with Mark Isham’s score shamelessly recycling Sia’s Breathe Me.) Yet, as signalled by one character’s cursory cancer treatment, there’s nothing much for the human performers to sink their teeth into. Quaid eventually succumbs to comical old-age latex, having long ceded the screen to the slobbering selling points.

By their very nature, dog lovers may be more forgiving and enthusiastic, but much of it is reaction shots of trained mutts, right through to the closing-credit snapshots of the crew’s Forever Friends, this movie is almost literally all puppy eyes.

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A dog's journey, common sense media reviewers.

Sequel is as sentimental and emotional as the first film.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Strong messages about the life-changing bond, unco

Ethan and Hannah continue to be wonderful role mod

A dog dies on different occasions. In one particul

A married couple embraces, dances, briefly kisses.

Infrequent language includes a few uses of "idiot,

Recognizable brands include Dodge, MacBook, iPhone

Quite a bit of drinking by Gloria, who's nearly al

Positive Messages

Strong messages about the life-changing bond, unconditional love, and connection between dogs and their humans. Promotes idea that people aren't meant to go through life alone, that they're happier and more fulfilled with both human partners and animal companions. Clear themes of empathy, perseverance.

Positive Role Models

Ethan and Hannah continue to be wonderful role models: kind, helpful, disciplined, loving. They take good care of Bailey and CJ. The dog always believes his/her purpose is to defend, protect, and love his/her human companions, nevers stops looking for or protecting his/her human. CJ is lonely and sad at times but loves her dog and her best friend, Trent, who's supportive, generous, encouraging. Gloria is an alcoholic and neglectful mother but eventually takes responsibility, asks for forgiveness.

Violence & Scariness

A dog dies on different occasions. In one particularly painful scene, Bailey dies in Ethan's arms receiving a euthanizing shot. Another version of Bailey dies in an accident, others die of old age. An abusive boyfriend purposely crashes into his ex-girlfriend's car. Another boyfriend is verbally demeaning, grabs his girlfriend. An older adult dies surrounded by people (and pet) he loves. An alcoholic mom is neglectful, leaving her daughter alone a lot of nights. A girl is frightened of a storm, upset that her mother isn't around.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

A married couple embraces, dances, briefly kisses. Teens make out in a car. From dog's perspective, a young couple "licks each other's faces" -- like Ethan and Hannah used to when they were younger. At one point, the dog narrates, "They look like they want to lick each other."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Infrequent language includes a few uses of "idiot," "dumb," and "stupid." A mom hurls the word "chubby" like an insult. "Oh my God" as an exclamation.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Recognizable brands include Dodge, MacBook, iPhone, Slim Jim, Cheetos, Whole Foods, Ford, and Jeep.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Quite a bit of drinking by Gloria, who's nearly always shown with a glass of wine or a cocktail in her hand. She's clearly an alcoholic and is often drunk. Shane is obviously a drug dealer -- he exchanges cash for small packets at a party. Minor character smokes cigarettes.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that A Dog's Journey is the sequel to 2017's sentimental A Dog's Purpose , both of which are based on W. Bruce Cameron's best-selling books about a dog (voiced by Josh Gad ) that's reincarnated again and again with the purpose of finding a specific human to protect and love. This time around, Ethan ( Dennis Quaid ) encourages his beloved dying dog to return to find his granddaughter. There's less violence in this one, but there's still an alcoholic, neglectful parent (this time a mother) and an abusive boyfriend who literally crashes into his ex-girlfriend on purpose. Another boyfriend is verbally demeaning and grabs his girlfriend; a minor character smokes. And, yes, the central dog dies -- four times, to be exact, due to sickness, old age, and accidents. But couples don't do much more than hug and kiss, and language is tame ("idiot," "stupid"). As in the first movie, there are clear messages about empathy and companionship, as well as the power of having a pet with whom humans share unconditional love. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

Parents say (20)
Kids say (17)

Based on 20 parent reviews

Interesting discussions about this film

Amazing....but made me sob, what's the story.

A DOG'S JOURNEY -- the sequel to 2017's A Dog's Purpose -- is, like the first film, an adaptation of W. Bruce Cameron's best-selling books about a special canine whose memories are reincarnated into a new dog each time it dies. As the sequel begins, Ethan ( Dennis Quaid ), his wife, Hannah ( Marg Helgenberger ), and their beloved dog, Bailey (voiced by Josh Gad ), are living on their Michigan farm and taking care of Hannah's toddler granddaughter, CJ, and widowed daughter-in-law, Gloria ( Betty Gilpin ), after the death of her son. When Gloria, who's angry and neglectful in her grief, takes CJ away to Chicago, Hannah and Ethan are distraught. Right before Bailey eventually dies, Ethan asks him to come back for CJ. And that's what happens: The dog returns as Molly, a puppy that 11-year-old CJ ( Abby Ryder Fortson ) adopts, while her best friend, Trent ( Ian Chen ), adopts Molly's brother Rocky. Years later, CJ (now Kathryn Prescott ) continues to be "Bailey's" purpose, even after more dog deaths and CJ's move to New York City to pursue a music career.

Is It Any Good?

Emotional and syrupy sweet, this sentimental sequel is a tribute to the enduring bond between dogs and their human best friends. Veteran TV director Gail Mancuso continues Lasse Hallstrom 's poignant touch with the story, which switches from focusing on Ethan to CJ. The CJ storyline is less violent than younger Ethan's, but it's still filled with heartbreak, a parent's substance abuse, sadness, and loneliness (save for lifelong friend Trent).

Gilpin is well cast as a selfish, disinterested mother who cares more about warning her daughter about the dangers of getting "chubby" than actually parenting her. Prescott is believable as a vulnerable, unfulfilled young woman whose greatest comfort has always come from her dog. And Henry Lau is almost too good to be true as the earnest adult version of Trent. Gad's voice is eager and steadfast as the various incarnations of Bailey, and, unlike in the first film, A Dog's Journey , audiences stay with the same family of dog owners throughout the story (with the exception of one quick detour). This movie definitely and effectively pulls at the heartstrings, so pet lovers in particular should expect tears to flow at the many tender moments between CJ and Ethan and their dogs. There's even a subplot about one of the dogs being able to detect cancer by scent, an ability a later dog can also display -- with life-saving results. For dog fans, this is a movie that affirms the kinship between humans and dogs; for others, it's a treacly sweet take on some serious issues.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the violent/upsetting scenes in A Dog's Journey. Why do you think they were included? Can a movie have violent parts and still be family friendly?

What do the human characters learn from their dog? How does the story promote empathy ? How does Bailey's journey, lifetime after lifetime, exemplify perseverance ? Why are those important character strengths ?

How does the movie portray drinking ? Are there realistic consequences? Why is that important?

How does the movie address grief, especially in relation to losing a pet? Have you ever had to deal with that? What made you feel better?

What do you think about CJ and Trent's friendship? How is their relationship different from the other romantic relationships depicted in the movie? What's the message about friends who become more?

Movie Details

In theaters : May 17, 2019
On DVD or streaming : August 20, 2019
Cast : Dennis Quaid , Josh Gad , Betty Gilpin
Director : Gail Mancuso
Inclusion Information : Middle Eastern/North African actors, Female actors
Studio : Universal Pictures
Genre : Drama
Topics : Cats, Dogs, and Mice , Friendship
Character Strengths : Empathy , Perseverance
Run time : 108 minutes
MPAA rating : PG
MPAA explanation : thematic content, some peril and rude humor
Last updated : February 18, 2024

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