This movie has a quite compelling ending and films like this require the viewer to be patient as the plot weaves the story together. I thought the acting was ok. Marilu Henner was great and Corbin Bernsen was very good. Gregory Hoyt also did very well at the ending. I was not disappointed by any means and the dog brought a fine touch to a heartfelt topic. It won't win any awards but it is worth watching. Well done.
15 Reviews
Give it a chance
barbaraturner-7840024 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
So, a Christian movie is not always about Biblical accuracy. I am a fan of Mr. Bernsen so I gave him a break. His emotions and anger were really strong! After all, these are the real reactions of a man who is not a believer, his wife was. He is trying to come to terms with her sudden death. Next, the dog was the star of the movie...how did they get this cute dog's reactions to seem so human? The plot was not so believable, but it's not supposed to be, a man who doesn't have faith in God forgiving the man responsible for his wife's death and then letting go of his own anger...I liked the movie. I am not a movie 'expert' but liked the movie.
Little confused
keeplifefresh31 December 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I believe this movie was to have a message if redemption, forgiveness and so on. I was quite distracted by the music which often made me feel throughout the movie, that something really significant was about to happen, but it didn't ever seem to for some reason. Even at the pivotal moments when I was waiting for everything to come together, things didn't feel significant for me. The dog, though adorable, distracted and confused me. At first, his mouth looked like he had blood all around it. He later looked more or less intermittently dirty. As the movie progressed, I expected a greater revelation about why he showed up. I guess his purpose was to bring owner and protagonist together for their moment. Somehow, the dog's presence seemed anti-climatic and I felt the story, unresolved ...Perhaps, this is part of the message, that humans do have a difficult time with forgiveness..that as hard as we try, we still struggle to do our part when God does His so well. (I surely have found that to be true). I guess I wanted more closure..Why did the dog never bark? What was it about the dog that won over the protagonist as they didn't really interact or share much affection. The protagonists never seems to learn from his bouts of anger, even though he had no bullets in the gun. He was painfully difficult to like. By the end, I'd hoped I would like him more, but the conversation at the end with the young man helped a little. I'd have hoped that the older man would impart greater wisdom in the younger in letting him see where being out of control could ruin his life. The protagonist never really deeply reflected in his role in the incident. It was only while in jail that he was willing to be accountable, but to only himself, but even that, not really. He placed all the blame on the young man..I enjoyed the movie, just the same.
Pretty decent film
gams-275401 October 2023
A pretty decent film with good acting. Beautiful story about love, loss, grief, forgiveness, and finding your way back from the depths of depression. It's also a beautiful story about how dogs can find you at just the right moment and help you work through your grief.
Those that gave it a 1 star truly don't understand this type of film. One even gave it one star because it had a ghost and she didn't think that was biblical. I mean really???
This type of film actually requires you to put yourself in the shoes of the main character and feel what they're feeling. This is a film of great depth. Give it a chance, you'll enjoy it.
Those that gave it a 1 star truly don't understand this type of film. One even gave it one star because it had a ghost and she didn't think that was biblical. I mean really???
This type of film actually requires you to put yourself in the shoes of the main character and feel what they're feeling. This is a film of great depth. Give it a chance, you'll enjoy it.
Strife with dog.
nizy612 September 2021
The blurb for this film suggests
a film about hope and enlightenment. It is nothing of the sort. This is a cynical piece of work with an apoplectic lead who grinds and groans throughout its entirety. It has no redeeming qualities. None. It's 100 minutes of misery without a shred of levity or pathos. A protagonist so thoroughly detestable you feel nothing but jaded. A dog of a movie indeed. Skip it.
Life with Dog
cherylrae-4589720 September 2019
WORST movie EVER. ALL throughout the movie, he kept talking to his DEAD WIFE...a Ghost, he was full of hate that NEVER let up. We stopped watching it after 60 mins as it was just too ugly and the dead ghost is NOT biblical.
We've never seen such a horrible movie...was nothing but darkness and that was too overpowering, I hope people will share their reviews as well about how much this movie STINKS...it made us feel awful!
The main character is unbearable, but if you stick with it long enough you'll see this is an amazing film
tiffanie_says_stay_in_your_lane8 August 2022
Yes, the character of Joe (Corbin Bernson) is cynical beyond belief. Safe to say, many of us have encountered someone like Joe. They were negative about everything and so draining to be around. It seemed impossible to bring a smile to their face. He's definitely off putting, but this movie has a powerful message and it's worth sticking with to the end. After losing his wife, Alice (Marilu Henner), in a bicycle accident, his mental health starts declining. He spends his days sitting in the living room with the blinds closed, even when it's sunny outside, and he's stopped shaving. When his daughter comes to his house she expresses her immense concern for his psychological well-being, but he doesn't see anything wrong with how he's living. It also doesn't help that he's short-tempered just by nature. He's going down a path of despair, until he encounters a stray dog who won't leave him alone. Over time, the dog becomes part of his life. Throughout the movie, the audience is able to see the dog change Joe's pessimistic outlook. The actors and actresses gave such compelling performances. It's a brilliant movie about forgiveness. Awesome choice for a family movie night.
life with dog
cherylrae-4589720 September 2019
Do Watch
msdougherty30 September 2019
Maybe 'cause I live w "death out of proper time", I felt this movie dealt w grief & anger quite well. It was real, the plot was Not predictable, and it was well acted. I would have liked to have seen or heard more of a "peace through the storm through faith" message from Alice, as there is a profound difference in grieving w/o faith in God versus trusting God through it. I've done it both ways, thankfully I live through it w God now. Well done on the writing Mr. Bernsen.
Waste Of Your Time! Believe me...
turtleturbo31 December 2020
This movie had no plot line, no realism, and certainly no acting. To the people who read this, I beg you not to waste your time watching this. The entire movie was a joke, and I'll have to complain to IMDb for not having an option to choose a negative score out of ten! Even 1/10 is a stretch. I can think of nothing good about his movie, so if you want a top choice of a worst movie, this is it! I can usually point out something good in the movie, like good camera shots and movie directing, but this just ain't the case with "Life With Dog." I mean, even the title suggests a low-budget film with no plot line. To think that people put effort into making this bad of a film makes me wonder how they even published it!
The comments that give it 3/10 or more are complete liars, trying to reel you in to watch their own movie. Yes, that right! The film's own producers have to bring it upon themselves to to try get a high movie rating. This movie is going down on my list as a -1/10, something I didn't think I'd ever have to do.
The comments that give it 3/10 or more are complete liars, trying to reel you in to watch their own movie. Yes, that right! The film's own producers have to bring it upon themselves to to try get a high movie rating. This movie is going down on my list as a -1/10, something I didn't think I'd ever have to do.
Waist of time
sus171-121-41407913 February 2022
Not really a dog movie
paulatepc6618 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Very repetitive, slow and laborious. Hoped the dog would be an inspiration as the title suggests but it just went on and on about the same issues. Mind numbingly depressing. I should have seen it right to the end but gave up after 60 minutes.
Wonderful Story of True Life Grief
tomatomaster26 November 2020
It is hard to forgive when the most important person in your life is suddenly taken away. In this case, Joe was beholden to his wife Alice for becoming a better man. Alice's visits as a guide and angel to Joe were touching and poignant. We enjoyed watching Joe go through various stages of grief and come out a better person because of it. Dog (God spelled backwards) gave Joe the support, silent but ever present, that he needed. Hard not to love this story of gentle redemption.
No definitive plot
pohaiprovencal26 March 2023
Up there among the worst movies I've ever seen! Misleading title implies the dog plays a bigger role than he actually does, helping a widower through his grief. Widower is dangerously and alarmingly psychotic and paranoid. Should have been committed. Doesn't even give the scrawny neglected dog food pr water until he's had it for like a week. Then there's some stupid teenage sleuth type background music in what should be more serious and emotional scenes like the murder of the wife. The lame dialogue at the end took my disappointment to a whole new level as I held out my last hope for redemption of the sad sorry screenwriting. Ugh!
It was worth my time to watch it
lorrainehudgins20 February 2023
I liked this movie. Before I watch a movie, I'll check out the ratings to see if it's worth my time and I saw there were some good ratings and some scathing ratings which honestly made me want to watch it just to see for myself. I don't like other people telling me what I should and shouldn't watch.
I didn't find it depressing at all. I found it raw and honest, the feelings of a man who lost his beloved wife and was enraged with God and lashing out because he didn't know what to do with all the pain.
And I didn't see any ghosts in the movie. A couple of guardian angels for sure. Someone else said this movie had parts that weren't biblical. I disagree. I think we're here to love and to learn and I think that's what this movie was about.
I like movies that are a little different too. Like this one. I like the story and the acting, I would recommend it, but that's just me. You be the judge.
I didn't find it depressing at all. I found it raw and honest, the feelings of a man who lost his beloved wife and was enraged with God and lashing out because he didn't know what to do with all the pain.
And I didn't see any ghosts in the movie. A couple of guardian angels for sure. Someone else said this movie had parts that weren't biblical. I disagree. I think we're here to love and to learn and I think that's what this movie was about.
I like movies that are a little different too. Like this one. I like the story and the acting, I would recommend it, but that's just me. You be the judge.
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