A Dog's Journey (2019) User Reviews

Come on Home, Boss Dog

[ThomasDrufke · 8/10 · 2 June 2019]

It's funny how much I've come around on this series since its inception in early 2017. From being too schmaltzy to being an incredibly heartfelt story about the bond between an owner and his/her dog. The conclusion to this story is beyond satisfying and one that every dog owner will almost definitely relate to on some level. The journey of Bailey (voice by Josh Gad) continues as his purpose extends past Ethan and Hannah, this time looking over CJ, Ethan's step-granddaughter. While being overly sentimental and manipulative at times, it never tries to reach beyond its grasp. It's the good kind of manipulative, especially since it had me tearing up for the better part of the last 30 minutes. A Dog's Purpose is yet another win for dog movie lovers everywhere.

8.4/10

Wow...

[paul_haakonsen · 8/10 · 1 March 2020]

This movie is a definite MUST watch, regardless of what movies you usually watch. Why? Because this is a really touching and beautiful movie.

And director Gail Mancuso really nailed it right on the head with this movie, making a very memorable and truly magnificent movie. This movie has something for everyone in the audience, and I am sure that everyone watching it will take it to heart and bring something with them from the movie once it has ended.

The story is heartfelt and warm, a story full of love and passion. And it is a story that gets under your skin - in a good way - and stays with you for a long, long time once the movie is finished.

I will say that this movie is a feel-good movie that you can definitely watch more than once. And that is quite an accomplishment for director Gail Mancuso, believe you me.

They have a great cast for the movie, and I will say that Dennis Quaid was phenomenal in the movie. But it is the dogs that steal the spotlight here, of course.

I am rating "A Dog's Journey" a very well-deserving eight out of ten stars.

plenty of cute doggy screen time and butt-sniffing jokes

[rannynm · 8/10 · 4 June 2019]

A Dog's Journey is my second-favorite reincarnating dog movie. This sweet, but unoriginal sequel to 2017's A Dog's Purpose is much like the first one, with plenty of cute doggy screen time and butt-sniffing jokes. One strength, compared to the original, is that it spends more time on a single canine / human relationship, rather than jumping around to lots of new people.

For a movie for dog lovers, this one sure shows a lot of dog deaths! As the movie begins, loyal dog Bailey is living with Ethan and Hannah as an old Saint Bernard on their farm in Michigan. As Bailey draws his last breaths, Ethan orders the dog's spirit to watch over his granddaughter CJ throughout her life. That's exactly what the reincarnating dog does, first as a puppy named Mollie, who helps CJ as a child, then as a terrier named Max, who helps teen and adult CJ (Kathryn Prescott)

Josh Gad is back as the perfect dog voice, which stays the same regardless of the breed his spirit is currently inhabiting. Director Gail Mancuso has made a real tearjerker for dog fans, aided by Mark Isham's strings-heavy score.

This movie has fewer adult themes than the book it's based on. Aside from the dog deaths, there are a few other things that might upset younger children. One character gets very sick and another is stalked by an ex-boyfriend. There's also an upsetting car crash and some alcohol and drug use at a party.

The message of this film is that you can persevere to overcome the bad things that happen to you in life. And, you should surround yourself with people who care about you.

I give this movie 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 12 to 18, but adults will like it too, if they really love dog movies. You can find A Dog's Journey in theaters everywhere starting May 17, 2019.

Reviewed by Will C., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic. For more reviews by youth, visit kidsfirst dot ogr.

Great heartwarming movie

[www-aktomer · 10/10 · 3 June 2019]

Continuation of first part, 'A DOG's PURPOSE'. It will definitely make you cry, and that too several times. A really great movie filled with love, positivism and cuteness. Great cast, awesome dogs, fantastic story. A must watch, not just for dog lovers, but for everyone!

A Wonderful Sequel to "A Dog's Purpose"

[gwmbkm · 10/10 · 26 May 2019]

Audiences need more movies like this one!

My husband and I went to a 4 PM weekday show as we needed to "kill" a few hours before meeting our daughter. We knew it was the same writer (W. Bruce Cameron) as two other movies we loved ("A Dog's Purpose" and "A Dog's Way Home") but we didn't know it was a sequel to "A Dog's Purpose." If you haven't seen "A Dog's Purpose" I'd strongly suggest you do so before seeing "A Dog's Journey." You'll enjoy the continuing saga of Bailey and his people much more if you do.

Prepare to cry.

I surprisingly liked it

[mercymaymbewe · 26 May 2019]

I usually don't find myself really loving movies completely centered around animals but the story of this dog's life got me. And the ending was great

Good boy, Universal; You earn a treat for improvement

[askrapitsalex · 7/10 · 18 May 2019]

Making movies about dogs has always been a challenge for the entertainment industry. As a dog lover myself, it is hard to tell whether these type of movies are made to make audiences go "aww" with no substance provided outside or made with hard work and effort to create an emotional experience that would entertain anyone. I am leaning towards the latter. I have a history seeing movies about dogs, especially family-orientated films where dogs talk. There are many to count, but that is a different story.

I recall my viewing experience with A Dog's Purpose, based on the best-selling novel by W. Bruce Cameron, which was released a week before my birthday. While not "bad" or "controversial" as critics and audiences called it, the concept was refreshingly intriguing, it had decent drama and solid acting, especially with Josh Gad. My only issues are the story and tone felt consistent at times. Of course, the movie was a commercial success and it spawned a spin-off and a sequel this year.

Bailey (narrated again by Gad) now lives happily with his original owner Ethan (Dennis Quaid) and his wife Hannah (Marg Helgenberger). He also bonds with their infant granddaughter, C.J.. Until one day, her mother Gloria (Betty Giplin) takes C.J. away from the family and Bailey's time is near. Now, Bailey goes on a new journey through multiple lives while vowing to find and protect C.J. (Kathryn Prescott) at all costs.

As unnecessary as it sounds, the movie has pleasantly surprised me throughout. The main improvement that the sequel provided is the story. It is coherent where it maintains its focus on the dog's goal. The drama hits its marks at the right moments and you will feel the emotions. You will smile, you will chuckle, you will cry, you will be anxious, you will be relieved, etc.

While Josh Gad may provide a few chuckle-worthy moments, his innocence and valor nature continues to carry the heart of the story over the drama. Granted, some would argue that there will be occasional moments where the story would get dark and make you too depressed, especially if young children are watching it. Then again, to the movie's credit, it doesn't go too far and its keeps the emotional level in balance.

The acting from the human characters remains solid, thanks to the directorial debut of Gail Mancuso. Kathryn Prescott and newcomer Henry Lau provide charm and a genuine chemistry to their characters as childhood friends with a building romance.

On a side note, the way how the dogs were trained for certain scenes took risk and prevailed without causing controversy as the last film did.

Overall, A Dog's Journey is a slight improvement with a linear story and enough entertainment value for families and dog lovers to enjoy. If you are seeing it with younger children, be cautious for the occasional dark and downer moments.

RATING: *** out of **** (7.5 out of 10) (RECOMMENDED)

Just saw it and loved it

[kryzhan · 10/10 · 23 May 2019]

Saw the film with my wife and 13 year daughter this evening and loved the film. We all three had some tears at various points in the story. Just made me want to hug my family. Great story, good acting, well done. Thank you to the producers, writers and everyone else involved. Might just go read the book now.

Hasn't lost it's charm.

[michaelktfc · 7/10 · 3 May 2019]

I was a massive fan of A Dog's Purpose. I thought the idea was so original and the whole feeling of the film was so hopeful and heartwarming. I think it would be difficult for anybody to suggest that the bond between dog and owner is not one of the purest out there, and the film was so good at encapsulating that.

A Dog's Journey does well in honouring this. It has the same charm and appeal that the first one has, and is shot in such a similar way that the things you fell in love with with the first film are all there again. The bond that Ethan and Bailey share is as strong as ever and you get to fall in love with the bond of another dog and their owner. All in all you still leave the cinema feeling just as uplifted as when you saw the first film.

The only problem is that it has lost a few things. The acting and storytelling are definitely not up to scratch. At times the links between the bigger plot lines are a bit weak and the scripting doesn't allow for even the better actors amongst the few (of which the lead protagonist unfortunately isn't) to give their best performances. It's also worth mentioning whether the focus is really on bailey as it was in the first film. At times he seems to be a bit of a sideshow.

But don't let this put you off, even with all its flaws A Dog's Purpose is an enjoyable film and upon leaving it you will feel the same heartwarming feelings you got from the first time round, which is why we all went anyway. Overall, a solid effort.

Loved it!

[kgpg · 10/10 · 30 May 2019]

I'm so glad I watched this! I'm also glad I grabbed extra napkins with my popcorn! I experienced all those wonderful emotions and then watched A Dog's purpose.

Everyone was crying

[sandrashockey · 7/10 · 20 May 2019]

I love the movie A Dog's Purpose so when this came out my 11 year old son and I had to go see it. He did not want to wait for it to come out on DVD like he normally does it was a very heartwarming cute movie and everyone in the theater was crying. If you go to see this movie you have to watch A Dog's Purpose first

A movie about Unconditional Love

[bartyldm · 10/10 · 19 May 2019]

What a wonderful movie! Really, really loved it! I thought it was such an honest picture of how life can be, and how unconditional love can pull you through. Nice mix of laughter and tears. Sometimes tears of sadness, but sometimes just tears because my heart was touched❤❤

Not as good as the original, yet still enjoyable.

[paulclaassen · 5/10 · 6 October 2019]

'A Dog's Journey' follows directly on 'A Dog's Purpose'. In this film, the dog feels he needs to protect CJ, Ethan's granddaughter. We once again see the course of life through the dog's eyes.

As much as they (obviously) tried, the film couldn't live up to the original. It was not as mature as the first film, and also not as emotional. This installment might appeal more to teenagers than a mature audience. I also didn't find the acting convincing enough.

The film's best moments were when the dog was with Ethan (Dennis Quaid). These moments made me reminisce the first film, which I so loved. Despite these issues, though, it is still a good film in its own right, with a very good, satisfying ending!

Great uplifting movie.

[aayala-02904 · 10/10 · 19 May 2019]

Not ashamed to admit I cried in this movie. A true must for any dog owner/lover. A very fitting ending.

You need tissues for this one!!!!

[Figgy66-915-598470 · 9/10 · 13 May 2019]

13 May 2019 First Film of Choice at The Plaza Dorchester Tonight - A Dog's Journey. So this is a sequel to A dog's Purpose and if you taken one thing to the cinema with you, make it a box of tissues because unless you have a heart of stone you're jolly well going to need to crack them open. If you don't like showing emotion in public wait for the DVD because I cried like a baby (a very quiet baby). It is the continuing story of Bailey/Molly/Big Dog/Max who remains committed to finding his special human through all his/her reincarnations. Although he had different bodies, different names and even a different gender his memories and his heart remained that of Bailey and this was a touching tale of him keeping his promise to his best friend all those years ago. Some great camera work showing close ups of the amazing language a dog projects with his eyebrows. Lovely film.

Good sequel, dogs have a real purpose!

[TxMike · 18 October 2019]

My wife and I watched this at home on BluRay from our public library. The picture and sound are first rate and the disc also has several interesting extras regarding making the movie.

This is a direct sequel to the 2017 movie "A Dog's Purpose." That movie relied on the theme of animal reincarnation, each time the pet died he/she was eventually reborn as a different type of dog but with memories of his former life. And a mission to find and help his owner.

In this one Ethan and Hannah have a very young granddaughter, but her father, their son, died tragically. The mother has issues, takes young "CJ" away, and she is separated from her grandparents for many years. Eventually the dog(s) play continuing roles in protecting CJ and enriching her life which includes reuniting her with her family.

The movie spans about 25 or so years in CJ's life, it is well told and has a really good and rewarding conclusion.

In the extras Quaid comments that maybe this dog's mission isn't complete yet, maybe there will be an additional sequel.

As an interesting point to me, the actress who plays CJ as a young adult, Kathryn Prescott, was born and raised in London but you'd never guess it, her American accent is so authentic.

If dogs were to watch this movie, they would howl a lot!!!

[justin-fencsak · 7/10 · 15 May 2019]

When A Dog's Purpose first came out, it became a huge hit beloved by not only chicks, but dog lovers everywhere. There was a non related movie called A Dog's Way Home which did ok, but this one will be much appreciated by fans.

Good one

[arssunderfff · 10/10 · 18 May 2019]

Good movie for dog lovers, kids love it , Movie says wats the purpose of a dog to human , and say about their love ,good one . Waiting for the next part or a season of stories

A Great Sequel to A Dog's Purpose

[satyamshb · 7/10 · 12 May 2019]

If you liked A Dog's Purpose, you have to watch this. The dog's perspective in here is what i loved the most. It takes you in an emotional roller coaster ride. There were parts of the movie that were slow for me, but the overall movie is good enough for a re-watch. i personally liked it better than the first one. Great way to continue the story. Again, If you loved A Dog's Purpose you will definitely love this

One Of The Best Movies I Have Ever Seen

[zuriwilliams · 10/10 · 20 May 2019]

This movie is literally one of the best movies I have ever seen. It has to be top 3-5 movies ever. It's up there with movies like Ghost and Lion King. I'm already an animal lover, and huge dog lover, and this movie just gives me more reason to love and cherish my little four legged friends. I'm not going to go into details of the movie in my post because I do not want to spoil it for anyone, but I will tell you this much, bring some tissues with you. Not because the movie is sad, it will be happy tears that you will be wiping away. Just an amazing movie. A masterpiece. I brought my kids to go see it and they loved it. Cane straight home to hug and kiss their dogs. Again....its an amazing movie. One of the best I have ever seen in my entire life. Do not pay attention to these critics who rate the movie low or say anything negative about it, those people are fools. Their job is to critique a movie and look for negatives. Notice the huge discrepancies between rotten tomatoes reviews on movies compared to the public's opinion of a movie........it's always a huge difference. Mark my words, go and see this movie with your kids and family and friends. You guys will not be disappointed. And again, bring some tissues for your happy tears.

Nice emotional movie

[ahmed_alshara · 10/10 · 17 May 2019]

I like this movie more than avengers and scintific imaginary film in order to the big senses of fabulous emotions including the relationship between the Human and his own pets

If you wanted more from A Dog's Purpose, this movie delivers!

[AdrenalinDragon · 6/10 · 3 May 2019]

A Dog's Purpose was originally a movie I decided to randomly see at the cinema a few years ago and I had no idea what to expect. The movie managed to surprise me by hitting me on an emotional level and for a family movie it had elements of darkness to it which I didn't expect, despite being a bit cheesy in places. The movie's main gimmick was a dog constantly reincarnating with a Dog POV commentary voiced by Josh Gad. The sequel to the movie A Dog's Journey continues on from where A Dog's Purpose left off with Bailey living with owner Ethan and being set on a new goal to follow their granddaughter "CJ" through many different dog reincarnations after making a promise to Ethan to protect her.

If you've seen A Dog's Purpose, you know what to expect. Little quips/observations of what's on the dog's mind and of course the dog dying a few times. It can be a hard watch in parts, and as a dog person I had to hold off a bit in places. I've always liked Josh Gad's commentary (Much prefer him over Bryce Dallas Howard in A Dog's Way Home) and seeing the dog think differently to a human and making little jokes here and there. The movie has a bit of cheesiness to it and tonally it can be uplifting or a sudden downer out of nowhere. I like that though as life never plans out the way you expect and bad things can happen when you least expect it. The acting is a bit shaky in places, but for the most part the themes of growing up, trying different things, and seeing the observation and memories of the dog over the years keeps things engaging. It's a pretty straightforward movie, although I question whether it is a good watch for children or not understanding it all and seeing a dog die a few times.

So yeah, A Dog's Journey is basically A Dog's Purpose: Part 2. You know what you are getting yourself into. A movie that will try to emotionally get to you and not be afraid to show the darker side of owning a pet. It has lighter moments in-between though thanks to the Dog commentary. I probably still prefer the first one because I liked the pairing between the dog and Ethan from A Dog's Purpose. If anything, I'd say this one is an easier watch compared to A Dog's Purpose as there is less filler to it and the bleakness is slightly toned down in my opinion. The movie works better with people who like dogs or are dog owners, but if you're looking for a family movie, this is an okay choice in my book.

6/10

Shameless, Manipulative, Exploitative, Insulting

[jwebb-89521 · 1/10 · 2 January 2020]

The screenwriters (W. Bruce Cameron, Cathryn Michon, Maya Forbes, Wallace Wolodarsky) birthed this miscarriage of a script with the intention of underhandedly insulting the intelligence of the film's target demographic. That is the only way I can rationalize what I just watched without succumbing to the overwhelming urge to blow my brains out. Based on the box office numbers, I have to begrudgingly applaud them on their accomplishment.

I refuse to critically engage with any aspect of this movie's plot, character development, or anything that could even remotely be construed as storytelling. To do so would be to tacitly imply that this has any value as a work of art. These hacks have perfected the craft of terrible writing, and in doing so exposed the raw stupidity and lack of good taste possessed by a frighteningly large portion of our population. Bravo, I say.

This thing is audaciously offensive, a blatant middle-finger to the general movie-going populace. The overwhelmingly positive reviews by so-called "fans" have got to be shills. I refuse to believe otherwise. It's either that, or all hope for humanity has been lost, we are irredeemable, and must be eradicated for the good of all other lifeforms on this planet.

Left the theater feeling exhilarated

[2001ASOfan · 9/10 · 19 May 2019]

The first film, "A Dog's Purpose," was so emotionally draining for dog lovers like me (but ultimately worth the rollercoaster ride) that I admit hesitating to see this sequel. My best friend leaned toward seeing it when we were looking for a movie to see this weekend, though, so I agreed. Now I'm so glad I did. While "Journey" is also a rollercoaster ride of life's ups and downs, the overall effect by film's end is exhilaration and joy--and hope. I highly recommend throwing yourself into this particular journey. Strong performances from all of the cast, both canine and human, careful and thoughtful direction, beautiful cinematography, and the story a very compelling view of the human-canine connection in this life.

Not just a Dog's Journey

[CineRenaissance · 17 May 2019]

It's a man's journey with Boss Dog. A tear jerker drama which gives a well deserved closure to Bailey's journey.

Boss Dog makes you smile, laugh and cry with his role. All the actors are so natural with the boss dog, you forget it's second part.

And there's no need to explore too much logic in the world of Boss Dog.