Short Synopsis:

We first meet our main character, Bailey, as an adorable Golden Retriever puppy who finds his way into the loving arms of 8-year-old Ethan. Bailey and Ethan have countless adventures together, but Bailey’s long life as a beloved family pet is just the beginning of his journey. Reborn as a puppy again, Bailey wonders – will he ever find his purpose?

-Entertainment One

Film Review:

In the introduction, a scene was showing a dog living a very short life and with no delay gets euthanised; a life with not much purpose- this maybe a little dark for a PG rating opening scene. But it surprisingly didn’t quite feel heavy as it should have. A Dog’s Purpose is not the story that you would expect. It is about reincarnation and the many lives Bailey, the main dog’s character had and the different people he touched- a five in one kind of movie.

All the dogs in the film were adorable and incredible. They were altogether cute and very talented. The story is mainly about Bailey and his journey through his search for purpose. He starts as a stray dog who gets impounded and euthanised,  then he becomes a best friend to Ethan (Bryce Gheisar) in his second life and dies as a sad dog longing for his best friend to come home when the older version of Ethan (Dennis Quaid) left for college. Bailey then becomes a female K-9 dog in his third incarnation; she gets to save a little girl’s life, and dies after saving her partner from a gun shot. In his fourth life, Bailey became a corgi; he lived a life filled with love and had lots of attention and care. He died peaceful by his owner’s side. In his last and present life, neglected and chained to a tree, he sleeps outside during winter. Bailey was then, left on the side of the road where eventually his nose leads him to a familiar scent.

In general, the film is touching but only on the surface. It possesses a fictional reincarnation element that changes the mood from tragic to melodramatic. Its aim to deliver a message surrounding animal rights, specifically dogs, is quite satisfied. A dog’s right to have a loving family and a purpose in life is vital. And this film showed that in various ways. A special journey seen through a dog’s eyes and is also narrated by him. It is a movie for the whole family to enjoy and to see different views of people and their behaviour towards dogs. Most importantly, how these dogs have touched their lives in different levels. This film is a unique tribute to man’s best friend.

In NZ cinemas from May 4, 2017

NZ Rating: PG