A Dog’s Way Home movie review

RATING: PG

LENGTH: 1 hour 36 minutes

Movie Review Mom GRADE: B

IN A NUTSHELL: A Dog’s Way Home is based on the heartwarming novel by W. Bruce Cameron. I haven’t read the book, but I heard there were quite a few things that were left out of the movie. This feel-good drama is NOT a sequel to A Dog’s Purpose. There actually will be a sequel to that film, but it hasn’t come out yet.

It’s certainly not a unique story or movie, although it’s charming and family-friendly. We’ve seen this film before in the 1993 Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey and its sequel Homeward Bound Ii: Lost In San Francisco. What makes this particular home-bound adventure different is the definition of families you see in the film. If you’re a dog lover, you’ll probably cry. If not, you’ll at least get a lump in your throat.

This movie hit theaters back in January and will be available for streaming and on DVD on April 9, 2019.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

No profanity.
There is a gay, bi-racial couple.
A homeless man dies.
There are some sad moments.
You might have to explain to your kids what poachers are.
You might also have to talk to your kids about the Veterans Administration, why returning soldiers might need therapy and why they can be so sad.

THEMES:

Racism for dogs (breed discrimination against pit bulls)
Persistence
Family
Kindness to animals
Love

THINGS I LIKED:

Ok, so Bella the dog is adorable. There’s THAT. People who are afraid of pit bulls by reputation will probably look at them differently now. I’m always fascinated by how they can get animals to do the things they do in movies.
Bella the featured dog is voiced by the talented Bryce Dallas Howard. Her famous father, Ron Howard, actually has a tiny cameo performance. You’ll miss him if you blink. He’s in the scene towards the end of the movie where Bella is trying to cross a freeway and people stop to get out of their cars to catch her and help her.
The cast includes Ashley Judd and Barry Watson. I was surprised to see Academy nominees Edward James Olmos and Wes Studi play such small roles.
Cute, but short musical montages.
The dog’s commentary and perspective on things were cute.
Beautiful landscapes. The story is supposed to take place in Colorado, but it was actually filmed in British Columbia, Canada.
Adorable cougar kitten sounds. Do they really sound like that?
Great cell phone reception in the middle of nowhere. Ha ha
If you love dogs, you’ll be happy to know that the dog that played the adult version of Bella was a rescue dog that was found living in a junkyard in Tennessee.
The wolves in the movie are called coy-wolves, which is a wolf-coyote hybrid.
I appreciated the portrayal of pet-therapy for veterans and I’m so glad that its use has been growing.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

When Lucas brings home Bella, his mom reminds him that their lease doesn’t allow pets. They both completely ignore that fact. How is that fair to the owner of the house or legal or ethical? The movie takes place in Denver, where pit bulls are illegal, so Lucas and his mom were also breaking a city ordinance by keeping Bella. What message does that send to our kids? Yes, rescuing an animal is awesome, but breaking the law is not.
The dog, cougar, and wolves definitely looked like they were CGI many times.
The avalanched definitely looked fake.
The trailer basically shows you the entire story, including the ending.

FUNNY LINES: