A DOG'S PURPOSE (English) - A sweet, lovable & innovative film teaching the value of fun and living in the moment from a dog's perspective. (Review By Bobby Sing)

Director Lasse Hallstrom gave us a gem of a movie called HACHI (included in Movies To See Before You Die list at BTC) based on an unbelievably amazing real life story of a blessed dog (released in 2009) and he is back with another fictional lovable movie on the various lives of a dog again, after a gap of eight years as A DOG’S PURPOSE.

Sharing a personal truth, I watched HACHI many years back when my own adorable Labrador SUFI was alive and now I have watched A DOG’s PURPOSE when he is no more with us but still very much there in our memories like a guarding angel. However as an unbiased, truthful reviewer, I am not letting the fact influence my honest views about the movie giving you a clear picture.

Based on the book by W. Bruce Cameron with the same title, first of all A DOG’S PURPOSE asks or assumes its viewers to keep every logic or argument about reincarnation of animals aside and just enjoy the proceedings on the screen considering it as an innovative fictional story written and presented to spread a positive message. So the film needs to be seen overcoming this major hurdle by all, particularly the friends who haven’t kept a pet ever.

(Spoliers Ahead)
Narrated by the dog itself called Bailey (in the voice of Josh Gad), this is the story of its realization of the basic purpose of life after going through several reincarnations of a dog, meeting different kinds of masters (the humans) in a span of about 60-70 years. Living the various experiences of life as a much cared homely family member, a tough crime-fighting police dog, a small adorable pet, a lonely chained dog and more, Bailey finally reunites with his most loved master of them all, who is now gone old and becomes his match maker too realizing a dog’s basic purpose of life which is just to be, have fun and live in this very moment without thinking about the future or anything else in the state of let-go.

Dealing with more than one death sequences of the dog, the most appreciable part of the project is that it’s still not any heavy typical tear-jerker kind of film and remains a sweet, enjoyable and innovative tale throughout offering many pleasant sequences. Yes, a few specific death sequences do become painful reminding you of the similar instances faced in your personal lives, but its not tears but smiles you leave the theater with, re-learning a forgotten golden message already there in all sacred spiritual scriptures written by the enlightened masters.

More likely to be enjoyed by the viewers loving animals or having pets in their homes, A DOG’S PURPOSE becomes predictable after an hour and you can easily guess how its going to end returning to the beginning itself. Yet it successfully maintains the interest and it’s the simplicity of the film that actually wins your heart along with the dogs and all relatable performances.

Moreover keeping in mind the perspective of the dog, the film can also be stated as a fun watch too, realizing how the pets might be thinking about us as their owners or masters, following a completely contrasting attitude and thought-process. For instance, just imagine that the moment you adopt a dog with a mixed emotion of love and pity, it might be judging you too as its future owner or master with its own likes and dislikes.

Coming to the important message of the film as conveyed by its thoughtful title, there is no purpose of a dog’s life at all other than simply living in the present.

A dog just exists and lives for fun enjoying its every gifted moment, since it doesn’t have any worry of the future or a heavy burden of the thoughts about a past.

NOW and HERE is the only purpose of a dog’s life in reality and this is the precious lesson we all need to learn from them too forgetting our useless worries.

So if you are an emotional dog/pet lover then do watch this movie at the earliest enjoying the entertaining narration. And in case you are not, then do watch it as a must as who knows you might start loving them too going through a timely change of heart post watching the film.

Ending on an inspiring note, whether you go for the movie or not just think for a while that is this just a coincidence that the reverse spelling of DOG becomes GOD ……….. or there is a deep hidden indication in this, for we all…. the humans.

Rating : 3.5 / 5 (with the additional 0.5 especially for the message given.)

Note:
A. Just before the film’s theatrical release, a behind the scene video got released online showcasing a fearful dog being forcibly sent into a pool having turbulent water waves during the shoot of a rescue scene. Though the makers later denied any such torture ever to be there on the sets, it still affected the film a lot, especially hurting the sentiments of all animal lovers.

B. Frankly, I have tried to review the film in all honesty keeping my love for dogs apart as a common viewer. But was just thinking that what if such movies are reviewed by a person, who actually hates dogs and is not at all comfortable with any pet around in his or her home and hasn’t hugged them ever!

Hope that one of these likable films focusing on the adorable pets changes those hearts too with HIS BLESSINGS.