A DOG'S JOURNEY
US, 2019, 109 minutes, Colour.
Dennis Quaid, Kathryn Prescott, Marg Helgenberger, Betty Gilpin, Henry Lau, Abby Ryder Fortson, Ian Chen, Emma Volk, Johnny Galecki, Jake Manley, Daniela Barbosa, Conrad Coates. Voice of Josh Gad.
Directed by Gail Mancuso.
Reincanine action. This wordplay was a tantalising distraction while watching yet another of adaptations of novels by W.Bruce Cameron, his entering into the psyche of dogs, voicing their thoughts and feelings, making them central characters. He did it some years ago with A Dog’s Purpose and there is also a 2019 film, A Dog’s Way Home – all with screenwriting collaboration with Cameron.
For those who are not dog lovers, this canine exuberance as well as the canine reincarnation, might prove something of a chore. While the dogs are personalised, all of them voiced, as in the previous film, by Josh Gad, a variety of voices and tones, their dialogue is from the dog’s point of view, hearing the human speech but not really understanding what they are getting at, the dog learning to interpret. This means that the screenplay is a rather “cute� in dramatising the dog’s thinking, feeling and instinctive behaviour.
This film also introduces characters from the past, older farmer, Ethan, and his wife Hannah. Dennis Quaid appears again and Hannah this time is Marg Helgenberger. The film dog, Bailey, also reappears. But, this time, there is a story of Ethan and Hanna’s family, their son killed in a car accident, their taking care of their granddaughter, CJ, but her self-absorbed grieving and angry mother, Gloria (Betty Gilpin) resents them and takes CJ off.
In fact, CJ (Kathryn Prescott) becomes the central character, seen as a little girl of 10 with her friend, Trent, planning to adopt two dogs, one of whom, Molly, is a reincarnation of Bailey who has promised Ethan that he will look after CJ. Poor CJ, her mother becoming more self-absorbed, drinking, fickle boyfriends, neglecting her daughter. As CJ grows up, she gets entangled with a local boy who is into drugs which leads to a car crash.
There is, of course, more, Bailey becoming a literal Big Dog and a chance encounter with CJ. But, finally in New York City, matters come to quite a dramatic head, Bailey this time a little dog, somewhat ferocious, called Max. Needless to say he and CJ coincide – and they do with Trent (Henry LaU), who is, perhaps, the most sympathetic character in the film.
A lot of sadness, a lot of joy and recovery, and, happily, everybody ending back at the farm where it all began.
While the film could well delight a lot of younger audiences who love dogs, this time there are some rather emotional adult themes which they may or may not understand or appreciate.
1. The popularity of the books by W. Bruce Cameron? The film adaptations? His cowriting the screenplays?
2. Audience enjoyment of films about dogs? Dogs as central characters? The voices for the different dogs? Josh Gad and his talent for the different voices? The dog and its own life, feelings and perspectives, desires? Its interpretation of human words? Human behaviour?
3. The title, the journey of the dog, reincarnation?
4. Bailey, the introduction, size, age, on the farm, relationship with Ethan and Hannah? Leaping over Ethan’s back and catching the ball? The devotion to CJ? Dislike of Gloria? The disappointment of Gloria taking CJ? Bailey’s promise to look after CJ – leading to the success of lives? (Audience knowledge of Ethan and Hannah and Bailey from the previous film and its story of reincarnations?)
5. Ethan and Hannah, happy grandparents, on the farm, trying to deal with Gloria, the death of their son? Her taking CJ away? Later coming to visit with the gift of Henry’s letters? Gloria turning away, not seeing CJ? The reappearance at the end, elderly, CJ coming to visit with Trent? The little dog, Max? And the leap over Ethan’s back? And a happy ending?
6. CJ, the little girl, with her grandparents, very happy, resisting her mother? After some years, aged 10, the friendship with Trent? Each getting the dog, his severe parents, CJ deceiving her mother, the discovery, being allowed to keep the dog? The two dogs playing together? Gloria, the men in her life, her drinking, self-absorbed, the neglect of affection for CJ? CJ and her delight with Molly? The years passing, Molly learning to sniff out cancer in patients? The training? CJ, the attraction to Shane, neglecting Trent? Going to the party, the drugs, the arrest, her community service? Her confrontation with her mother, the revelation that her mother had spent all the inheritance for her college education? CJ taking the car? Going to New York, to write songs and music?
7. Molly, the transition to Big Dog? With Joe at the Quick Stop? CJ stopping, buying things, Big Dog and being friendly with her? Her driving away?
8. Big Dog, death, transition to Max? Max, aggressive, not able to be adopted? The encounter with CJ, Max always sensing the presence of CJ? CJ and her boyfriend, the dog and the antipathy, tormenting the boyfriend, his leaving? The chance meeting with Trent after all the years? His being successful, business, in London, returning to New York, his girlfriend? Max and the discernment of cancer, Trent going to the doctor, the diagnosis, his girlfriend and her jealousy, but her unwillingness to nurse Trent? The chemotherapy, CJ as a good friend, Max and support? The good news about the cancer clearing?
9. CJ, her songs, the visit from her mother, her mother’s apology, AA, giving her daughter the letters? CJ reading them? Trent agreeing with Gloria about CJ and stage fright? Urging her to try, at the club, her success?
10. The decision to visit her grandparents, her mother having bad mouthed them? The happy visit? Ethan realising that Max was Bailey returning? The leap over the back? CJ’s realisation of her relationship with Trent? Max urging them to kiss?
11. Marriage, pregnancy, Gloria and her grandchild, the great-grandparents, Ethan and his death, the funeral? The end of an era – but, the possibilities of all kinds of reincarnation?
