a dog's way home movie review

A Dog’s Way Home

What makes a “dog movie” good? Even as one of those overenthusiastic canine devotees who will often claim she prefers dogs to people (well, I do), I don’t quite have an answer to this question. But I like my movie dogs best when they resemble the way I perceive my four-legged pals in real life: selfless, friendly and fun-loving creatures that live in the moment, would do anything for chicken and think of everything as a game. I cringe when films sell dogs short by adorning them with human-like traits, just to pull the heartstrings of our kind. 

So on paper, Charles Martin Smith’s talking dog movie “A Dog’s Way Home”, where a canine takes an utterly implausible two-year/400-mile journey to reunite with the human who saved him from the streets, is my basic nightmare. But after all, I am not made of stone, am I? What dog parent wouldn’t like to believe our lost dogs would eventually find us at all costs, no matter what? And who among us hasn’t interpreted a dog’s thoughts, elaborated on them and even spoken them out loud? I can’t be the only weirdo here and I won’t be the last one to cry during this film’s end credits.

Even then and despite Bryce Dallas Howard ’s sweetly soothing voice as Bella (played by the adorable Shelby), I maintain that “A Dog’s Way Home” would have been a lot more affecting and provocative (without losing any of its charming family friendliness) had Bella not been granted a screen voice. Leaving that aside, Smith’s film is still one you can’t help but root for, as the screenwriters Cathryn Michon and W. Bruce Cameron (also the author and scribe of the trilogy that includes “A Dog’s Purpose” and “A Dog’s Journey”) lovingly braid in numerous humanist themes into their tale at every turn.  

A stray mutt raised by a cat (which she calls ‘Mother Cat’) in the suburbs of Denver after her mom gets taken away, Bella falls into the hands of Lucas ( Jonah Hauer-King ) and Olivia ( Alexandra Shipp ); two kindly med school students who also volunteer for animals in need. Also in the mix is Lucas’ depressed war veteran mother Terri ( Ashley Judd ), the pet-hating real estate mogul Gunter ( Brian Markinson ) and antiquated city laws enforced by officer Chuck ( John Cassini ), that prohibit certain mutts and ignorantly think of “pit bulls” as two dirty words. To save Bella from a most heartbreaking fate (don’t get me started on pit bull euthanasia rates), Lucas, Olivia and Terri find her a temporary home in New Mexico, from which Bella escapes to make her way back to her own humans. It’s a perilous road decked with near-fatal hazards for sure, but also with mostly well-meaning humans and a baby cougar whom Bella calls ‘Big Kitten’—brought to life by what could contend for the year’s worst CGI. But who cares when she proves to be such a loyal and reliable road buddy in the mountains of Colorado?  

<span class="s1" <this="" may="" all="" sound="" too="" shameless="" and="" syrupy,="" but="" to="" its="" credit,="" “a="" dog’s="" way="" home”="" scratches="" the="" surface="" of="" something="" i,="" as="" a="" pit="" bull="" obsessive,="" have="" never="" seen="" “dog="" movie”="" do.="" not="" only="" this="" film="" attempts="" explain="" illogical="" broadness="" term="" “pit="" bull”="" (it’s="" basically="" generic="" labeling="" canine="" hound="" dog”)="" false="" fear="" these="" animals="" are="" routinely="" subjected="" fall="" victim="" to,="" it="" also="" hints="" at="" irrationality’s="" faint="" connection="" racism.="" is="" an="" idea="" articulated="" explained="" in="" various="" essays="" like="" This may all sound too shameless and syrupy, but to its credit, “A Dog’s Way Home” scratches the surface of something I, as a pit bull obsessive, have never seen a “dog movie” do. Not only does this film attempt to explain the illogical broadness of the term “pit bull” (it’s basically as generic as labeling a canine as “a hound dog”) and the false fear these animals are routinely subjected and fall victim to, it also hints at this irrationality’s faint connection to racism. This is an idea articulated and explained in various essays like  Tom Junod’s “The State of The American Dog” and Yasmin Nair’s “Racism and The American Pit Bull” , which also cites Bronwyn Dickey’s book Pit Bull: The Battle over an American Icon . “This is basically racism for dogs” says Olivia, admittedly oversimplifying an utterly complex concept to baffling effect. But the writers and filmmakers deserve some praise for considering what often gets ignored when we talk about how the society gut-wrenchingly mistreats pit bulls.

That being said (and as lovable as Shelby is), I wish the dog cast as Bella looked a bit more like a classic American Pit Bull Terrier to really bring home the filmmakers’ point—the “she doesn’t even look like a pit” line spoken later in the film almost defeats the purpose of good intentions. I also wish the gay couple that Bella crosses paths with (a detail all too rare in hetero-normative mainstream family films) were allowed a bit more natural intimacy that a straight couple would have been free to display. But between its belief in cross-species friendship, unmistakable anti-hunting/environmentalist message and overall progressive tone, “A Dog’s Way Home” is a good dog movie with its heart in the right place, just like any nameless canine regardless of its breed.

Tomris Laffly

Tomris Laffly is a freelance film writer and critic based in New York. A member of the New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC), she regularly contributes to  RogerEbert.com , Variety and Time Out New York, with bylines in Filmmaker Magazine, Film Journal International, Vulture, The Playlist and The Wrap, among other outlets.

• Wes Studi as Captain Mica
• Jonah Hauer-King as Lucas
• Edward James Olmos as Axel
• Bryce Dallas Howard as Bella (voice)
• Ashley Judd as Terri
• Alexandra Shipp as Olivia
• Chris Bauer as Kurch
• Patrick Gallagher as Teo
• Cathryn Michon
• W. Bruce Cameron
• Charles Martin Smith
• David S. Clark
• Debra Neil-Fisher
• Mychael Danna

Cinematographer

• Peter Menzies Jr.
• Sabrina Plisco

Writer (based on the book by)

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A dog's way home.

• Common Sense Says
• Parents Say 65 Reviews
• Kids Say 38 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Sentimental but sweet dog adventure has intense, sad scenes.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that A Dog's Way Home , like 2017's A Dog's Purpose , is based on one of author W. Bruce Cameron's books. In this case, the central canine is Bella (voiced by Bryce Dallas Howard), who embarks upon a perilous 400-mile, two-plus-year journey to get back to her human companion after…

Why Age 10+?

Several potentially upsetting/disturbing scenes. In first scenes, Bella's mother

Two different couples embrace, one is shown cuddling in bed. A man tells the wom

Infrequent use of words including "hell," "freakin'," and "oh my God." Also insu

Adult characters have beer and wine.

Any Positive Content?

Strong messages about life-changing connection and friendship between dogs and t

Lucas and his mom are wonderful dog owners: kind, loving, generous. Lucas takes

Violence & Scariness

Several potentially upsetting/disturbing scenes. In first scenes, Bella's mother is snatched by animal control (animals whine and panic, Bella says, "I never saw her again"); Bella's also separated from adoptive Mother Cat. Animal control takes Bella away from Lucas; she's sad, scared, confused; Lucas is told Bella will be euthanized if she's picked up by animal control again. Sad good-bye between Bella and Lucas. Bella is scared in the woods by herself at night. A mother cougar is shot by hunters (audiences hear the shot, briefly see dead cougar but not bloody wound). Bella and Big Kitten are pursued by wolves, Bella is separated from Big Kitten; Bella is later pursued and hurt by wolves again (bloody injury seen briefly). Bella ends up attached to homeless veteran who chains her to him and then ( spoiler alert ) dies. It's particularly upsetting because Bella describes keeping him warm until there's "no more" him; she's chained to dead body. She's semi-conscious when finally freed. Bella is struck by car, looks like she has a leg injury. Small avalanche injures a man. Veterans at the hospital are sad.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Two different couples embrace, one is shown cuddling in bed. A man tells the woman he's interested in that she has to think it's "hot" that he's saving kittens.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Infrequent use of words including "hell," "freakin'," and "oh my God." Also insults such as "moron," "shaggy butt," "crazy," and "stupid."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Positive messages.

Strong messages about life-changing connection and friendship between dogs and their human companions. Promotes idea that people aren't meant to go through life alone, that they're happier, more fulfilled with human partners and animal companions. Also promotes animals' healing powers for emotionally and physically wounded. Clear themes of empathy, perseverance as Bella comforts other animals and humans, never gives up on finding her humans.

Positive Role Models

Lucas and his mom are wonderful dog owners: kind, loving, generous. Lucas takes good care of Bella and works to save/rescue animals. Olivia is a supportive, encouraging girlfriend and pet lover. The humans who help Bella are generally kind, well intentioned. Diversity within human cast. Bella is a disciplined, caring dog who comforts animals and humans alike. The animal control officer is unrealistically mean and fixated on "getting" Bella.

Parents need to know that A Dog's Way Home , like 2017's A Dog's Purpose , is based on one of author W. Bruce Cameron's books. In this case, the central canine is Bella (voiced by Bryce Dallas Howard ), who embarks upon a perilous 400-mile, two-plus-year journey to get back to her human companion after an unexpected separation. Although there's no dog death or reincarnation as in A Dog's Purpose , there are several disturbing/potentially upsetting scenes, including ( spoiler alert! ) the tragic death of a homeless man who had chained Bella to him to keep her close, an avalanche, mention of animals being euthanized, confrontations between Bella and wolves, injuries to animals (including an offscreen gun shot), and sad/upsetting separations, some of which end with Bella saying "I never saw them again." That said, dog-loving families who can handle the emotional roller coaster will enjoy the movie's messages about perseverance, empathy, and the incredibly strong bonds between dogs and their humans. Expect a little bit of very mild language ("hell," "stupid," "moron"), some background drinking, and a bit of affection between both opposite-sex and same-sex couples. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Parent and Kid Reviews

• Parents say (65)
• Kids say (38)

Based on 65 parent reviews

If your kid is sensitive, avoid

Traumatized my son, what's the story.

A DOG'S WAY HOME, based on W. Bruce Cameron's same-named book, centers on a pitbull-mix dog named Bella (voiced by Bryce Dallas Howard ). Bella starts her life in Denver as a stray pup who lives in an abandoned lot with her mother and littermates. After Bella's mom is caught by animal control, a mama cat nurses Bella and adopts her. One day, Lucas ( Jonah Hauer-King ), who lives near the lot, shows his crush, Olivia ( Alexandra Shipp ), the cats. In the process, they discover cute little Bella, and Lucas brings her home to live with him and his mother ( Ashley Judd ), a veteran who's struggling with depression. For a while, Bella enjoys an idyllic life with Lucas and his mom and even comforts the veterans at the VA hospital where Lucas works (and his mom attends group therapy sessions). But when animal control deems Bella dangerous (because she's part pit) and threatens euthanasia, Lucas teaches her a game called "Go Home" in which she races back to their house. After Lucas is forced to place Bella in the temporary care of Olivia's aunt and uncle in New Mexico, Bella believes she must play "Go Home" and begins her long, perilous journey home.

Is It Any Good?

Cameron is like Nicholas Sparks , but for pet stories; his crowd-pleasing, tearjerking work focuses on the powerful love between humans and their dogs. And while dog-loving families will be happy to note that, unlike in A Dog's Purpose , there's no death scene involving the central canine in A Dog's Way Home , there definitely is an emotional, intense story arc that's likely to leave them in tears. Howard does a fine job voicing the incredibly loving, determined, and long-suffering Bella, who wants nothing more than to play with Lucas and comfort "Mom" and her veteran friends. Bella's relationship with the doting Lucas (Hauer-King is sweetly charming) is as cute as you'd expect, especially the twee way he offers her a "tiny piece of cheese" every night before bed.

But the movie's second half, which deals with the series of sad to seriously upsetting obstacles Bella faces once she's separated from Lucas, is overlong. The scenes Bella spends as an adoptive mother to an orphaned baby cougar she calls "Big Kitten" feel like they're part of one of those "unlikely animal friends" stories, but the cougar looks so overtly computer-generated that the effect can be off-putting. And when Bella ends up with homeless Axel ( Edward James Olmos ), things get downright depressing. The theme of veterans suffering from mental illness works in the context of service dogs, but Axel's situation seems a bit heavy for what's otherwise clearly a family-targeted film. There's a brief moment of happiness when Bella temporarily lives with a kind married couple ( Barry Watson and Motell Gyn Foster) who want to adopt her. She's tempted, but her heart belongs at home, with Lucas.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the violent/upsetting scenes in A Dog's Way Home. Do you think they're necessary to the story? Can a movie have violent /scary parts and still be family-friendly?

Discuss how the movie includes diverse representations of dog owners. Why is it important to see people from different walks of life and backgrounds in media?

How do the movie's story and Bella's actions promote empathy and perseverance ? Why are those important character strengths ?

How does the movie portray veterans? Is it sympathetic? What do veterans need that they aren't always getting?

Movie Details

• In theaters : January 11, 2019
• On DVD or streaming : April 9, 2019
• Cast : Bryce Dallas Howard , Ashley Judd , Jonah Hauer-King
• Director : Charles Martin Smith
• Inclusion Information : Female actors
• Studio : Sony Pictures Entertainment
• Genre : Drama
• Topics : Cats, Dogs, and Mice
• Character Strengths : Empathy , Perseverance
• Run time : 96 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG
• MPAA explanation : thematic elements, some peril and language
• Last updated : May 2, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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What to watch next.

A Dog's Purpose

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The Incredible Journey

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• Perseverance
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‘A Dog’s Way Home’ Review: A Trek to Pull the Heartstrings

• Share full article

By Glenn Kenny

• Jan. 10, 2019

As an actor, Charles Martin Smith once played a fictionalized version of the real-life writer Farley Mowat in “ Never Cry Wolf,” a sometimes strenuously realistic Arctic adventure. The role must have made an impression: As a director, Smith made “The Snow Walker” (2003), an Arctic survival tale also based on a Mowat story.

Some of Smith’s feel for landscape and animal life resonates in his latest directorial effort, “A Dog’s Way Home,” which is adapted from a novel by W. Bruce Cameron, whose “A Dog’s Purpose” was made into a film in 2017 . Not to break this particular puppy on some perverse auteurist wheel, but Smith also directed “Air Bud,” about a basketball-playing dog, and there’s a touch of that here, too.

The new movie’s scenario mixes a large number of heartstring-pulling tropes: abandoned animals, war veterans with PTSD, a socially awkward male protagonist who adopts a suddenly motherless half-pit-bull whelp in a town where the breed is outlawed, a painful separation.

And so, the dog, Bella, must make an arduous trek. Arduous — and weird.

Along the way, Bella, who is played by a real dog and is given the voice of Bryce Dallas Howard, “adopts” a young cougar that’s entirely a C.G.I. creation, complete with overexpressive eyes. The pair have to fend off wolves more than once. (If you’ve ever wondered what “The Grey” might have been like if Liam Neeson were a dog, you must see this movie.)

As ridiculous as it gets, and that’s plenty, “A Dog’s Way Home” manages to serve up a one- to two-hankie finale, depending on the extent of your dog-person-ness.

Rated PG for depictions of pup peril. Running time: 1 hour 36 minutes.

Film Review: ‘A Dog’s Way Home’

This family-friendly adventure, reminiscent of 'The Incredible Journey,' follows a tried-and-true but heartwarming path.

By Courtney Howard

Courtney Howard

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Those predisposed to emotional manipulation by dogs at play and in peril will be easily swayed by director Charles Martin Smith ’s “A Dog’s Way Home.” Based on the bestselling novel by W. Bruce Cameron, this story about a lost dog attempting a 400-mile journey home takes us on an emotional roller coaster, most of it with a lump in our throats. However, for every shameless trick the filmmakers employ to pluck our heartstrings, resonant chords are struck elsewhere, teaching audiences about family, the power of unconditional love, and the ripple effects of compassion. In the pantheon of puppy pictures, this doesn’t rank as top dog, but it’s certainly not the runt of the litter either.

Bella (played by dog actor Shelby and voiced in narration by Bryce Dallas Howard ) was born in the crawl space of a semi-demolished home in Denver. Raised by a stray cat she calls “Mother Cat” after her own mother was taken away from her, Bella leads a happy life. But it’s not truly fulfilled until she meets saintly animal rescue volunteers/med students Lucas ( Jonah Hauer-King ) and Olivia (Alexandra Shipp). Her bond with Lucas is immediate, and he brings the pup home to mom Terri ( Ashley Judd ), a war veteran suffering from depression. Trouble is they are locked in a spat with a threatening real estate developer, Gunter (Brian Markinson), and their lease prohibits them from owning a dog. Making matters worse, there’s a city law with a low tolerance for mutts that look like Bella. Bet you know where this is going.

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With the city’s villainous animal control officer Chuck (John Cassini) at Gunter’s disposal, Bella’s days of peaceful bliss in the care of Lucas and Terri are numbered. Finding the dog temporary housing is easy, but keeping her at that New Mexico home proves difficult, as Bella bolts on the same day Lucas and Olivia arrive to take her back to Colorado. Her heartwarming and harrowing odyssey through treacherous terrain and inclement weather leads her to encounter everyone from kindly hiking couple Gavin (Barry Watson) and Taylor (Motell Foster), to downtrodden homeless veteran Axel (Edward James Olmos), to an orphaned mountain lion cub she names “Big Kitten.” She also meets with danger, including a pack of bloodthirsty wolves, and a mean dog owner (Chris Bauer) she helps to rescue from an avalanche.

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Screenwriters Cameron and Cathryn Michon deftly weave a tale about empathy and kindness, as Bella pays forward all the love that Lucas and “Mother Cat” show her. Even the smallest emotional moments are well-earned, as the story illuminates the enrichment of pet ownership. The filmmakers also touch on such social issues as homelessness and veteran care. They don’t shy away from the dire, difficult circumstances at least one character faces, nor do they limit the human ensemble to heteronormative characters. The film is at its best when relying on Shelby and her trainers: It’s amazing how much of the humor, drama and emotion is carried on her canine shoulders. Yet even with all the gratuitous closeups of her expressive face and sweet eyes, it never strays into cloying territory.

That said, there’s some hokey dialogue every now and then (Olivia balks, “That’s racism but for dogs!”), but it’s tolerable. Pint-sized viewers probably won’t notice that some of the CGI looks a little ropey — particularly when Bella encounters wildlife. Those scenes may work in a book when they’re illustrated with imagination, but they can strain believability when visualized in a film. Also, the violence walks a fine line, as the fight between Bella and the wolf pack might be a tad too terrifying for the very youngest moviegoers.

Composer Mychael Danna’s score provides bouncy, bubbly buoyancy when needed (as Bella plays and chases squirrels and CG rabbits) and a somber, sweeping symphonic soundscape during the more sentimental moments (as Bella says goodbye to friends she’s made along the way). While the compositions aren’t wildly obtrusive and augment the emotion of the narrative, Smith relies a little too heavily on them in spots where he could trust his talented cast to carry the moment.

Reviewed AMC Century City 15, Los Angeles, Jan. 9, 2019. MPAA Rating: PG. Running time: 96 MIN.

• Crew: Director: Charles Martin Smith. Writers: W. Bruce Cameron, Cathryn Michon, based on the book by Cameron. Camera (color): Peter Menzies, Jr. Editors: Debra Neil-Fisher, David Clark, Sabrina Plisco. Music: Mychael Danna.
• With: Ashley Judd, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jonah Hauer-King, Edward James Olmos, Alexandra Shipp.

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‘a dog’s way home’: film review.

A lovable pooch embarks on a perilous journey to be reunited with her owner in 'A Dog's Way Home,' a family film based on the best-selling novel by W. Bruce Cameron, author of 'A Dog's Purpose.'

By Frank Scheck

Frank Scheck

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Much like Mitch Albom has seemingly cornered the market on heaven, author W. Bruce Cameron has marked his territory with uplifting dog stories. A Dog’s Way Home , the latest effort based on one of his books, lacks the thematic depth of its predecessor A Dog’s Purpose and is more strictly geared toward children. But dog lovers of all ages will warm up to its adventure tale about a plucky pooch who embarks on a 400-mile journey to get back home to his beloved owner. The film pretty much packs every canine cliché imaginable into its running time, but one look into the soulful eyes of its four-legged star will melt all but the coldest of hearts.

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And there is no doubt that Shelby, the rescue dog here groomed for stardom, is the undisputed marquee player of this family-oriented drama recalling any number of similarly themed predecessors including, of course, 1963’s The Incredible Journey and its 1993 remake, Homeward Bound . Shelby plays the central role of Bella, whose pit bull mother is taken away by a dog catcher in cahoots with a villainous real estate developer intent on tearing down some dilapidated houses despite their being home to numerous stray cats and dogs.

Release date: Jan 11, 2019

One of them is Bella, who finds a loving new family with young VA hospital worker Lucas (Jonah Hauer-King) and his war veteran mother Terri (Ashley Judd), whose depression promptly lifts with the arrival of the lovable puppy. Taking part in the dog-oriented family fun is Olivia (Alexandra Shipp), Lucas’ co-worker and eventual love interest.

Bella’s pit bull lineage comes back to haunt her even though she really doesn’t look like the breed. It turns out that Denver, where the story is set, has a law mandating the capture of pit bulls if they’re found outside. “That’s basically racism for dogs,” protests Olivia.

After being briefly incarcerated at the local pound, Bella is temporarily shipped off to another family hundreds of miles away until legal arrangements can be made. But not understanding the situation and eager to play the familiar game “Go Home” to be reunited with her beloved Lucas, Bella makes a break for it and starts out on her hazardous journey. We understand her motivations since the film features a running narration by the canine character, adorably voiced by Bryce Dallas Howard.

Along the way, Bella meets a variety of colorful characters both animal and human, including an orphan mountain lion club that she takes under her wing (paw?), a gay couple who briefly adopts her after she helps save an avalanche victim, and a homeless veteran, played by Edward James Olmos, who uses her to maximize his begging potential.

Although frequently lighthearted, A Dog’s Way Home features some intense scenes that may upset its youngest viewers, such as a terrifying encounter with a pack of wolves, Bella nearly starving to death while chained up and a perilous traversing of a busy highway. But its PG rating would probably be most affected if Bella actually caught any of the squirrels and rabbits she periodically pursues, which would have turned the film into a very different kind of nature story.

Accompanied by a series of uplifting pop tunes, including a cover of Bill Withers’ “Lean on Me,” the story strikes endless predictable beats. Director Charles Martin Smith, who has no small amount of cinematic experience with animals thanks to his starring role in Never Cry Wolf and his helming of A Dolphin’s Tale and its sequel, among other films, never misses an opportunity for visual clichés, such as the slapstick pratfalls that occur when Bella makes a foray into a grocery store to steal a chicken.

But it’s all relatively harmless, and anyone who loves dogs (and that should really be everyone) will overlook the story’s formulaic aspects and just enjoy having their heartstrings pulled. The talented human performers on hand, including Wes Studi as a police captain who shows up to set things right at the conclusion, are just a bonus.   

Production companies: Bona Film Group, Pariah, Columbia Pictures Distributor: Columbia Cast: Ashley Judd, Jonah Hauer-King, Edward James Olmos, Alexandra Shippa, Wes Studi, Bryce Dallas Howard Director: Charles Martin Smith Screenwriters: W. Bruce Cameron, Cathryn Michon Producer: Gavin Polone Executive producers: Robert J. Dohmann, T.D. Jakes, Derrick Williams, You Dong, Jeffrey Chan Director of photography: Peter Menzies Production designer: Eric Fraser Editors: Debra Neil-Fisher, David Clark, Sabrina Pisco Composer: Mychael Danna Costume designer: Monique Prudhomme

Rated PG, 96 minutes

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A Dog's Way Home (2019)

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‘A Dog’s Way Home’ Film Review: Doggie Downer Puts Pooch in Peril

An adorable dog is subjected to danger and horrors that are guaranteed to traumatize young target audience

“Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey” is letting out a huge howl right about now. “A Dog’s Way Home,” the latest in the canine-loving cinematic universe (from the screenwriters of 2017’s scandal-plagued “A Dog’s Purpose”) employs all the same tactics as the 1993 hit family film: the adorable-sounding narrator, a pet’s love for their human so deep that they journey through perilous environments in hopes of being reunited, and the intermingling stories of those they come across while trying to get back home. But “Homeward Bound” made it enjoyable.

Bella (voiced by Bryce Dallas Howard) is born a stray. She lives in a happy coexistence — with her littermates, mother, and a cat with her own litter of kittens — under the rubble of an abandoned house, until Animal Control shows up and rips her family away. Mama Cat takes Bella in as her own, even nursing her until a human named Lucas (Jonah Hauer-King, TV’s “Howards End”) discovers the lone pup and quickly falls in love with her.

Along with his Army veteran mother Terri (Ashley Judd), he raises Bella, who quickly becomes an unofficial support dog not just for Terri but also for the other veterans that Lucas works with at a Denver VA hospital. The ornery landowner of the vacant site, having been irked by Lucas one too many times, sics Denver Animal Control on Bella, who is half pit bull and thus in danger of being euthanized, as pit bulls are illegal there .

Lucas’ girlfriend Olivia (Alexandra Shipp, “Love, Simon”) arranges for a family member to care for the dog until Lucas and Terri can move outside of the city limits, where Bella will be safe. Unfortunately, Olivia’s relatives live over 400 miles away. And since Bella doesn’t understand — and she can’t bear to be apart from Lucas — she runs off in an effort to go home.

As a dog owner and a mother, I’m usually easy picking for films like these, but instead, I found myself watching scenes in horror. Sure, the narration is adorable, and there are the cute moments you expect in a movie about our canine besties. But almost nothing outside of the narration lends itself to being family-friendly. For example, at certain point in the film, Bella is chained to a dead homeless man. Yes, you read that correctly: A DOG. IS CHAINED. TO A DEAD MAN.

I am not sure if any of the filmmakers have ever had young children, but imagine how many parents will have to explain that scene to their sobbing five-year-olds on their way home from the theater. And that’s one of the less horrifying moments.

Several choices made me wonder what, exactly, director Charles Martin Smith (“Air Bud,” “Dolphin Tale”) had in mind, and what kind of film he thought he was making. The movie takes place between New Mexico and Colorado, and is about a dog’s journey through those environs to find his way home, yet not once is the audience truly given a chance to take in the gorgeous landscape of the area. A sense of the natural grandeur might emphasize just how incredible a journey Bella is tackling in the name of love. It’s only through the narration (and the change of seasons) that viewers learn that Bella has been missing for over two years, something that neither the people she encounters nor the circumstances she survives even hint at.

There’s also the odd choice of CGI, specifically for a cougar that Bella befriends in her travels. Yes, using a real cougar would have posed many dangers on set, but the CGI is so poor, the close-ups of “Big Kitten” look like a Chuck E Cheese reject. There’s a specific scene that should have been “awww” inducing, but the clunky animation strips away any possible cuteness and strands the moment in the uncanny valley.

Putting a dog in crisis might seem like an easy way to create a great story, but in a family film, featuring a helpless canine in constant peril plays as emotionally manipulative and, frankly, slightly traumatizing. “A Dog’s Way Home” is a joyless jaunt that offers an adorable canine star and not much else.

'A Dog's Way Home' Review: A Feel-Good Family Film That Takes A Bizarrely Dark Direction

A Dog's Way Home is a Hallmark card of a movie — it's pretty and cute, but it's full of empty emotion. Until about two-thirds of the way through the film when you realize that there may be a surprisingly dark hidden message scribbled in the corner by an embittered card maker.

Penned by the writers of 2017's saccharine super-hit A Dog's Purpose , W. Bruce Cameron and Cathryn Michon , A Dog's Way Home treads a similar path. There's a wholesome story about a loyal dog (voiced with an extra-sweet lilt by Bryce Dallas Howard ) that will overcome any obstacles to make its way back to its loving owner, here an aspiring medical student named Lucas ( Jonah Hauer-King ). But this is no sequel — you can look to the similarly blandly named novel  A Dog's Journey later this spring for that — this is a whole new beast. And it's weirdly dark.

Cameron and Michon's last film,  A Dog's Purpose, had that undercurrent of darkness to it — it does, after all, require its titular dog to die and be reincarnated several times — but the tonal shifts in A Dog's Way Home were jarring enough to give me whiplash. What starts off as a sunny family film with a cartoonishly evil villain transforms into a grim survival story in which Bella at one point nearly dies of dehydration while chained to the corpse of a homeless man. Take your kids to see this movie!

A Dog's Way Home opens with a backstory tragic enough to put Bella in a Disney movie. Born to a pitbull that lives in an abandoned lot alongside a pack of feral cats, Bella spends her early years escaping capture from Animal Control. But one day she's discovered by the kindly medical student Lucas, who quickly adopts and raises her along with his veteran mom ( Ashley Judd ).

With Lucas' love interest and coworker at the VA, Olivia ( Alexandra Shipp ), the trio form a family unit around Bella who quickly endears herself to the whole community — except for the nasty landlord who wants to raze the land where she grew up and where her cat siblings still live. Told from the point of view of Bella,  A Dog's Way Home instantly puts itself forward as the kind of wholesome film where Bella frequently frolics in the snow, chases squirrels, and hides from doctors at the VA, while cutely referring to all her activities as "games" that she plays with Lucas. This version of  A Dog's Way Home touches on real issues like Denver's laws against pitbulls and veterans suffering from PTSD, though they're periphery to Bella's own simple adventures. This is the type of movie where Olivia cries, "That's like racism for dogs!" when told of Denver's ( actually kind of racist ) ban on pitbulls.

Now, I was on board for this version of the movie. I've watched my share of adorable puppy internet videos. If you're giving me basically a two-hour version of that, with some treacly sentiment and a little bit of the wacky Homeward Bound antics thrown in, I know what I'm in for and I'm in. But A Dog's Way Home refuses to let you settle in.

Bella is soon labeled a pitbull by the vindictive Animal Control Officer ( Barry Watson ) and Lucas and his mom are forced to find a place in the suburbs to skirt around Denver's pitbull ban. But while they search for a new house, Bella is put up at Olivia's parents house where, confused and lonely, she escapes with one thought in mind: Go home.

What follows is a surprisingly bleak survival story that feels out of place with the Disney-style movie that we had been watching until now. And Bella is still the naive, Disney-esque protagonist that she was before this, making the shift all the more unsettling. Embarking on her 400-mile journey home, Bella encounters all manner of humans and CGI woodland creatures. But the majority of the film centers around her friendship with a badly animated baby bobcat as they attempt to survive in the wilds of a national park while fending off a pack of bloodthirsty coyotes (also badly animated).

There's a director somewhere that would be able to balance  A Dog's Way Home 's sugary sentiment with its bouts of melancholy. But Charles Martin Smith ( Air Bud ) is not that director. Smith breezes through the film's darker moments at the same chipper pace as he does its silly moments, which results in the aforementioned tonal whiplash. Kids watching this movie would barely have time to absorb the existential dread of finding a dog chained to a homeless man's body ( Edward James Olmos in a surprising appearance) before the film launches into another of its inspirational running montages, complete with gorgeous sweeping drone shots of the rugged Coloradan landscapes.

Coupled with the bad CGI littered throughout this film — not only are we treated to bad CGI-animated bobcats and coyotes, there are several laughable "growing up" sequences in which Bella is CGI'd from puppy to bigger puppy —  A Dog's Way Home just ends up a baffling experience. Who is this for? Not the kid next to me squirming impatiently as Bella nearly dies of dehydration. And not the parent whose eyes glazed over during Bella's many excited musings over squirrels. Perhaps A Dog's Way Home is just meant for the abyss of streaming service films that bored families will put on to pass the time.

/Film Rating: 4 out of 10

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A Dog's Way Home Reviews

The film is unapologetically feel-good while unabashedly manipulating your feelings, even though it is hard to knock a film that serves up cats and dogs living peacefully while giving each other endless Eskimo kisses.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Aug 17, 2022

Wall-to-wall voiceover... Lassie never had to explain herself.

Full Review | Sep 13, 2019

A Dog's Way Home has a bit too much filler thrown in to pad out the runtime, and the segments at home feel very detached from the dog's journey back home, but it's a cute and heartwarming story that any dog lover will enjoy.

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Aug 17, 2019

Predictably, the last act unfolds in full-on heartstrings-tugging mode...

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/5 | May 3, 2019

The calculative narrative regurgitates old tropes of Hollywood's canine films...

Full Review | May 3, 2019

A touching story about the emotional life of a dog who is separated from her family.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Apr 12, 2019

Perhaps too intense for younger audiences, but at least you get to watch a cute dog run around for two hours.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Mar 20, 2019

What sets A Dog's Way Home above the pack of most animal movies is that while the film is perfectly suitable for children, it's actually an adult movie...the emotional highs of the film have been designed more for grown-ups [than kids}.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Mar 16, 2019

It touches on ongoing problems in modern society such as homelessness and the postwar physical and psychological suffering of soldiers, and on the growing use of animal-based therapy.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Mar 2, 2019

So welcome, A Dog's Way Home. You're a competent, big hearted and occasionally quite charming film.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Mar 1, 2019

While this type of fare is so old-fashioned it should be heritage-listed, it rarely fails to draw the full emotional involvement of any viewer predisposed to pooches.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Feb 28, 2019

There's not much variation on the old themes here. What's new is the film's definition of community and family.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Feb 27, 2019

A film like this is created to manipulate any empathetic human being to cry. If you love dogs, the lump in your throat is pretty much guaranteed, even if the film doesn't seem to really earn it.

Full Review | Feb 26, 2019

A little subtlety would have worked wonders for A Dog's Way Home. Unfortunately, it is all bark and no bite.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Feb 26, 2019

The emotional manipulation is steered straight by the tension between human law and animal nature. [Full Review in Spanish]

Full Review | Feb 25, 2019

A story that compassionately shows the story of a dog that loves unconditionally. [Full Review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Feb 22, 2019

Love is the key message here. And it is conveyed beautifully.

Full Review | Feb 21, 2019

If you like animals, go [see this film] with your children. [Full review in Spanish]

There is no great epiphany; just a series of tedious, repetitive depictions of Bella yearning for family.

Full Review | Feb 20, 2019

There's no denying the film has its heart in the right place. Just don't expect anything way too profound and be prepared with the tissues at the end.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Feb 20, 2019

A Dog’s Way Home Review

No one could have predicted A Dog's Purpose being the box office hit that it was last year. However, once that cat was out of the bag, it wasn't hard to foresee a follow-up on the horizon. A Dog's Way Home isn't that follow-up everyone's been expecting, but rather the next best thing: a separate story from the canon of the author that started it all, W. Bruce Cameron. While it's easily better than the film it owes its existence to, this dog bone doesn't fall too far from the tree.

In A Dog's Way Home , we follow Bella ( Bryce Dallas Howard ), a stray puppy raised by a mother cat and adopted by Lucas (Jonah Hauer-King) and his war veteran mother (Ashley Judd.) Told through her eyes, the story shows Bella's journey back to her family, after being temporarily separated from them for her protection. Along the way, the intrepid dog meets animals and humans she's never seen before, as she follows the invisible tug home.

The good news when it comes to director Charles Martin Smith's A Dog's Way Home is that, thankfully, its story doesn't grind on a person's nerves as much as A Dog's Purpose . The pseudo-spiritual angle focuses more on the pull between a pet and their humans, which is not only identifiable, it's heartwarming. Not to mention, with one dog being the focus of the film's narrative, you're not going to have to watch multiple dogs die in order to teach the audience a lesson.

While the story at the center of A Dog's Way Home isn't as cloying as its spiritual predecessor, it's still not that good. The basic premise is pretty flimsy, with no excitement to carry it as a visually stunning experience. Hurting the film further is the fact that there are several different stories at play in A Dog's Way Home . Chiefly among them are the two main storylines with very different sub-stories within them.

If either of these story combinations were given their due, they could have worked adequately. Thrown together in the fashion that writers W. Bruce Cameron and Cathryn Michon patch them together though, neither story gets the attention it needs to truly work. As such, A Dog's Way Home can't decide if it wants to be about a dog separated from her owner, with a sub focus on supporting wounded veterans; or a dog separated from the two families she forms with members of the feline species, with a sub focus on animal rescue efforts.

As for the required narration to tell Bella's story, that's another achilles heel that weakens A Dog's Way Home . Howard gives her performance everything she's got, but even her skills can't save dialogue that's written as if it's been created by a first grader. There's only so many times an adult can hear, "I wanted to do go home," spoken allowed before they spontaneously turn into a proofreader.

A Dog's Way Home has its heart in the right place for the most part, but its mind doesn't know which car to chase to completion. As a result, the story is formless with no real drive to its telling, making for a film that's not very interesting to watch. In fact, it's ruff to sit and stay through A Dog's Way Home , and anyone who can do so without walking out deserves a treat. Otherwise, the audiences considering this film as a weekend entertainment may want to heed this piece of advice: you don't have to find your way home if you stay home in the first place.

Mike Reyes is the Senior Movie Contributor at CinemaBlend, though that title’s more of a guideline really. Passionate about entertainment since grade school, the movies have always held a special place in his life, which explains his current occupation. Mike graduated from Drew University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, but swore off of running for public office a long time ago. Mike's expertise ranges from James Bond to everything Alita, making for a brilliantly eclectic resume. He fights for the user.

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‘A Dog’s Way Home’ | Film Review

A Dog’s Way Home is unapologetically feel-good while unabashedly going for the heartstrings from the get-go. You can revel in that or be nauseated by it, but it serves its purpose as a play-it-safe family-friendly picture for parents to watch with their kids.

A Dog’s Way Home doesn’t regret any second of going right for the heartstrings. When our hero “Pitbull” Bella comes on the screen (not actually a Pitbull, but a term used for nuisance dogs within the city’s limits, it is not embarrassed or ashamed of it. In fact, it revels in it. This is a throwback to early-90’s family films like Homeward Bound. It brought me back to family outings to the movie theatre as a kid. We have all grown up since then. All our tastes have most likely evolved. So, you can let the film manipulate you to its heart’s content or be nauseated by it. It’s just all up to your personal tastes or, maybe more accurately, where you are in your life.

Most films, from cartoons to hard-hitting dramas, are products of the times we live in. There is no exception with films like A Dog’s Way  Home , which touches on racial inequality, today’s immigration laws, mental health, and the number of children waiting to be adopted is at an all-time high in the United States since 2008. They are easy to spot and not at all obscured as deeper hidden meanings. Author and screenwriter W. Bruce Cameron, who wrote New York Times Bestseller A Dog’s Purpose ( the Jack Kerouac of canine fiction), practically hits you over the head with it so you can’t possibly miss it.

The film was directed by character actor Charles Martin Smith ( Untouchables, Never Cry Wolf, and the Dolphin Tale series). He has been directing films since the early nineties. His film is filled with cute one-liners from Bella (voiced with childlike innocence by Bryce Dallas Howard). She essentially says whatever pops in her head with wonderment, making cute observations (when at a Veterans Affairs hospital, she notices the residents “wear tags just like me”). They all amount to a handful of episodes of the defunct CBS show Kids Say the Darndest Things. However, for all the cuteness, the film does lag at a sparse 90 minutes. The shtick can be repetitive, while 99% of the cast has nothing to work within Home’s script.    

A Dog’s Way Home is a January release. You could conclude that it is cast off like a buried news story in the Saturday morning paper. You know, the least-read news day of the week. The film is unapologetically feel-good while unabashedly manipulating your feelings, even though it is hard to knock a film that serves up cats and dogs living peacefully while giving each other endless Eskimo kisses. It does serve its purpose as a play-it-safe family-friendly picture for parents to watch with their kids after a season of comic book films, gross-out buddy-comedies, or hard-hitting dramas about, say, a hitman murdering people with a hammer.

There is nothing here you can’t find streaming to save a few bucks (or watch the trailer 30 times in a row, you really don’t miss a single thing since the trailer gives everything away – not that you couldn’t figure that out already from the title) however. At least you know what you are getting going in, which is saying a lot these days.

Article by Marc Miller

Marc Miller (also known as M.N. Miller) joined Ready Steady Cut in April 2018 as a Film and TV Critic, publishing over 1,600 articles on the website. Since a young age, Marc dreamed of becoming a legitimate critic and having that famous “Rotten Tomato” approved status – in 2023, he achieved that status.

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Movies | ‘a dog’s way home’ review: cute factor not a substitute for good story.

“A Dog’s Purpose” was about a beloved dog’s spirit reincarnated into various dogs over the lifetime, living and loving new owners along the way. Bella’s adventure is reminiscent of that tale. During her journey, she connects with different animals and people who care for Bella as she cares for them, from a homeless vet to a magnificent cougar known as Big Kitten.

The story is sweet enough, though totally outlandish. Bella is rescued as a puppy by a kind young man named Lucas (Jonah Hauer-King), who hopes the pup will help his mother (Ashley Judd), a veteran suffering from PTSD. But a cruel neighbor sics animal control on Bella — pit bulls are illegal within the city limits of Denver. Bella’s sent to friends in New Mexico, but in a desperate attempt to play “go home” and reunite with her person, she makes a run for it and ends up on a wild romp through the Rockies on her way back.

There’s just one element of “A Dog’s Way Home” that yanks the audience right out of the film, and it’s unfortunate because it’s also crucial to the way the story unfolds. Bryce Dallas Howard voices Bella’s inner monologue — a dogologue, if you will. It’s written in such a childish tone, aping the perspective of a dog who understands just some aspects of the human world, that it lowers the discursive level of the whole movie to something quite childlike.

It’s a confusing perspective given the scary and dire situations Bella has to navigate. Howard does her best with the material, but it’s written in such a broad and silly tone it seems like it’s from a children’s program. Even Sally Field and Michael J. Fox were given senses of humor and nuance for the animal characters they voiced in “Homeward Bound.”

As told from Bella’s perspective, everything is emotionally oversimplified, gesturing toward Big Issues painted in big, broad strokes. Veterans are “sad,” a negligent dog-owner “should be alone,” Big Kitten needs a “mother.” It makes for an odd match-up of storytelling style and content that doesn’t quite gel.

Dog lovers will likely warm to the tale of Bella’s quest to reunite with her person despite the odds and circumstances. One would have to be made of stone to not well up during the harrowing climax. But the resolutions are as outlandish as the journey itself. Did no one think to petition city council to simply change the pit bull law? When the story lags, these are the flaws that pester, and even the cute factor of “A Dog’s Way Home” can’t obscure its narrative weaknesses.

“A Dog’s Way Home” — 2 stars

MPAA rating : PG (for thematic elements, some peril and language)

Running time : 1:36

Opens : Friday

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• DVD & Streaming

A Dog’s Way Home

• Action/Adventure , Drama , Kids

Content Caution

In Theaters

• January 11, 2019
• Voice of Bryce Dallas Howard as Bella; Jonah Hauer-King as Lucas; Ashley Judd as Terri; Alexandra Shipp as Olivia; John Cassini as Animal Control Officer Chuck

Home Release Date

• April 9, 2019
• Charles Martin Smith

Distributor

• Columbia Pictures

Positive Elements   |   Spiritual Elements   |   Sexual & Romantic Content   |   Violent Content   |   Crude or Profane Language   |   Drug & Alcohol Content   |   Other Noteworthy Elements   | Conclusion

Movie Review

Bella is a mixed breed stray. A mutt.

Of course, she doesn’t know that. She doesn’t know what any of that means. She doesn’t even know that her name is Bella . Yet. She just knows life as a carefree puppy among a group of other stray dogs and cats huddled together under a condemned piece of property.

Soon, though, Bella learns about fear .

Humans show up and drag away her mother and most of the other animals living under the crumbling building’s foundation. They’re rough and mean. They have sticks with ropes, and cages. She and a mother cat barely elude their grasp.

Then Bella learns about love .

Lucas is the next human Bella meets. He is good and kind. He’s perfect. He rescues her, gives her food and a home. Lucas gives her a name . And he gives her human games , too. She really loves “Get the ball!” and “Don’t chew shoes!” “Get up on the bed!” is always a good one, too. And her most, most favorite game of all is, “Do you want a little bit of cheese?” When Lucas plays that game, it makes Bella all warm inside.

Yes, life is so, so good .

It’s not perfect, though. A human called an “animal control officer” wants to take Bella away. It means nothing to her, but this mean man has classified Bella as a pit bull, a breed that’s banned in Denver, where Lucas and Bella live.

To keep Bella, Lucas (who lives with his veteran mom, Terri, who suffers from PTSD) has no other choice but to send his beloved dog to a friend’s house for a while. In faraway Farmington, New Mexico.

Of course, that strange journey south makes no sense to Bella at all. All she understands is how she dearly misses her beloved Lucas once he leaves her there. She misses his smell and his fun human games.

Oh, how she longs to play “Get the ball!” and “Don’t chew shoes!” with him again. And she can’t stop thinking about the game “Go home!” that they used to play whenever danger was nearby. She misses it all so, so, so much. And Lucas. Always Lucas.

So there’s really no other choice: Bella has to go home. It doesn’t matter that mountains, as well as hundreds of miles of wilderness are between here and there. She doesn’t care that snarling beasts live in those forests.

She misses Lucas. She simply has to go … home !

Positive Elements

The central lesson of this story focuses on love. And in a sense, the kind of love we see expressed here always centers around caring for the weak and adopting them into your “family.”

For example, after animal control officers grab Bella’s mom, a mother cat begins caring for the orphaned and bewildered pup, even feeding Bella right alongside her own kittens. Bella thereafter considers the cat her adoptive mother.

In turn, Bella “adopts” other needy animals she crosses paths with. When she stumbles upon a dead cougar, she starts caring for and protecting the mountain cat’s “Big Kitten” cub. She comforts and bonds with a dog that seemingly has lost its human owner. And she always thinks in terms of family. Even while on her journey home, her temporary connections with humans and other animals are family-like connections (though that tie with her beloved Lucas always rules supreme). She repeatedly talks of various animals finding “their people.”

We definitely see that same kind of caring, extended-family structure in the human world, too. Lucas lets his emotionally traumatized, PSTD-stricken mom live with him. And he works with other similarly afflicted vets at a local VA hospital. They all rally together to help one another in something of a family unit (a unit that Bella herself becomes a well-loved part of).

Spiritual Elements

Sexual & romantic content.

Two different women wear tops that reveal some cleavage. A couple that may or may not be married is shown in bed together. (She’s wearing a nightgown.)

Bella is briefly adopted by two men who live together. We never see any physical affection between the two of them. But a couple of elements quietly imply that they’re a couple, such as a picture of them dressed up together (that the camera very quickly pans past in their home) and the fact that one of them talks about “our” telephone number. Adults will likely recognize the implications of this apparently same-sex relationship, though that connection is still subtle enough that the nature of it may not be something children will notice.

Violent Content

As you might expect, there’s a bit of sharp-toothed and painful violence in Bella’s journey. She’s attacked and left scraped and lightly bloodied by a pack of wolves. And she injures her leg after being thumped by a skidding car in a pile-up she causes on a freeway.

Bella also must delicately make her way across a slippery, ice-covered log spanning a deep and craggy ravine. A snowy avalanche nearly swallows her up. (And it does engulf a human hiker whom Bella helps to dig free; later on, we see the man wearing both arm and leg casts.) As mentioned, a wolf pack threatens Bella on a couple of occasions. A cougar attacks that pack, tackling and slashing at its members. We also see dead animals at different times, including a dirt- and leaf-covered deer carcass and a dead mountain lion shot by human poachers (offscreen).

Bella also encounters some human threats. She hears the gunfire of hunters. Mean animal control officers repeatedly try to grab the doggy hero. At one point, they capture her and roughly cart her away. Lucas is told that if she’s ever caught again off of his property, she’ll be legally “euthanized.”

Elsewhere, Bella’s caught and kept by a homeless man who users her puppy-dog appeal to stir up sympathy in passers-by. He chains the dog to his own waist. And when the man finally perishes in the cold after years of self-abuse and exposure to the elements, Bella is trapped by that chain and nearly dies herself because she has no access to food or water (until she’s eventually rescued).

All in all, those dangers lend a sense of mild peril to the story at times, one that might be a bit on the intense side for young or sensitive viewers.

Crude or Profane Language

Someone calls another person a “moron.” We hear one use of “oh my gosh” as well as what might be the unfinished beginnings of an s-word when a man is hit by an avalanche of snow. (We hear just the barest hint of that word’s initial pronunciation.) Bella names one of the dogs she meets on her journey Shaggy Butt.

Drug & Alcohol Content

A couple of guys drink glasses of wine.

Other Noteworthy Elements

To survive, Bella steals food from human picnickers, fishermen and a supermarket. (That said, these scenes are all played for humor, and we’re obviously invited to side with the starving animal with regard to these mischievous “thefts.”)

A disgruntled property owner lightly threatens Lucas and his mom and ultimately takes action to make their lives difficult. (The movie clearly paints this angry man as a villain.)

Bella’s story, narrated sweetly from the protagonist pup’s perspective by actress Bryce Dallas Howard, is an engaging and heartfelt wilderness tale. The human-like doggy hero at this family film’s core is easy to care about and root for.

In fact, because of Bella’s anthropomorphized perspective, young viewers could potentially walk away thinking about a number of very human values in their own lives. Those include the loving bonds of family, the importance of good friends, and the necessity of caring for the wounded and needy around us.

Fair warning though: All those charmingly forged ties also mean that Bella’s moments of movie peril and loss can land with an unexpected emotional thump. Young brows could easily furrow and tears may flow, if only briefly. (And though handled with a very light touch, the film may also subtly depict a same-sex relationship and a cohabiting one, issues that parents will want to be aware of ahead of time.)

There’s no denying, though, that Bella is indeed a good dog. And her story here is a good one as well—ending like a warm, fur-ruffling nap on the couch after a brisk winter’s trek.

Perhaps, like Bella, your family may need a journey “home,” with home being a sense of enjoyment and togetherness while being with each other. If that is the case, check out these ideas for a path leading home:

A Family’s Unexpected Togetherness in the Wilderness

Cultivating Family Togetherness

Fun Family Faith Activities

The One Year Classic Family Devotions

After spending more than two decades touring, directing, writing and producing for Christian theater and radio (most recently for Adventures in Odyssey, which he still contributes to), Bob joined the Plugged In staff to help us focus more heavily on video games. He is also one of our primary movie reviewers.

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A Dog's Way Home Reviews

• 50   Metascore
• 1 hr 36 mins
• Drama, Family, Action & Adventure
• Watchlist Where to Watch

When young puppy Bella finds herself separated from her beloved owner, she begins an epic 400-mile quest to return home and be reunited with him. Along the way, Bella meets a series of new friends and touches the lives of each in her own, unique way.

A cute movie for kids and not much else, A Dog&rsquo;s Way Home may be easily forgotten in the years to come. A film in the same vein of 1993&rsquo;s &ldquo;Homeward Bound&rdquo;, A Dog&rsquo;s Way Home follows the 400-mile journey of a pit bull mix, Bella (Bryce Dallas Howard), and all of the wild situations she finds herself in. Director Charles Martin Smith relies on the human connection to man&rsquo;s best friend to garner any real emotion and runs through the checklist of clich&eacute;s that one would expect. &nbsp; Rescued by her &ldquo;human&rdquo;, Lucas (Jonah Hauer-King), Bella was in love. She finally had a forever home, with a loving family and a multitude of games to play. Unfortunately, pit bulls are illegal in Denver city limits, so Lucas sends Bella to live with a family friend, while he locks down a new place to live. Scared and confused in her new environment, Bella decides to play &ldquo;go home&rdquo; and find Lucas. As she hops the fence and starts the long trek towards Denver, Bella embarks on a journey that will have her meeting new dogs, new humans and new cats to take care of. &nbsp; Bryce Dallas Howard manages to give Bella a likable, and even humorous personality, but is given no support throughout the film. All communication between Bella and the audience is through her thoughts and actions, but the other animals she encounters remain silent. While putting the focus solely on Bella was definitely a conscious one, it is a head-scratching choice. For a film primarily directed at children, conversations between the various animals that meet could have gone a long way. Instead we are treated to many silent, but surprisingly sincere, relationships between characters. &nbsp; A Dog&rsquo;s Way Home moves fast, way too fast, and has a convoluted timeline that barely makes sense. Smith and his writing staff (W. Bruce Cameron and Cathryn Michon) make the questionable decision to expand Bella&rsquo;s adventure out to a staggering two and a half years but fly through the script like she was only gone for a week. Some of this is surely due to the film being based on a book (of the same name), but the format doesn&rsquo;t necessarily work when crammed into a 96-minute movie. &nbsp; This film will solicit some sort of feeling from dog lovers, but that is about it. The story revolves around the invisible bond between a dog and its owner (or as Bella calls it, &ldquo;the invisible leash&rdquo;). That sentiment alone is enough for any dog owner to stay emotionally vested, but there is nothing here that lingers after the credits roll. &nbsp;

Screen Rant

A dogs way home.

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Charles Martin Smith

Bona Film Group Pariah Columbia Pictures

Charles Martin Smith

Bona Film Group Pariah Columbia Pictures

PG

96 Minutes

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Ashley judd, jonah hauer-king, edward james olmos, alexandra shipp, chris bauer, screenrant review, a dog's way home review: more manipulative than a box full of puppies.

A Dog's Way Home is a fine family-friendly adventure about man's best friend, hitting the same emotional chords as (better) movies that came before.

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