Bella must make a difficult journey in “A Dog’s Way Home.” Bryce Dallas Howard gives voice to her story.Credit...James Dittiger/Columbia Pictures
A Dog's Way HomeDirected by Charles Martin SmithAdventure, FamilyPG1h 36m
- 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.
'A Dog's Way Home' - Official Trailer [HD]Credit...CreditVideo by Sony Pictures Entertainment
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.
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.
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.
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.
Is A dog's Way Home a good movie?
Sweet, emotional movie about a boy and his dog, told from the dog's perspective. Hardly original - movies like Lassie Come Home [1943] and The Incredible Journey [1963] have covered the central plot before - but it works, very well.
What is the message of a dog's way home?
The main messages from this movie are that the bonds between dogs and their humans are very strong and that dogs are very good therapy for people with emotional and physical needs.
How long was Bella missing in a dog's way home?
To avoid this, Lucas sends Bella to live with Olivia's aunt and uncle in Farmington, New Mexico, until he and his mother can find another home outside of Denver's urban limits. However, Bella misses Lucas and leaves Farmington to begin a 400-mile journey home, which will take more than two years to complete.
Was A dog's Way Home Based on a true story?
A Dog's Way Home is a 2017 novel by American author W. Bruce Cameron, inspired by many true stories.