By Steve Crum
If you loved 2017’s A Dog’s Purpose, you will love this sequel, A Dog’s Journey. If you adored W. Bruce Cameron’s 2010 best selling book, A Dog’s Purpose, and/or his 2012 best seller, A Dog’s Journey, you will adore A Dog’s Journey, opening today. More inclusively, if you are a dog lover, A Dog’s Journey is definitely up your Alpo alley.
Might as well add that Cameron co-wrote the screenplays to both films. Gail Mancuso, director of TV’s Modern Family, 30 Rock, and more, directs Journey, her first motion picture.
The screening audience, which was packed with kids and families, reacted to A Dog’s Journey with laughs and “Aw’s” —as well as quiet sobs and tears. I was right there 
with them, reacting the same way. Even though I have not owned a dog for decades, the schmaltz meter on this movie still grabbed my heart. Bring tissues. In Fido parlance, it’s face-lickin’ good.
NOTE: Be aware that the emotional reaction does not mean the film is perfect. Far from it.
The premise of A Dog’s Journey is the same as its predecessor: “Life is about having fun, saving others, not getting caught in the past or regrets, finding someone to live with, and living for today.” The focus is on Bailey, an aging St. Bernard-Austrian Shepherd, owned by farmer Ethan Montgomery (Dennis Quaid). It turns out that Bailey is actually reincarnated from a dog named Toby, Ethan’s childhood pet—long deceased.
Flash forward to years later when Ethan and his wife Hannah (Marg Helgenberger) are still maintaining the farm, but also taking care of their recently widowed daughter-in-law, Gloria (Betty Gilpin), and toddler granddaughter, CJ. Because of Gloria’s depression, compounded by alcoholism and paranoia, Gloria angrily takes CJ with her, vowing never to let the in-laws see her or CJ again. Time passes, and a heartbroken Ethan tells his dying Bailey to “protect and never quit looking” for CJ. With a more specific purpose in life, Bailey dies, only to live again in a succession of reincarnations in other dogs. One at a time, they continue on the lookout for CJ, who eventually grows into womanhood.
It is both a corny and compelling fantasy, of course. Yet it is so packaged in love and redemption, who can avoid the emotional impact of A Dog’s Journey?
Without getting too spoiler-specific, plot elements include parental abuse, sexual assault, mental cruelty, cancer, aging, and death. (Your typical family film.) Of course, death in terms of dogs is only a somewhat temporary, transitional state of being—or been.
For example, Bailey goes through three more doggy personas (Molly, Max, Toby), each varying in breed and sex. That said, A Dog’s Journey has a scattershot story line, covering many years and leaving plot holes and unanswered questions. Coincidences 
abound to the point of ridiculousness. Bring a calculator for the final tally.
Acting, particularly by Gilpin, Abby Ryder Fortson (young CJ), and Kathryn Prescott (older CJ), is a bit above average. Quaid adds a plus to any film.
Finally, there are kudos for Josh Gad. He voices each dog’s thoughts, providing us with both cute and touching personifications.
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It is sadly coincidental that Doris Day died earlier this week at 97. Day was internationally known as both a movie star/singer AND a dog lover/animal rights activist. No doubt she would have enjoyed A Dog’s Journey, despite its flaws.
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GRADE on A to F Scale: C