Not only does "A Dog's Purpose" answer this question, it also takes you on a small existential journey you did not bargain for.
#A dogs purpose controversy movie#
If you have ever wondered what the purpose of a dog is then this is the movie for you. We get to see how attitude can affect our destination in life and that circumstances aren’t a choice but our reaction to them is. Not all of the dog’s lives were particularly fair and sometimes he was born into difficult circumstances. I particularly liked how the concept of fairness in life was handled in this movie. The lesson here is that to appreciate the happy in life, we have to experience some of the sad too. It was a bit of an emotional roller coaster, but the ride was worth it. This is a particularly effective strategy for helping kids learn about life and what to expect.Īs I said before, it was tough to watch the cycle of this dog’s life spinning so quickly, but it was necessary to go through the bad to get to the good. Related Stories:Īs I have learned from other children’s movies, if we can see life’s bigger lessons from the eyes of different species then maybe our problems won’t seem so big. Sounds kind of cheesy I know, but the message in the movie won’t be lost on your kids. The movie is great at helping us see that we do matter in other people's lives by being who we are and doing our best to bring joy to others. Here are the reasons I came up with to help her understand why a movie like this should be made: I am pointing out how my lack of forethought created a mild existential crises in my daughter as she grappled to understand why I would take her to a movie about dogs dying. This is the part of the movie I don’t think a lot of us watching saw coming as evidenced by the audible sobbing and parental consoling that could be heard throughout the theater at the end of each of the dog’s lives.ĭon’t worry, I am not spoiling anything that can’t be deduced from the trailer. Unfortunately, cute puppies are only half of the equation you'll discover, as the reality sets in that for every cute puppy born, an old dog must first die. The concept seems like a great way to tell a story that allows for lots of playful puppies doing playful puppy things.
#A dogs purpose controversy series#
The story is centered around a dog's search for the meaning of life as experienced through a series of reincarnations throughout the movie. I will start by saying this movie is about a dog voiced by Josh Gad and his multiple reincarnated lives that run concurrently with the life of his first owner played ultimately by Dennis Quaid. I don’t want to get into the problems the film has been suffering, but do think it is worthwhile to mention so that you can decide if that sways your opinion on seeing the movie.Ĭontroversy aside, I want to tell you all about the movie and my impressions of it. In the end, only the premiere was canceled and the film will still be released in theaters this weekend. The producers of the film, as well as the trainers, said the video wasn’t quite what it appeared, but there was still talk of canceling the release. PETA was calling for a boycott of the film, online message boards exploded and Universal actually canceled the premiere of the film. The film was gaining positive momentum and then a video of what appears to be a trainer forcing a dog into a stunt the animal did not want to be a part of was released and things became heated. THE MOVIE THEATER - I was worried that I may never get to review the film, “A Dog’s Purpose,” after weeks of promising my daughter I would take her to the screening. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
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