The best known of the cast is probably the ever charming Dennis Quaid who utilizes his well-worn crinkly smile to great advantage as the good man who’s endured his share of bad breaks. Fields adage quite true (“Never work with animals or children”). The human actors in the cast do their level best not to be upstaged by the adorable and energetic canine actors, proving that W.C. Could the role of canine cupid be his real purpose? Bailey soon embarks on a mission to reunite the high school sweethearts. He names the dog Bailey, who returns to that playground and follows that smell to the grandmother of those kids in the park, Hannah (Peggy Lipton). He recognizes Hannah’s scent at a playground and soon stumbles upon the familiar farm now owned by middle-aged bachelor Ethan (Dennis Quaid). The dog’s lost, but the sights and sounds seem vaguely familiar. Boom, another host, this time a big mixed breed mutt neglected and abandoned by a disreputable couple. Tio’s along for the romance with Al and his jumbo-sized lady dog, watching as their owners marry and have kids, until time passes by. The two bond over a mutual love of junk food, which leads to long walks in the park (the vet prescribes lots of exercise) where they meet another college student Al (Pooch Hall). Then it’s puppy time again, this time as a cute Corgi named Tio, who’s adopted by a shy college student, Maya (Kirby Howell-Baptiste). Their strong bond is soon cut short by the mean streets of Chicago. She’s put to work almost immediately, training to be a police dog, taught by her owner/partner, a lonely cop named Carlos (John Ortiz). Things don’t go as planned while Buddy begins to feel the effects of old age, and soon that chatty spirit goes traveling, finally returning as a German Shepherd lady (!) named Ellie. Apa) who hopes for a scholarship while starting a romance with Hannah (Britt Robertson). That bond is still strong as Ethan matures into a high school football star (now played by K.J.
The two become inseparable even as Ethan’s parents slowly drift apart. Then we get to the main story as that life force jumps into a Red Retriever pup that is taken in by eight year-old Ethan (Bryce Gheisar) and named Buddy. First he’s an unnamed wondering puppy, quickly scooped up by the city’s Animal Control (and happily sent to that “farm up north” off camera). Or should the title be plural, since several dogs share the same spirit, given voice by Josh Gad (yes, Olaf from FROZEN). This movie ponders the whys and wonders of A DOG’S PURPOSE.
But it attempts more than just silly slapstick and tugs at the ole’ heartstrings. This helped fuel last summer’s animated smash THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS (primarily dogs, with a few kitties, birdies, and an ill-tempered bunny). With the advent of social media there’s been an avalanche of pet adoration, with funny home videos of dogs taking a big bite out of the bandwidth.
Then came Lassie in her many media incarnations, along with other dogs that provided comic relief from Nick and Nora’s terrier Asta to that Saint Bernard behemoth, Beethoven. He was a German Shepherd who rescued human co-stars and even a soon to be major studio (the Warner Brothers might not have survived without his box office bucks). The first canine superstar was probably Rin-Tin-tin way back in the silent era. Man’s (and the movies’) best friend has been the hero and heroine of many a flick since the old nickleodeon days. Excuse the pun, but Hollywood has gone to the dogs.