A Dog’s Journey 2019

     This film and also A Dog’s Purpose are based on books by W. Bruce Cameron.  Ethan has a beautiful Australian Shepherd dog named Bailey and they live on a Michigan farm with Ethan’s wife Hannah.  Bailey is not a young dog anymore.  Ethan realizes he will soon have to let Bailey go.  He asks Bailey to take care of his granddaughter CJ.  Gloria (CJ’s mom) and CJ have been living on the farm with Ethan and Hannah.  Gloria’s husband was Ethan and Hannah’s son but he died in a car accident before CJ was born.  Gloria doesn’t feel comfortable at the farm and she takes CJ to live with her in another city.  Gloria isn’t a very good mom but CJ meets Trent and CJ gets a dog she names Molly. 

     CJ wants to play and sing music but she's afraid to get up in front of an audience.  Trent is her best friend and he has one of Molly's litter mates.  Molly is a comfort for CJ when her mother stays out late.  Later, Molly meets Big Dog at a roadside convenience store and she gets a special feeling about him?  Then, Molly is adopted by Max.  She is the only person he has been able to get along with?  CJ is now in New York and she's really thinking about her career.  4* (I really liked this movie)

            

109 min, Adventure directed by Gail Mancuso with Josh Gad, Dennis Quaid, Kathryn Prescott, Marg Helenberger, Betty Gilpin, Henry Lau, Abby Ryder Fortson, Ian Chen, Emma Volk Johnny Galecki, Jake Manley, Daniela Barbosa, Conrad Coates, Arlene Duncan, Kevin Claydon. 

Note:  Imdb 7.4* out of 10*, Roger Ebert 2* Tomris Laffly, Rotten Tomatoes 51% critic 92% audience, Common Sense Media Sandie Angulo Chen age 10+ 3* out of 5*, 4* positive messages, 4* positive role models, 2* violence, 2* sex, 1* language, 2* consumerism 3* drinking, drugs & smoking, Amazon 4.8* out of 5* with 154 reviews. 

Special Note:  This film is a sequel to A Dog’s Purpose 2017 also with Dennis Quaid.  This is the second movie with Marg Helgenberger and Dennis Quaid playing husband and wife.  The first was In Good Company.  The first trailer for A Dog's Journey was released the same week as the film A Dog’s Way Home 2019 had it's release in theaters.