Dog movies have been a staple of cinema for decades now. The magical bond between human and pet has fueled numerous hit films, including “Marley & Me,” “Cats & Dogs,” “The Shaggy Dog,” “Air Bud,” and so many others.
These generally come out a few times a year — and they’re always filled with scenes that make viewers melt, cry and laugh.
“A Dog’s Way Home” is the latest picture to draw inspiration from man’s relationship to dog and it hits theaters this weekend.
The film follows the story of Bella, a dog voiced by actress Bryce Dallas Howard (pictured above left); when the pet is separated from her owner, she’s forced to find her way back home.
Directed by Charles Martin Smith (“Air Bud,” “Dolphin Tale”), “A Dog’s Way Home” has all the classic moments a dog movie should contain, and more importantly, it’s the rare movie from modern Hollywood that is good for the entire family.
As a bonus, the film has a strong veterans angle in its storyline.
It goes to show how far Hollywood’s collective depiction of veterans has gone that they’re now given proper due in a studio film about a cute family dog.
Ashley Judd (above right) stars in “A Dog’s Way Home” as one of Bella’s owners. She’s a veteran who begins taking Bella with her to support groups. We then get to witness the good a dog can do for people, especially veterans, who are looking to heal their emotional wounds.
Hollywood studio pictures are getting increasingly more negative and full of soulless digital effects, but “A Dog’s Way Home” manages to sneak through the cracks and be a movie sure to bring a smile to even the grinchiest of movie viewers.
“A Dog’s Way Home” is in theaters now.
Check out a trailer for “A Dog’s Way Home” below:
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