The faith-based movie, “A Dog’s Journey”, sequel to the popular movie, “A Dog’s Purpose”, hit movie theaters in March this year. The movie reflects family relationships but with a Christian touch using a dog, Bailey, to develop the story. In an interview with the main actors, Dennis Quaid and Marg Helgenberger (Ethan and Helen) say they relate to the themes of the movie.
Helgenberger commented how the themes of redemption and forgiveness had an impact on her. She continued by saying that she felt there were just so many connections to family and childhood in the movie that made it inspiring—a much-needed reminder of what seems to have been forgotten in our country today.
Though the movie is about a dog, we can all relate to it as a human story. The movie introduces a new character, CJ, granddaughter of Ethan and Helen, who is taken from them by her mother. Bailey makes a promise to Ethan that he will find CJ. As Bailey searches for Ethan’s granddaughter, he enters and exits the lives of various families that expose him and viewers to a wide spectrum of feelings that we all can relate to (love, joy, music, laughter, heartache, and more).
What stands out in this movie is that Bailey (and dogs in general) are creatures made by God that reflect unconditional love. In that sense, “A Dog’s Journey” is a reminder to Christians of how we are to love one another, and a movie that helps us see more clearly the love we can enjoy in Christ from our heavenly Father. In the face of the violence, foul language, and twisted morals we encounter in many movies today, that makes this a movie worth watching.