Born to be cute
What would be a dog's true purpose? Canine lovers could be at a loss for words because (a) they treated their pet dog like a rotten, spoiled child; (b) The pet dog would attract more Instagram users; (c) The same dog could raise more money for a good cause; (d) Social media addicts should find a better way to kill the time; and (e) all of the above. The answer would be none of the above. W. Bruce Cameron believed that dogs were born to be cuddle buddies to their forlorn Dog Dads (or Dog Moms), and he wrote "A Dog's Purpose" to prove it.
The celluloid version of "A Dog's Purpose" featured a golden retriever, a German shepherd K-9, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, and a Saint Bernard. None were too cute to guarantee a sequel except the young Welsh Corgi who was getting fatter by the day. Why not an irresistible French mastiff? This dog species played sidekick to Tom Hanks in "Turner & Hooch" (1989). Moreover, the Saint Bernard in "A Dog's Purpose" seemed like a survivor of the puppy mill industry if compared to Beethoven, the four-legged Saint Bernard who turned George Newton's household upside down. Last but not the least, Pluto. (Let's not mistake it with Pluto Nash.) Amblin Entertainment, the production company behind the film, might have considered the French bulldog, pug, and bichon frise. The three are among the cutest dog breeds, which might have guaranteed "A Dog's Purpose" a cult following. This couldn't be part of Lasse Hallström's grand plan, though.
Hallström became famous after the release of "My Life as a Dog" (1985), about a troubled lad who found inspiration in the expeditions of Laika, one of the first animals in space. And she happened to be a stray dog from the streets of Moscow. The Swedish filmmaker gave a beguiling look on a small town in southern Sweden, where anything (and everything) don't seem simple and sleepy at it looked on the surface. It was the same treatment in "A Dog's Purpose", even if the story moved to Chicago and Atlanta. Cameron was thinking of "Black Beauty", which was hardly a novelty among films on dogs; Lassie, a rough collie, wouldn't have any of the attention of her fellow canine stars (who made it big later). The author/humorist was thinking of a canine counterpart of Black Beauty who wanted a cuddle buddy. And it was no coincidence that Bailey (and his reincarnated spirits) find lonely humans in need of a warm body during those cold nights.
The topic of reincarnation might seem hard to believe to some viewers, as the film glimpsed at the most important events from the 1960s to the 1980s. Billy Joel may not like the comparison to "We Didn't Start the Fire" especially the classic catfight scene between Krystle Carrington and Alexis Colby. It doesn't mean that "A Dog's Purpose" was bordering on pretentiousness, as Cameron (and Hallström) showed how a dog could light up the household. You need to see it to believe it.
