USA TODAY International Edition
‘A Dog’s Journey’ is mutt-see, masterful acting
Spoiler alert! What follows reveals key plot points in “A Dog’s Journey,” though not the ending. You might want to see the movie before reading.
The pooch ensemble in “A Dog’s Journey” (in theaters Friday) has serious acting chops.
These skills are required in the saga, a continuation of 2017’s “A Dog’s Purpose,” which follows the spirit of Bailey as he’s reincarnated into pup after pup (all voiced by Josh Gad) before eventually passing to heaven.
The circle of life requires the full spectrum of canine emotion – from cuddly to consequential. Director Gail Mancuso, who has five dogs, pulls Oscarworthy performances from her canine thespians in a movie where there’s a pooch in every scene.
For your consideration, we present the leading contenders:
Buddy brought the beautiful heartbreak early.
Boss dog Buddy (a Great Pyrenees/ Bernese Mountain dog mix) is played by three lookalike dogs, but mainly Odin, the film’s primary star.
Odin is tasked with dying in the lap of Buddy’s beloved owner Ethan (Dennis Quaid), which happens early in the film. It already is a Kleenex moment before Odin lifted his head for a final, soulful look into Quaid’s eyes and faded. “That look was pure magic,” Mancuso says. “That moment resonated with me, as I have experienced my own dog looking at me during our goodbye. It’s a special bond.”
Molly was more than adorable energy.
The energetic Molly, who steps in to support the movie’s human heroine CJ when her mom moves her away, is played by two Beagliers (a beagle crossed with a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel). Lead dog Lemy shows parkour skills, bounding through backyard obstacles (down stairs, over a gate) to jump into young CJ’s arms (played by Abby Ryder Fortson). “And then started licking my face all over,” Fortson says.
But Lemy has to get tough later and “bite” the leg of the film’s villain (Jake Manley). Trainer Bonnie Judd first taught Lemy to tug with a toy, then placed a pouch of meat in Manley’s pant leg. “It’s kind of like a pinata,” Judd says. “The more they go at it, the more they get.”
Parting is such sweet sorrow for Big Dog.
Big Dog, played by an African Boerboel named Phil, has a small role, portraying a chance meeting with his spiritual owner CJ, now an adult played by Kathryn Prescott, in a roadside store. Phil hits his marks, and gives a hearty paw-shake. Yet the soulful-eyed dog hits dramatic pay dirt when he bids farewell forever to CJ.
“When he’s saying goodbye as he’s leaving, it’s so sad that it made me cry,” Prescott says.
Buddy and an adorable toddler make giddy magic.
Emma Volk was 2 when she shot her screen debut as Buddy’s kid friend (and Ethan’s granddaughter) in “A Dog’s Journey.” But her giggling chemistry with Odin’s Buddy is magic, with dog and toddler clearly happy together in a way that goes beyond acting. “Emma just really loved the big brute, and it looks natural,” Judd says.
Max’s exit scene was tough even for the dog actor.
Rescue dog Max, CJ’s adulthood dog, is played by four Biewer terriers. Belle, the character’s primary actor, was so invested in her death scene, she had trouble letting Prescott’s CJ tearfully sing to her.
“The first time, Belle really wanted to kiss her tears away, but after that she kept her head down and closed her eyes each time,” Judd says. “It’s a tough scene for any dog but Belle was still a super-hyper puppy. Yet she did exactly as I asked over and over again. On each cut, she would quickly kiss CJ and play.”