A Dog's Purpose : Oh great… another dog movie I won't watch.

Because they've already highlighted the fact that the dogs die at least four times in the movie.

And yes, I get it's the "same" dog but we all know it's not. Dogs certainly do play an important role in a lot of lives, but reincarnation isn't part of the deal as far as I'm concerned.

I would have been "happier" with this movie being the story of four or five different dogs, their lives somehow overlapping and leading from one dog and owner to the next, starting and ending with the same owner. That would have been better, in my opinion.

Oh well. Another fantasy movie for those who want to believe in such things

As my dog would say- "bite me"

Immature. Check out how I responded below for how to counter or partially counter someone while still respecting their right to an opinion and the fact that their differing view is just as legitimate as yours.

Also, your dog can't talk.

Is that seriously the best you can do?

I guess if you can't form a cogent argument, you can just resort to infantile responses

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As my dog would say- "bite me"

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56 days until the Dead rise

Aren't you a cynical and lonely cuss? Wow, and you took the time to write about this on a message board? I bet you don't participate in Halloween or you kick the cup out of a homeless man's hands, don't ya?

I am Kyzer. I am Homeboy. I am Ghostbuster. I am

Quite cynical. Hardly lonely.

And yes, I took the time. What, my opinion isn't valid? I'm criticizing a movie's concept on a - gasp! - discussion board for movies!

Now, you can either discuss my opinion of the movie, which is the intended function of a discussion board, or ignore it; trying to tear down a person instead of their argument is the trademark of the intellectually challenged who cannot perpetuate a discussion by providing an appropriate argument against the topic.

You can try again, if you want. I get that it's hard to be objective in the face of criticism, but I'm sure you'll get the hang of it.

I don't believe in reincarnation or the supernatural either (though if I had my pick of afterlife models, that'd probably be the one), but I still might go see this. Lasse Halstrom occasionally cranks out a decent film and, I shamelessly admit, the trailer had me feeling like I'd probably cry if I saw this in theatres. Anyone who's ever had pets and genuinely cared about them and missed them when they died will probably feel the same, no matter how cynical (or to be more fair, REALISTIC) we may have become about the rest of life. And it looks like a light-hearted take, not some deep meditation on life and death or even like it's heavily pushing a particular spiritual belief.

I don't believe in demons/ghosts or elves/dragons, but I still watch some horror and fantasy films & shows.

I more take issue with the fact that this film proposes the idea that dogs are there for US (humans). Ummmit's kind of just an advantageous partnership/domestication that has benefitted both species throughout history (the dogs arguably got the better end of the deal, hah), and it involved a hell of a lot of selective breeding to mold dogs into what we needed and also eventually just PREFERRED them to be. It doesn't make them any less awesome, but they're not these magical animals that just decided to become man's best friend out of love or some bull$#!+

Have to agree with a lot of this.

That said, there is an awful lot of research that does suggest that as a result of co-evolution and the resultant humanization of the canine species, dogs are capable of a higher and wider degree of emotional rapport with humans than many other domesticated animals. I don't believe that their motivation is to better us, at all but I DO believe they make most of us better people by simply being the creatures that they are.

A movie that highlights that would be the better one to see in my opinion, but there are plenty of such stories already out there.

As for fantasy movies: I don't mind fantasy for the sake of true fantasy. To tell a story about the impossible, to let the imagination really run wild. I get cynical when I start to see fantasy applied in situations like this movie. My opinion is that the relationship we have with dogs is already wonderful enough, without the reincarnation mumbo-jumbo. Dogs will teach us incidental lessons in our lives for the duration we care for them.

Another reason the reincarnation angle bugs me is because I see it setting up a lot of people - children, particularly - for the expectation and subsequent disappointment that they would face if they lose one pet, only to have another come along that doesn't meet their expectations, because it isn't Sparky or Tammy or Buster come back again. Every dog, every pet, is different, and something unique and rewarding can be learned from all of them, no matter how "good" or "bad" they may be.

Every damn animal movie has to have the damn animal dying. Why? It's an easy way to pull at the heart strings and I hate you Hollywood for it.

I will never watch it. At least not when anyone else is around.

I am not going to get suckered punched into watching another movie where the dog dies. Yes I will admit am more traumatized over seeing a dog die in a movie then a person. With the exception of a old Boxer in a old movie named the Champ or a Vulcan in The Wrath of Khan. Until 10 minutes later were informed they were going to search for him. I am, sure the whole franchised would of died if they didn't

I suggest watching Max (2015) if you haven't already. Still tugs at the heart strings but not at the expense of the dog's life.

Ok, don't watch it. One less seat taken at the movie theater.

Entire internet is mourning now that you have announced you won't watch this. Also people don't watch fantasy movies because they believe in them, lol. It's called fantasy for a reason.

You're right you're entitled to your opinion but your comment of
for those who want to believe in such things Kind of seems like you're being a bit of a snooty condescending *beep* (my opinion) no offense

It's okay, I am a bit of a condescending *beep*. I don't make excuses for that.

I don't believe in god or in reincarnation. I don't believe in vampires or aliens from outer space either, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying Dracula or Independence Day. That's the whole "suspend disbelief" thing. If you require an belief in everything in the moviesyou'd never go to the movies.

Meh. I believe there's a time and a place for suspension of disbelief.

Pure fantasy movie, or sci-fi, or pure fiction, where I'm expected to suspend it? Sure. I enjoy a good make-believe story as much as any other person.

But when I start to see movies with what I already consider to be a good story (in this case, how dogs can positively affect the lives of people) with a bunch of superstitious hooey that I believe will have a general negative effect on the viewing audience in some instances (in this case, the reincarnation aspect and the subsequent impact it has on the expectations of people of how a dog "should behave" in order to be appealing them from the supernatural point of view) then it just rubs me the wrong way.

Oh, go climb Mt. Integrity and bask in your ethics. I doubt anyone is going to walk away from this movie thinking "Wow, now I believe in reincarnation because of this dog movie". If they do, they already believed it to begin with.

I totally agree with you about reincarnation, religion, etc. being hooey, but it's a dog movie. I will probably see this movie, and for 2 hours will choose to believe a dog can come back. I'd love for my cat, Lena, to be reincarnated and come back to me, but I know that's not ever gonna happen. When I leave the theater, I will resume my belief that reincarnation is nonsense.

Yeah I don't particularly like dogs (for various reasons from a combination of various negative experiences) and saw this trailer and was annoyed. I know that I will get ganged up on here so I'll bow out after this but this movie is just so clearly playing on the fact that so many Americans are obsessed with dogs. Even still, fine, pandering to the masses. But again, be more 'smart' about it and do what you saidfollow five different dogs doing what they do best (except he's already way too personifiedtripping the kid and laughing about it? actually, no, they don't do that lol)but I digress AGAIN. If they wanted a more poignant movie about five different ways a dog can really bring healing/meaning/whatever to someone's lives, in a less obviously manipulative way, I think that'd be more deep/interesting. But having it be the same one who regenerates over and over is a cop out. Unfortunately, when your pet reaches its age limit that's probably it. It's not out there living yet another life to make you feel better (well, who's to saymaybe it IS but it seems just like a cop out to make the movie less sad and to add more meaning to the lives of dogs than there likely is. Having it learn lessons about its purpose to lick and love or whatever the heck)

Wow okay I sound like a super Grinch so I will fly my super grinch arse away now bye ;P

The book makes me want to believe in reincarnation for dogs. That will make it easier for me when my Pugs go. And the book set it up so that the dog wasn't traumatized each time he died, because he remembered from before that he'd be a puppy again. In fact, I encourage all of my dog-owning friends and relatives to read the book, precisely because it is one that I think will help dog owners as we go through the dog dying experiences, rather than just being a typical tearjerker.

^^^ This. So much this!

I am a bonafide cat lover but the cuter, more friendly-looking dogs I see people walking about do make me smile and "squee!" within. That said, I am sensitive to any hint in films that an animal might get hurt. For instance I can't do Lassie films. You know the ones. She has to save her puppies from a burning barn? Gah! Talk about eyes turning into water spigots. I won't mention several other animal films like this because I don't want to spoil anyone. Now in this film the dog dies over and over again - and people lose him over and over again. It might be a good film but I just can't put myself through that.