A Dog’s Purpose (2017) 🐶

“A Movie or Just Emotional Blackmail?”


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Let’s start with showing you all the trailers, shall we?

Since this is a Universal film, Y’all know what that means? Cue the Universal Logo!

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🐾 Non-Spoiler Thoughts

This movie? 0/10. Not even pity points. It’s not a film—it’s a weaponized tear factory. Designed not to tell a story, but to manipulate you into crying whether you want to or not.

The thing is, I love dogs. Everyone does. But instead of celebrating that bond, A Dog’s Purpose milks it dry until you’re left emotionally numb. And it does it with a smug little grin, like, “Oh, you’re crying? We must be geniuses.” No, you’re not geniuses. You’re bullies with a camera.


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🐶 Characters & Performances

Bailey / Buddy / Tino / Ellie / etc. (Josh Gad) – He voices every reincarnation of the dog. Sometimes charming, often grating, always trapped in a loop of tragedy. His voiceover tries to bring levity but mostly feels like salt on the wound.

Ethan (K.J. Apa / Dennis Quaid) – He’s the central human, the one we’re supposed to root for. But the movie drags him through melodrama until he’s less of a person and more of a sad backdrop.

Everyone Else – Side characters exist purely to keep the dog bouncing from life to life. None of them matter because the only constant is Bailey, and the only guarantee is misery.



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🎢 Pacing & Tone

This film runs like a broken carnival ride:

1. Happy dog montage.


2. Emotional gut punch.


3. Death.


4. Rebirth.


5. Repeat.



And it does this for two solid hours. By the third cycle, you’re not even heartbroken anymore—you’re just bracing yourself, waiting for the next truckload of emotional bricks.


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💔 Why This Movie Fails

This isn’t storytelling. This is emotional hostage-taking.

It cheats by using universal pet grief. Everyone’s lost a pet, everyone’s felt that pain. But instead of respecting that, it exploits it.

It weaponizes neglect and abuse. That scene where Bailey comes back as a dog adopted by a neglectful owner who leaves him chained outside? That’s not deep. That’s trauma-bait.

It dresses tragedy up as entertainment. “Here, let’s watch a police dog die in the line of duty. Aren’t you moved?” No, I’m tired.


Pixar gives toys, fish, and even feelings more dignity than this movie gives actual dogs.


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🌭 Final Thoughts

So yeah—I hate this film. Not in a “meh, wasn’t for me” way. In a “this shouldn’t exist” way. A Dog’s Purpose doesn’t celebrate dogs; it exploits them. It isn’t cathartic. It’s exhausting. Life already has enough heartbreak—this movie packages it, sells it, and calls it a family film.


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Rating: 0/10
Not a film. Just a leash yanking at your heart until it snaps.


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🚨 Spoilers (Full Breakdown of the Misery Loop)

Alright, buckle up, because here’s the emotional blender this movie calls a plot:

Bailey’s first life with Ethan – Sweet, wholesome boy-and-his-dog story. And then, without hesitation, dead. That’s round one.

The reincarnation gimmick – Bailey keeps coming back as different dogs. In theory, interesting. In practice, it’s just an excuse for more death scenes.

The neglected life – This is where the movie becomes cruel. Bailey reincarnates into a dog left chained outside by an abusive owner. Watching it is like watching trauma-porn dressed up as “family drama.” It’s not moving—it’s enraging.

The police dog (Ellie) – A shot at meaning? Nope. Ellie dies in the line of duty. Cue another gut punch.

The reunion with Ethan (as Dennis Quaid) – Finally, Bailey finds Ethan again. And yes, the old man reunion should be touching. But after five lifetimes of constant heartbreak, you’re emotionally bankrupt. You don’t even have tears left to give.


The film acts like this cycle is uplifting, like it’s proof dogs have “purpose.” But what it really proves is that filmmakers will squeeze the same wound over and over until you pay them for the privilege of hurting.


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👉 There you go—structured exactly how you wanted: trailer (or opening) first, expanded rant, more spoiler detail, and the rating right where it belongs: after Final Thoughts, before spoilers.