Dog Gone is the latest family feature film, released on Netflix on 13th January 2023. It is inspired by a real-life story and is based on the book – Dog Gone: A Lost Pet’s Extraordinary Journey and the Family Who Brought Him Home by Pauls Toutonghi. The film is directed by Stephen Herek from a script adapted for the screen by Nick Santora and executive produced by actor and star of the movie, Rob Lowe.
It has a runtime of about 1 hour and 35 minutes, starring Rob Lowe, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Johnny Berchtold, Susan Gallagher, Soji Arai, Annabella Didion, Nick Peine, Mezi Atwood, Robert Bryan Davis, Bruce Busta Soscia, Brian Brightman, Rachael Thompson, Michael H. Cole, Katelyn Farrugia, Al Mitchell, James Andrew and others.
Netflix’s description of the film reads:
When his beloved dog goes missing, a young man embarks on an incredible search with his parents to find him and give him life-saving medication.
-Dog Gone Review Does Not Contain Any Spoilers-
After a young man and his beloved dog are separated on the Appalachian Trail, he and his father must begin a desperate search to find him before it’s too late. They have only two weeks to find him, who needs medication in order to survive. Together, and with the support of, not to mention countless strangers, they’ll stop at nothing to find their pet and bring him home. Based on an incredible true story of humanity and everyday heroism.
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The film starts with two friends at Virginia University in their final semester. Fielding Marshall and his friend Nate are contemplating their lives when they see Fielding’s ex-girlfriend with another guy. That’s when his eyes fall on a girl with a dog and what’s better to mend a broken heart than a fluffball full of love and adoration for everything in the world?
Fielding goes straight to a dog pound and finds himself a Labrador retriever pup, whom he names as Gonker, because he gonks on his head once. They are like two inseparable best friends who do everything together from yoga classes to sleeping in the same bed. Until adult life gets in the way as Fielding moves back in with the parents and is unsure what to do with his future.
More than just a story about a lost dog, it explores the complex relationship among the families and figuring out your lives, goals and essentially becoming your own person. The most realistic part of this film was how the parents were so reluctant to have a pet dog, and how their son is not responsible enough to keep another living being alive etc.
But as we all have seen from various examples, they are the ones whose personalities change completely 180 degrees, once they warm up to the lovable beings. Similarly, the family dynamics of the Marshalls who seem a bit reserved and rigid in their ways, open up to Gonker and even each other.
The only difference between the real story and the film is that the real Gonker is a golden retriever mix. Apart from that they also touched on Addison’s disease, where the body stops producing some hormones. The good part is that they don’t make this the focal plot of the story and give it a sappy turn, instead it’s a motivation for the characters and develops in their own arcs.
Summing Up: Dog Gone
This film is a quick and heartwarming watch, even if you watch it just for Gonker, the story will not disappoint you. Even many could find it relatable and find some comfort in Fielding’s character. Especially in today’s time, where things change at the pace of a Tik Tok trend, feeling lost and unaccomplished is not unheard of. But how you come around to find your path is what we will experience with Fielding. While searching for their lost dog, they found a way to each other and their inner selves.
Dog Gone is currently streaming on Netflix.