Film: A Dog's Purpose (2017)
TL;DR - Whilst it's not the most exciting film I've ever seen (if seen from a non-therian perspective), I'd recommend therians watch it, as it's thought-provoking, sweet, and has a clear existential tone which ties in well with therianthropy.
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So I saw this film advertised a few days ago, and it grabbed my attention. I had a look for reviews online, and it seemed to be poorly-received, but I decided to watch it anyway, largely because I thought the idea of reincarnation would be interesting in a therianthropic context.
Plot (No Spoilers) (Using gender-neutral pronouns to fit in with the logic of the film)
The film follows a dog (from it's own perspective) transitioning through its various lives, always being reincarnated into a pup after death. Throughout these lives, the dog tries to understand its purpose.
After being euthanised as a pup in its first life, it is then reborn into a red spaniel who, after being found dehydrated by a boy (named Ethan), comes to live with him and his family. This section of the film is the longest, and has as much a focus on Ethan as it does on Bailey (the dog). Once Bailey dies, it is once again reincarnated, this time as a police dog. After this, it is again reincarnated multiple times, each time as a different breed, with different owners, and a different lifestyle.
Throughout the film, the dog tries to understand the purpose of its existence, which is done through its own doggish outlook.
My Thoughts
Whilst it was by no means the best film I've ever seen, I still really enjoyed it as a therian. It ties in nicely with a spiritual explanation of therianthropy, but its first-person perspective through the eyes of the dog makes it enjoyable to all therians. I think it'll be one of those films which I'll watch every now and then when I'm bored on a rainy day.
Last edited by Lupus Paws; May 14th, 2017 at 03:47 PM.
“We have doomed the wolf not for what it is, but for what we deliberately and mistakenly perceive it to be – the mythologized epitome of a savage ruthless killer – which is, in reality, no more than a reflected image of ourself.” - Farley Mowat, Never Cry Wolf