Mirror Netflix Review: Dog Gone

Dog Gone is a feel-good family drama that confirms dogs are truly man's best friend. Based on a true story, the film follows a father and son who bond while trying to find their lost yellow lab during a hike on the Appalachian Trail. 

The story begins when Fielding Marshall (Johnny Berchtold) makes the decision to adopt a dog to get over a heartbreak. His best friend Nate (Nick Peine) isn’t too sure about this idea, as Fielding tends to be irresponsible and Nate is unsure if he is ready to take on that kind of responsibility. Despite this, Fielding adopts a dog and names him Gonker. After graduating from college, Fielding moves back in with his parents John Marshall (Rob Lowe) and Ginny Marshall (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) who aren’t too thrilled with his decision to get a dog. Nevertheless, after spending some time with Gonker, the whole family falls in love with him. 

Soon after the family becomes attached to Gonker, they discover that he has Addison’s disease after a scare when he refuses to eat and will not get up. As a result of his disease, Gonker needs to take medicine every 20 days, so when Gonker runs off in the woods after a fox, the whole family embarks on their own adventure trying to find Gonker before he needs his next dose of medicine. With great support from family and the community, Fielding and John search through the woods in efforts to find Gonker before his vital injection for his disease is needed. Brought together by Gonker, the one thing they both love unconditionally, Feilding and John bond during their search and start to appreciate one another. 

Dog Gone is definitiely a tear jerker for any dog lover, showing how strong the bond between a pet and their owner can be. The thought of losing a pet is horrible and Berchtold did a great job portraying this through his role of Fielding Marshall. The acting was not phenomenal, but the movie still did a great job showing the love between a pet owner and their pet. Many people who are unsure what they want to do with their lives after college can relate to Fielding’s character. This movie is very relatable for anyone who has experienced losing a pet and can understand how painful and desperate the search can be. 

The scenery throughout this movie is lovely and the storyline is also very nice, a classic heartwarming dog movie. Along with the storyline, the development of Fielding’s character throughout the movie is great as he learns to become more responsible and figure out what he wants in his life. This coming of age movie really showed the importance of community and how during the darkest of times the people you love will have your back.