Dog Gone

➤ Rated TV-PG
➤ Netflix

There’s something beautiful in the love between a boy and his dog, and no matter how many times the story is told, it makes one wonder that God made animals capable of that special bond. Dog Gone, based on true events, is the story of a young man who loses his dog and is unwilling to give up the search for his friend.

In his last year at college, Fielding Marshall (Johnny Berchtold) finds Gonker, a yellow Lab who becomes his constant companion. When Fielding moves back home after graduation, his parents John (Rob Lowe) and Ginny (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) are surprised (and not entirely delighted) by this addition to their household. In time, and not unexpectedly, Gonker wins their hearts also.

When the dog goes missing during a walk on the Appalachian Trail, Fielding and his parents begin a search that picks up ­volunteers as social media and newspapers highlight the story. Soon, half of Virginia is on the lookout for a lost yellow Lab.

In addition to the canine friendship theme, Dog Gone explores parents’ expectations for their children. High-achieving John worries about his son’s lack of ambition. His half-joking comments hurt Fielding, who is not interested in his dad’s traditional path and would love to find a way to make a living while teaching about the great outdoors—ideally in a kayak!

Neither of these themes is particularly new, yet director Stephen Herek manages to keep our interest in the 95-minute film, and even brings a little mist to a susceptible viewer’s eyes. While mostly suitable for family entertainment, some blasphemies are spoken, and in what’s meant to be comedic, a prayer is uttered to a Catholic saint whose statue serves as a good luck charm.