Separated from her owner, Bella, a mixed-breed mistakenly labeled a pitbull by the mean old Denver dog catcher, travels 400 miles for the inevitable tearful reunion. Bryce Dallas Howard gives voice to Bella’s thoughts in a manner that’s bound to endear both young and old. Her director, Charles Martin Smith (Air Bud), is no stranger to this type of material. Honestly, I teared-up more during the trailer than I did during the finished product. Smith could have had another Benji on his paws if only he had axed the decision to computer generate some of the furry friends (a baby cougar) and enemies (a pack of wolves) Bella runs with on the road back home. This isn’t A-X-L. Every time these pretend creatures appeared on screen was like a vacuum to the brain, sucking the life out of the moment while leaving my tear ducts dryer than the Mojave. At least until the finale. With Jonah Hauer-King as her master’s voice. (2019) — Scott Marks
This movie is not currently in theaters.