A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
-
Positive Messages
a lot
Perseverance pays off. "If you stay inside your bubble, you risk suffocation." People should be able to count on their friends, family, and community in times of trouble.
-
Positive Role Models
some
John realizes he needs to show his son he's proud of him rather than criticizing him all the time. Fielding feels pressured to figure out what he wants to do with his life post-college graduation. People note that he's a kind person who lacks direction. Ginny's parents were overly strict and didn't give her room to feel big emotions. She learns new skills to help her son find his dog. John and Fielding show perseverance in pushing through physical exhaustion to find their dog, though Fielding risks his health. Friends support the dog hunt, as do strangers in the community.
-
Diverse Representations
a little
Main characters are White, some secondary characters are Black. A young man recognizes his privilege that his parents were able to put him through college. A group of tough-looking bikers turns out to be generous and empathetic. A group of hippie-looking young people teaches an older man something about the value of taking life slowly.
Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.
-
Violence & Scariness
some
A dog gets jolted by a shock collar, is found to have a serious illness, and gets lost in the woods. A woman accuses a man of abusing animals. A child's dog is hit by a car and killed (not shown), and the child is told not to cry or make a big deal out of it. A dad loses his 20-something son in the woods for a few hours. Bullies at a bar pick a fight but back off when they're threatened in turn. A character vomits blood, collapses, and is rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.
Get started
-
Sex, Romance & Nudity
very little
A married couple kisses. A man playing Frisbee takes off his shirt. Two college students discuss love and break-ups.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.
Get started
-
Language
a little
"Ass," "damn," "hell," "suck," "dumb," "loser," "stupid," "idiots," "frigging," "Oh my God."
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.
Get started
-
Products & Purchases
a little
Range Rover, Zoom, Acer, Holiday Inn, Google, Twitter, Associated Press, Dockers, Anheuser-Busch, Frisbee, Boeing.
-
Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
a little
College students drink beer at parties and in the morning at home.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.
Get started
-
Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Dog Gone, a film based on a book about a real story, is an ultimately uplifting tale about a search for a lost dog that brings a family closer together. They also find unexpected support across communities. The father and son -- played by Rob Lowe and Johnny Berchtold -- demonstrate perseverance in pushing through physical exhaustion to search for the dog, but the son puts his own health in jeopardy as a result. Potentially frightening scenes include dogs getting seriously ill, killed by a car (not shown), and lost in the woods, and a man vomiting blood and passing out before being rushed to the hospital for surgery. College students drink beer at parties and in the morning at home. Language includes the likes of "ass," "damn," "suck," "loser," "frigging," and "oh my God." To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
What's the Story?
Stinging from a senior-year break-up, Fielding (Johnny Berchtold) adopts a dog and names him Gonkers in DOG GONE. Gonkers and Fielding bond, but his parents -- John (Rob Lowe) and Ginny (Kimberly Williams- Paisley) -- aren't too thrilled when they come to take him home after graduation. Fielding also doesn't have a job lined up, much less a life plan, unlike most of his graduating friends, to the chagrin of his professional dad. The two men clash, though Gonkers worms his way into John's heart too. When Gonkers disappears after chasing a fox into the woods on the Appalachian Trail, the whole family takes on the search to find him. The hunt pushes dad and son closer together.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how people from all walks of life were inspired to help search for the missing dog in Dog Gone. Why do you think they wanted to help?
John and Fielding demonstrate perseverance in searching for their missing dog, but this also compromises Fielding's health. What are the pros and cons of their determination? Do they ever consider giving up?
What was the purpose of showing Ginny's flashbacks to her childhood? Did these scenes add to the character and story? Why or why not?
Why are there so many movies, books, and TV shows about dogs? What's the appeal?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: January 13, 2023
- Cast: Rob Lowe, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Johnny Berchtold
- Director: Stephen Herek
- Inclusion Information: Female actors
- Studio: Netflix
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Topics: Book Characters, Brothers and Sisters, Cats, Dogs, and Mice
- Character Strengths: Perseverance
- Run time: 95 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: February 17, 2023
Inclusion information powered by 
