Movies Like A Dog's Purpose (2017)

A Dog's Purpose is a 2017 adventure, comedy, drama, family, fantasy film from Lasse Hallström with a MovieMagicScore of 7.6/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with A Dog's Journey and Fluke.

Adventure Comedy Drama Family Fantasy

A Dog's Journey

2019

A dog finds the meaning of his own existence through the lives of the humans he meets.

8.1

MagicScore

Fluke

1995

Workaholic Thomas Johnson dies in an auto accident and reincarnates as a dog. Remembering some of his previous being, he returns to his wife and son to protect them from the man who caused his accident. But, as time goes by, his memories return, and Thomas realizes he wasn't such a good husband and father.

7.1

MagicScore

White Fang

1991

Jack London's classic adventure story about the friendship developed between a Yukon gold hunter and the mixed dog-wolf he rescues from the hands of a man who mistreats him.

6.8

MagicScore

The Art of Racing in the Rain

2019

A family dog – with a near-human soul and a philosopher's mind – evaluates his life through the lessons learned by his human owner, a race-car driver.

8.2

MagicScore

Red Dog

2011

The legendary true story of the Red Dog who united a disparate local community while roaming the Australian outback in search of his long lost master.

7.3

MagicScore

Lassie Come Home

1943

Hard times come for the Carraclough family and they are forced to sell their dog, Lassie, to the rich Duke of Rudling. Lassie, however, is unwilling to remain apart from young Carraclough son Joe and sets out on a long and dangerous journey to rejoin him.

6.7

MagicScore

Hachi: A Dog's Tale

2009

A drama based on the true story of a college professor's bond with the abandoned dog he takes into his home.

8.0

MagicScore

Chestnut: Hero of Central Park

2004

Ray and Sal, two orphaned sisters, adopt and hide a Great Dane puppy from their two adopted parents living in a luxury downtown New York apartment that expressely forbids dogs.

7.2

MagicScore

Firehouse Dog

2007

Rexxx, Hollywood's top canine star, gets lost and is adopted into a shabby firehouse. He teams up with a young kid to get the station back on its feet.

6.0

MagicScore

#10

Megan Leavey

2017

The true story of Marine Corporal Megan Leavey, who forms a powerful bond with an aggressive combat dog, Rex. While deployed in Iraq, the two complete more than 100 missions and save countless lives, until an IED explosion puts their faithfulness to the test.

7.3

MagicScore

#11

Clifford the Big Red Dog

2021

As Emily struggles to fit in at home and at school, she discovers a small red puppy who is destined to become her best friend. When Clifford magically undergoes one heck of a growth spurt, becomes a gigantic dog and attracts the attention of a genetics company, Emily and her Uncle Casey have to fight the forces of greed as they go on the run across New York City. Along the way, Clifford affects the lives of everyone around him and teaches Emily and her uncle the true meaning of acceptance and unconditional love.

7.2

MagicScore

#12

The Call of the Wild

2020

Buck is a big-hearted dog whose blissful domestic life is turned upside down when he is suddenly uprooted from his California home and transplanted to the exotic wilds of the Yukon during the Gold Rush of the 1890s. As the newest rookie on a mail delivery dog sled team—and later its leader—Buck experiences the adventure of a lifetime, ultimately finding his true place in the world and becoming his own master.

7.5

MagicScore

#13

A Dog's Way Home

2019

The adventure of Bella, a dog who embarks on an epic 400-mile journey home after she is separated from her beloved human.

7.4

MagicScore

#14

The Fox and the Hound

1981

When a feisty little fox named Tod is adopted into a farm family, he quickly becomes friends with a fun and adorable hound puppy named Copper. Life is full of hilarious adventures until Copper is expected to take on his role as a hunting dog -- and the object of his search is his best friend!

7.1

MagicScore

#15

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey

1993

Before the Seavers leave for a family vacation to San Francisco, they drop off their pets -- Chance, an adventurous American bulldog; Shadow, a wise golden retriever; and Sassy, a cautious cat -- at a friend's ranch. But when the animals start to worry that they've been left for good, the three embark together on a treacherous and thrilling journey to find their way back home through the California wilderness.

7.0

MagicScore

#16

The Plague Dogs

1982

Two dogs, Rowf and Snitter, struggle to survive in the countryside after escaping from an animal research laboratory. They are pursued by search parties and then the military after rumors spread that they could be carrying the bubonic plague.

7.9

MagicScore

#17

Marley & Me

2008

A newly married couple, in the process of starting a family, learn many of life's important lessons from their trouble-loving retriever, Marley. Packed with plenty of laughs to lighten the load, the film explores the highs and lows of marriage, maturity and confronting one's own mortality, as seen through the lens of family life with a dog.

7.2

MagicScore

#18

A Boy and His Dog

1975

Set in the year 2024 in post-apocalyptic America, 18-year old Vic and his telepathic dog, Blood, are scavengers in the desolate wilderness ravaged by World War IV, where survivors must battle for food and shelter in the desert-like wasteland. Vic and Blood eke out a meager existence, foraging for food and fighting gangs of cutthroats.

6.3

MagicScore

#19

A Dog of Flanders

1999

Poor but happy, young Nello and his grandfather live alone, delivering milk as a livelihood, in the outskirts of Antwerp, a city in Flanders (the Flemish or Dutch-speaking part of modern-day Belgium). They discover a beaten dog (a Bouvier, a large sturdy dog native to Flanders) and adopt it and nurse it back to health, naming it Patrasche, the middle name of Nello's mother Mary, who died when Nello was very young. Nello's mother was a talented artist, and like his mother, he delights in drawing, and his friend Aloise is his model and greatest fan and supporter.

6.1

MagicScore

#20

Bolt

2008

Bolt is the star of the biggest show in Hollywood. The only problem is, he thinks it's real. After he's accidentally shipped to New York City and separated from Penny, his beloved co-star and owner, Bolt must harness all his "super powers" to find a way home.

6.5

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like A Dog's Purpose?

The top films similar to A Dog's Purpose by MovieMagicScore are A Dog's Journey (8.1), Fluke (7.1), White Fang (6.8). Each shares adventure/comedy/drama/family/fantasy themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is A Dog's Purpose worth watching?

A Dog's Purpose holds a MovieMagicScore of 7.6/10 from 3,444 viewer ratings, putting it among the better-reviewed titles in its genre.

What kind of movie is A Dog's Purpose?

A Dog's Purpose (2017) is a adventure, comedy, drama, family, fantasy film directed by Lasse Hallström, starring Josh Gad, K.J. Apa, Britt Robertson.

Where can I find more recommendations like A Dog's Purpose?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more adventure recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like A Dog's Journey Movies like Fluke Movies like White Fang Movies like The Art of Racing in the Rain Movies like Red Dog Movies like Lassie Come Home

About movies like A Dog's Purpose

This ranked list pairs A Dog's Purpose (2017), a adventure and comedy and drama and family and fantasy film from Lasse Hallström, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Josh Gad take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

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