Bryce Dallas Howard lends her vocal talents to A Dog’s Way Home, the follow up the gorgeous A Dog’s Purpose, as the voice of Bella, a rescue dog who gets separated from her owner and makes an arduous trek home through the streets and wilderness of America.

The emotional final scenes had my whole family blubbering. A surprise performance from The Wire’s Frank Sobotka (Chis Bauer) as a grumpy dog owner who is caught in an avalanche was a perk, but the film is more about the animal stars than actors like Ashley Judd and Jonah Hauer-King who do a fine job as Bella’s owners, forced to abide by regulations that curtail the dog’s freedom.

Howard’s interpretation of what Bella is communicating to humans and other animals was spot on, and provided both laughs and nods of approval from the audience.

3 & ½ Stars – “A Delight for Dog Lovers”