Netflix has a new lost dog movie on the way, but the streaming service promises that it won’t be a sad one. In a trailer released today, viewers are catching a glimpse of one family’s search for their beloved pet in the Rob Lowe and Johnny Berchtold-led Dog Gone. A tale about much more than the hunt for the family’s cutie pie Golden Retriever, Gonker, Dog Gone is based on Pauls Toutonghi’s book and true story, Dog Gone: A Lost Pet’s Extraordinary Journey and the Family Who Brought Him Home, and centers on a father and son’s reconnection as they travel through the mountains of Appalachia while searching for their best friend.
From the very first moments of the trailer, the stage is set with viewers introduced to John Marshall (Lowe), a loving albeit somewhat absent father, his dedicated son Fielding, and their strong-willed and independent dog, Gonker. Tragedy strikes when Gonker makes a run for it, officially labeling him as a lost dog. To make matters worse, we come to learn that he’s on special medication and that without it, he can only survive for two weeks.
Stepping up for both his son and their dog, John suggests that he and Fielding set out on the adventure of a lifetime, traversing the Appalachian trail to relocate the missing Golden Retriever. The Marshall’s love-driven journey quickly becomes an international story as newspapers, morning shows, and people everywhere pitch in to aid in the search. A story about reconnection and family, again, Netflix promises that Gonker makes it home safely, meaning that you won’t need a full box of tissues for your heartbreak (we’re looking at you My Dog Skip and Marley & Me).
Along with Lowe and Berchtold, Dog Gone will star Kimberly Williams-Paisley as John’s wife and Fielding’s mother, Jinny Marshall, with an ensemble cast made up of Nick Peine, Susan Gallagher, Soji Arai, Annabella Didion, Michael H. Cole, Rachel Thompson, Al Mitchell, LaKeta Booker, and Amber Erwin. Directed by Stephen Herek (Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Critters, Mr. Holland’s Opus), Dog Gone was penned by critically acclaimed scribe Nick Santora (The Sopranos, Reacher). The latter also serves as a producer alongside Jeremy Kipp Walker with Lowe joining as an executive producer.
Check out the trailer for Dog Gone below, and get your (happy) tissues ready for when the film lands on January 13. Jonesing for more Lowe action? The actor will soon appear in Netflix’s comedy series, Unstable, although no release date has been set at this time.
