A Dog’s Purpose, the newest movie based off of the novel by W. Bruce Cameron, is one sure to leave anyone with a new perspective of our favorite furry friends.

Although the film debuted during recent questioning of the treatment of the dogs on set, multiple cast members, as well as the director and producers, cleared the air and justified that no animals were actually harmed in the making of the movie. To prove this, the tear-jerking production debuted at number two in the box office (right behind Split) and has already made an impressive $18.4 million during its opening weekend.

The movie depicts one dog’s conscious (voiced by Josh Gad) as he is reincarnated again and again as different dogs. During his most memorable life, as well as his first life with a real family, Bailey (as he is named) becomes attached to Ethan, a boy whom he watches grow from the time he is eight years old into his young adulthood. Soon, the waterworks begin as Bailey passes away and is brought back to life as a K-9 German shepherd named Ellie. The cycle continues as he is reincarnated again as a corgi named Tino, and a last time as a dog named Buddy who lives with an impoverished couple in a run-down home. Escaping the abusive conditions of his current family, Buddy journeys to live out his true purpose, which is revealed in the dramatic last scenes of the film.

Moving in nearly every scene, A Dog’s Purpose features impressive performances by Dennis Quaid, Britt Robertson, K.J. Apa, John Ortiz, Peggy Lipton, and others, bringing talent and precision to the ways in which each part of the film is carried out. Directed by Lasse Hallstrom with music by Rachel Portman, this movie never falls short of being nothing but enjoyable for families across the globe.

As the audience is taken on a life-changing adventure by Bailey’s side to find his true purpose in life, there is never a shortage of tears, laughter, and smiles as we relate the dog’s multiple experiences to those of our own pets at home. A Dog’s Purpose is certainly a film worth seeing, whether you truly understand the joy of having a dog or simply appreciate their playful nature and loving heart.