Trouble is accustomed to the good life. And not just the good life where a dog gets regular walks and frequent grooming.
No, Trouble lives in a mansion, with Mrs. Vanderwhoozie as a beloved companion. Each day, he wakes up, has all of his needs met, eats the finest foods and sleeps on his king-sized canopy bed. There’s nothing Trouble can’t have, and certainly nothing he needs to get for himself.
Until, one day, Mrs. Vanderwhoozie dies. And her greedy niece and nephew, Norbert and Claire, come to snatch up her estate and kick out the pampered pooch.
But as Trouble is toted off to who knows where, Norbert and Claire learn that the only way they’ll inherit the estate is if they fulfill their aunts dying wish: connecting with and caring for Trouble.
Oops.
Now, Claire and Norbert must find Trouble at any cost. And Trouble must learn to survive on his own, in a world different from anything he’s ever known. He’s going to need a lot of hope, an extended paw from a dejected dog named Rousey, and a helping hand from Zoe Bell, an aspiring musician who’s just as lost as Trouble.
Trouble is deeply loved by his owner, Mrs. Vanderwhoozie. When she passes away, Trouble is left to fend for himself, which is a terrifying thought for such a pampered dog. But he learns how to survive and makes friends, all without becoming bitter or cynical.
Many dogs help Trouble on his journey back home. But the most important helper of all is Zoe Bell. A bit of a loner herself, Zoe takes Trouble in, feeds him and gives him a place to stay, providing him with love and affection.
Trouble teaches Rousey that there is still love to be found in the world and with humans. He encourages her to play and to open her heart once again to love. In this relationship, we learn that life is nothing without those you love. We also see that it’s not about what you have but who you have.
A group of dogs learns that their purpose in life is to practice trust, loyalty and respect
A dog says, “I hear dead people.”
A dog makes some suggestive movements. Claire sports a semi-short skirt.
Claire and Norbert hire a man named Thurman Sanchez to find Trouble. The man repeatedly says he will find him and bring him back “dead or alive,” although they stress they want him alive.
Rousey tells Trouble that if he touches her food, she will hurt him or make him bleed.
A dog tells his friends that his owner is trying to kill him and watches too much CSI, although he’s only trying to make him “play dead.” Trouble gets tossed around quite a bit.
Throughout the movie, a pack of squirrels is determined to repay Trouble for ruining the nuts they collected. Tons of jokes are made about “nuts,” and Trouble even says a few times how inappropriate the wording sounds. They say things like “someone has assaulted our nuts,” and “I’ll refresh your nuts.”
Insults such as “stupid” and “idiot” are hurled a few times each. Characters say, “shut it,” “shut up,” “my God” and “God sakes.”
A villain references a “shed house” and someone mistakes the word “shed” for a profanity.
A dog says of his counselor, “I want whatever bone that guy’s been chewing.”
Claire and Norbert don’t love Trouble and only want to fake a connection with him so that they can inherit their aunt’s wealth. They make rude comments about their deceased aunt and demand favors from her staff.
There’s plenty of potty humor. Some dogs teach Trouble how to wipe his backside on the grass and cement. They pass gas, and the lick and smell their rears. A dog says his owner got mad at him when he “peed on his video game.” Trouble gets his rear sprayed with perfume after he defecates.
A dog is taken to the pound after rescuing a small boy because the owners only saw “a killer pit bull” and not what actually happened.
Netflix’s newest TV-Y7 movie, Dog Gone Trouble, is all about a pampered pooch with unwavering optimism who has a whole lot to learn about how others live their lives.
This doggie flick has some sweet lessons to offer on bravery, acceptance, stepping out of one’s comfort zone and holding onto love when it seems hopeless.
Yes, there’s plenty of dog-centered potty humor, some name calling and inappropriate jokes. But even with these blunders, parents of elementary aged kiddos might appreciate this story’s positive messages reminding viewers that love and family matter more than material possessions.
Kristin Smith joined the Plugged In team in 2017. Formerly a Spanish and English teacher, Kristin loves reading literature and eating authentic Mexican tacos. She and her husband, Eddy, love raising their children Judah and Selah. Kristin also has a deep affection for coffee, music, her dog (Cali) and cat (Aslan).
