source: Guiding Emily

It might be helpful to know from the start that this is a movie where we hear the dog's thoughts. It's done well. This dog, Garth, is drawn to Emily immediately when he meets her while still a puppy long before he is trained. The story of Emily and Garth's journey together does not fill as much of the movie as I expected. Sarah Drew! This is another Hallmark movie where she so dominates the story. There is a man-woman romance (as different from woman-dog romance), but it really wasn't the main story. The story is about Emily being knocked down, giving up, and the getting back up again thanks to friends who verbally knocked some sense into her. It is a great story which is only made better by Drew. She is always so expressive and energetic.

As a user of a service dog, though not a guide dog, I was interested in this movie despite the fact that it was on one of the Hallmark channels. I regretted it while the opening credits were still running and showing actors names both in print and braille as though someone would be reading it that way on screen. If anything, the pseudo braille would likely cause problems for someone using a screen reader trying to parse that silliness. Then we have the way she loses her sight, she is struck on the head by a rock while rock climbing which causes her to fall and strike her head on a larger rock. Then we have the guide dog candidates (puppies). Everything from their genetics and breeding is planned and they are socialized from birth. The selected puppy, Garth, would not have been a valid candidate for advanced (guide dog) training and would likely have been released to less exacting training via other service dog training organizations or groups for other services, or been made available for a pet adoption perhaps with a contract allowing the breeder to utilize the dog for a single breeding to maintain the gene pool and lineage with the puppies being the property of the breeder then the dog would be spayed or neutered to prevent accidental breeding in the future. There are scenes where the puppy raiser gives the puppy a salty potato chip, later having a conversation with their child about how unfocused thf puppy is and using it as an excuse for not taking it inside a store or other building. Puppy raisers have a set of guidelines to follow including how to socialize and train the puppy(s). If the puppy was having issues, and proving unsuitable for service, they would have been in contact with the program coordinator. I won't belabor the many other inaccuracies rife in this movie as the guide dog is clearly considered an unimportant detail to the movie and is simply used as a plot device. Also, a little known fact is that guide and other service dogs can cost many thousands of dollars, an expense that is usually not paid for by any insurance and depending upon the dog's duties they are often retired by the age of 7 to 9 years old. Many recipients of service dogs are aided by their church or other organizations in fund raising to allow them the independence that a real service dog can provide. Additionally, there are federal laws, under ADA, protecting trained Service Dogs and their handler allowing them access to many public places. No such protections are provided to or for untrained emotional support animals.

I was waiting for this movie and i personally loved it!!! Sarah and Antonio are wonderful together and have good chemistry as friends first, making us wish and wait to see them as a couple by the end of the movie. The story is evolving naturally giving the chance to see the strangle of Emily who goes blind after an accident, with her family, boyfriend, colleagues and friends trying to make piece and adjust with her condition. I liked that it showed difficultiess of a blind person as well as ways to coop. Sara's acting was heartfelt and realistic (I just love her). Antonio is once more very very good as well as Toby as her fiance and Matty as her co-worker. The story of the dog is Disney like with him talking to us but not a leading role....just cute enough to make us smile!!! Good work everybody!!!! Touching movie and not sappy at all... I hope we'll see more like this one : Great acting, suitable casting and a story that flows without unnecessary details and boring-sappy mixups.

Firstly there's a dog in this film. Secondly Sarah and Antonio are wonderful together. To be fair I like both actors anyway but in this I Felt their friendship immediately and willed their romance on from the beginning. It's a sweet sweet tale, a decent offering from Hallmark after quite few recent duds. Made me feel happy start to finish and actually could have done with being a bit longer. A few mentions: Matty Finochio and Peter Benson were great in their roles as support actors also. Thirdly in case I hadn't made it clear there's a dog in this film. Not enough of him but still enough to make me smile.

This is a story of a healthy, energetic, athletic business woman who loses her sight and what happens afterwards that brings back joy to her life. I saw the adds on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries, and wanted to watch this movie. I expected that it would be uplifting, and it was. I expected there would be a love story, and there were several. After I watched the movie, I was surprised to see that Eric McCormack ( Will from Will & Grace ) was listed as starring in it. I did not remember seeing him in it at all, and used a lot of time trying to figure out which face was his. Perhaps you will figure out right away. I spent the beginning of the movies nervous because I didn't know when she would lose her sight, and how it would happen. Once that part was over, I could enjoy the movie. Sarah Drew did a great job of portraying Emily. Emily is a very likeable character, and we can empathize as she goes through the trauma of losing her sight and having her world change forever. Toby Levins is very good as Emily's fiancee Conner. He is very business focused too, and loves Emily. He tries to cope with her new reality, and be helpful and supportive. Like a real human, Conner makes some big mistakes that make the story more realistic and interesting. The friends and co-works of Emily are a big part of the story. Everyone should have caring people like them in their lives. About the dog... this is a separate but intertwined story. It is a bit Disney, and surprising, and fun. The love stories... Love between Emily and her friends and coworkers, the dog's love of food and learning and Emily, a little romance... Watch it and find out.