Hachi: A Dog's Tale

What a Powerful Tale
As a grown man not prone to crying, by the end of this film I was a blubbering mess, and I've probably not shed a tear in more than ten years. Anyone who loves dogs, I imagine, will be in the same state after witnessing the amazing loyalty displayed by one selfless canine.

I'd actually heard the story many times. A loyal dog returns to train station to meet his master even after he dies. But the film really brings the point home following the entire life span of the dog. But what I feel makes this film stand out is how it shows the perspective of the dog, a great reminder that "Hachi" is the protagonist in the film and giving insight into the emotions he felt. Additionally, the dog was portrayed as a dog, not a human character in a dog suit capable of impossible feats and acts, which for me, made the story so much more enjoyable and made the dog so much more believable.

Please disregard the one-star rating given by the Akita breeder in Nevada who didn't really...

Hachiko: Furry Fun and Tears
From Tokyo, where the film has just opened: In Japan, most people know about Hachiko, especially in Tokyo; his statue is a popular meeting place in the Shibuya shopping area. The true story of Hachiko is just as well known here in Japan. In this review, I assume that you know the basic story outline. Still, if you wish to avoid what you may consider a spoiler concerning a turning point in the story, then avoid reading after this paragraph, as I discuss a central plot point--but not one which really gives too much away, any more than it spoils the movie "Titanic" to know that at some point, they hit an iceberg. Still, I wanted to warn you just in case--someone who never heard of the Titanic before might enjoy the whole iceberg twist.

The story: a faithful dog comes to meet his master at the train station every evening when he returns home, and when the master, a college professor, dies at his school and does not return, Hachiko continues to come and wait at the station every...

The bonds of memory
"Hachiko: A Dog's Tale" is directed by Lasse Hallstrom (The Cider House Rules), and is based loosely on the real life story of a dog, named Hachiko, who was born in Odate, Japan in 1923. His master, Dr. Eisaburg Ueno, was a professor at the University of Tokyo who died in 1925. Hachiko returned to the Shibuya train station the next day, and every day for the next nine years until he died in 1934. Today, outside the Shibuya train station, where Hachiko waited, is a bronze statue of Hachiko.

In this particular movie we have a similar story, only the dog is in transport to the United States, where he escapes, and ends up in Parker Wilson's (Richard Gere) possession. Parker eventually decides to keep the dog since the owner cannot be found. Hachiko, or Hachi, as he is usually called here, at one point breaks free of his yard, and follows Parker to the train station. Eventually Hachi is allowed to accompany Paker to the train station everyday. But at one point Parker never...

Click to Editorial Reviews