Hachi: A Dog's Tale (U)

Dir. Lasse Hallstrom, US, 2009, Dur. 93 mins

Cast:  Richard Gere, Joan Allen, Sarah Roemer, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa

Review by Carlie Newman

This is a very different type of film from many of those on offer at the moment:  the loud action, somewhat macho films or the male and female rom-coms (with the occasional male plus male movie).  Hachi is a gentle film with a tender story of a relationship between a man and his faithful dog.  Does that sound yucky?  Actually it is based on a real story which took place in Japan in 1924, when a dog called Hachiko waited at the Shibuya train station for 10 years for his Master to return from work not realising that he had died.  So famous did the dog become that a statue of the dog was placed outside the station. 

In this American version Gere plays Parker, a University music professor who finds a Japanese Akito dog at the station near his home.  After vain attempts to find its owner he decides to take it in and look after it himself.  His wife (Allen) is at first not happy about having a dog in the house but gradually comes to understand the bond that has formed between her husband and the dog.  Consulting a Japanese colleague (the excellent Tagawa), Parker learns that the characters on the dog's collar spell out the number 8, the Japanese word being “Hachi” and 8 is also the symbol for infinity.  He tells Parker that the Akito is the only Japanese-bred dog.  Soon Hachi is accompanying his Master to the station and meeting the train on his return from work.  When Parker has a sudden heart attack, the dog faithfully continues his devotion to him by continuing to wait at the station every evening, until Hachi himself is old and dies. 

There are a number of townspeople, who get to know the dog through seeing Hachi arrive and leave with his Master daily, and these are nicely characterised by the actors under Hallstrom's more than competent direction.  Gere is ageing well and looks as attractive as he did many years ago in Pretty Woman, albeit with quite a number of grey hairs.  Allen gives such a discreet performance as Parker's wife that she is almost lost and the very attractive Roemer, who plays the couple's daughter, is obviously one to look out for in the future.

The moral is clearly pointed out – be loyal and never forget anyone you love - and that is the only over-sentimentalised element of the film.  It's a small story, told simply and with some charm, and, although it often pushes the emotions a little too strongly, the film should appeal to whole family viewing.