Hachiko: A Dog's Story

"Hachi taught me that you should never forget anyone that you've loved."

Directed by Lasse Hallstrom
2009
Date Viewed: Tuesday March 23, 2010

Hachi is an Akita puppy who winds up in the care of Parker Wilson (Richard Gere) and his reluctant-to-have-a-dog wife (Joan Allen). Parker loves LOVES this dog to death and Hachi loves LOVES Parker. Hachi follows Parker to the train station every day, sees him off, and then sits and waits until Parker comes home in the evening. One day Parker dies suddenly while he's at work (no spoiler. It's on the case for the movie.), Hachi patiently sits until Parker's son in law comes and takes him home. Day after day Hachi returns to the train station and sits in his "waiting spot" for Parker to return. The community takes him in and feeds him and pets him and talks with him, but mostly Hachi is interested in keeping an eye out for his owner to show up. Hachi waits for 10 years and then finally dies of old age in his "waiting spot" (again not a spoiler). The story is beautiful and sad (and true). The music swells at all the right spots. The seasoned actors do their jobs nicely. There is something lacking though, and I can't put my finger on what it is. It did get a little slow in the middle with montages of Hachi and Parker playing and bonding. There was still something about the movie that didn't have that magical "oh this is an awesome movie" spark. C+

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