The poster for Hachi: A Dog’s Tale shows Richard Gere cuddling a fluffy, beautiful looking dog. Take into account the cheesy title as well and you expect a Disney-esque standard 90 minutes of fluff for the kids to enjoy whilst the parents go off to watch Dragon Tattoo instead. How wrong you’d be though. If you know nothing about the true story that the film is based on you will be in for a surprise. The film’s start is fairly routine as Professor Wilson (Gere) discovers a crate containing a puppy dog at his local train station and takes him back home until the real owners can be traced. No prizes for guessing what happens next. There is cuteness ahoy, and some silly laughs to be had. There are also decent (if stereotypical) supporting characters. Pretty soon though Gere’s perfect American dream lifestyle may grate with some. However, with about 30 minutes to go comes the plot twist. After that the final third of the film is an exercise in trying to keep your emotions in check. Believe me, you won’t manage it. Only the coldest hearted person won’t be getting watery eyes. You’ll feel drained at the end. However, soon enough you’ll start to feel uplifted. In fact, the films tagline of “A true story of faith, devotion and undying love” pretty much sums it up perfectly.
The OC Film Sting Final Verdict
A mature telling of a moving real life story. Utterly heart breaking though. Rating: 8/10.
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