Hachiko (aka Hachi: A Dog’s Tale) (2009)

Director: Lasse Hallstrom

Starring: Richard Gere, Joan Allen, Jason Alexander

A college professor bonds with an abandoned dog he takes into his home.

‘Hachi: A Dog’s Tale’ (or Hachiko, as it is known in my country) is based on fact, and happened in the late 1920’s to early 1930’s in Japan. This film adaptation is set in modern time America.

Richard Gere stars as Professor Parker Wilson, who finds an abandoned dog at the train station on his usual way back home. With the station closing for the night, he has no option than to take the dog home for the night. However, Hachiko – a beautiful Akita dog – turns out to be incredibly loyal to Parker, and he ends up keeping the dog.

‘Hachiko’ is a film that is bound to steal your heart. It is a beautiful story of love, friendship, companionship, and undying loyalty – proving once again dogs are indeed Man’s best friend. The Akita dog is just the most precious, adorable dog you’ll ever see!

I enjoyed the way they moved the story along really quick. Gere is great as Parker, with a special bond between him and the Akita. ‘Hachiko’ gets me teary eyed every single time, no matter how many times I’ve already seen it. Maybe its the loyalty aspect. Maybe its because I love dogs. Maybe its because the dog is so darn cute! Or maybe director Lasse Hallstrom just managed to create a stunningly beautiful cinematic masterpiece. I loved the ending…

‘Hachi: A Dog’s Tale’ is currently IMDB’s 220th highest rated movie of all times. This certainly is among my favorites. The film earned $46.7 million on a $16 million budget.

Would I watch it again? Absolutely.