I spent most of yesterday recovering from a severe body ache and watching movies. Was quite sure about watching one of my DVDs to round off the day but was intrigued with the trailer of “Hachiko – A Dog’s Story” that they showed around 8:20 pm as next on HBO. It seemed to be just about different for me to get interested in the movie. A couple of minutes of quick research on google and I was introduced to the true life story of Hachiko. I had to see the movie after it. That it had Richard Gere and Joan Allen in it definitely helped.
Parker Wilson (Richard Gere) is a professor of music. He stays a train ride away from his place of work with his wife Cate (Joan Allen) and daughter Andy (Sarah Roemer). On his way back home one day, he bumps into a puppy at the railway station which seems to be lost. He tries to get the station master, Carl (Jason Alexander) to keep it and find the true owner but Carl doesn’t. Left with no choice, he decides to risk taking the pup home. I say risk because Cate is not willing to keep a dog @ home since their previous dog, Luke, passed away. Obviously the reaction at home is not very pleasant but Parker manages to convince Kate to keep the dog for the night which eventually turns into the weekend and when all efforts to find a home seem to be futile, Cate kind of buckles and lets Parker keep the dog. The tag around the neck says Hachi – Japanese for the number 8. So Parker decides to name him Hachi.
Hachi is a breed of dog called Akita which are found in Japan and grows up to be an extremely lovable member of the family and the town. He walks to the train station with Parker every day and finds his way back home. Around 4:45 every evening he makes the walk / run back to the train station to receive Parker who is back usually by 5 in the evening. If Parker is late, he waits. Right outside the station at the circle till his master returns. In the bargain, he makes friends with most of the people around like Carl and Jasjeet (Erick Avari) the hot dog stall owner outside the station and the local butcher and Mary Anne (Davenia McFadden), the local librarian and anyone who choses to be friends with him.
One morning, Hachi tries his best to not allow Parker to leave. He tries everything in the book including fetching a ball which he normally doesn’t. He knows that Parker will not be back that evening. As luck would have it, Parker dies of a heart attack that evening. Hachi is sent to stay with Andy after that. But he runs away once again to the railway station to wait for his master. After a while, Andy lets Hachi go and he promptly makes his way to the station and makes his home under a railway carriage. He continues to come to the station every evening – waiting for his master.
What makes the movie even more heart rending is the fact that its based on a true life story. Hachi has been immortalized outside Shibuya Station in Japan where he spent the last 9 years of his life, waiting for his master to return. The happened between 1925-34. A wise man once said, “There is no one who can love you unconditionally in this world. No one except a dog”. Hachi’s story is yet another example of the unrequited love that is associated only between a dog and his / her master.
Hachiko is a tear jerker for dog lovers – keep a box full of tissues handy for sure. It is extremely difficult to work with animals and from that perspective, Lasse Hallström has done a good job. One basic flaw however and I am open to correction here. I think the dog that played Hachi was female and not male. Despite the other consistency errors, the movie is imminently watchable. 6 on 10 from my end along with a reiterated warning of keeping a box of tissues handy.
Watch the trailer at http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi2296906777/
Parker Wilson (Richard Gere) is a professor of music. He stays a train ride away from his place of work with his wife Cate (Joan Allen) and daughter Andy (Sarah Roemer). On his way back home one day, he bumps into a puppy at the railway station which seems to be lost. He tries to get the station master, Carl (Jason Alexander) to keep it and find the true owner but Carl doesn’t. Left with no choice, he decides to risk taking the pup home. I say risk because Cate is not willing to keep a dog @ home since their previous dog, Luke, passed away. Obviously the reaction at home is not very pleasant but Parker manages to convince Kate to keep the dog for the night which eventually turns into the weekend and when all efforts to find a home seem to be futile, Cate kind of buckles and lets Parker keep the dog. The tag around the neck says Hachi – Japanese for the number 8. So Parker decides to name him Hachi.
Hachi is a breed of dog called Akita which are found in Japan and grows up to be an extremely lovable member of the family and the town. He walks to the train station with Parker every day and finds his way back home. Around 4:45 every evening he makes the walk / run back to the train station to receive Parker who is back usually by 5 in the evening. If Parker is late, he waits. Right outside the station at the circle till his master returns. In the bargain, he makes friends with most of the people around like Carl and Jasjeet (Erick Avari) the hot dog stall owner outside the station and the local butcher and Mary Anne (Davenia McFadden), the local librarian and anyone who choses to be friends with him.
One morning, Hachi tries his best to not allow Parker to leave. He tries everything in the book including fetching a ball which he normally doesn’t. He knows that Parker will not be back that evening. As luck would have it, Parker dies of a heart attack that evening. Hachi is sent to stay with Andy after that. But he runs away once again to the railway station to wait for his master. After a while, Andy lets Hachi go and he promptly makes his way to the station and makes his home under a railway carriage. He continues to come to the station every evening – waiting for his master.
What makes the movie even more heart rending is the fact that its based on a true life story. Hachi has been immortalized outside Shibuya Station in Japan where he spent the last 9 years of his life, waiting for his master to return. The happened between 1925-34. A wise man once said, “There is no one who can love you unconditionally in this world. No one except a dog”. Hachi’s story is yet another example of the unrequited love that is associated only between a dog and his / her master.
Hachiko is a tear jerker for dog lovers – keep a box full of tissues handy for sure. It is extremely difficult to work with animals and from that perspective, Lasse Hallström has done a good job. One basic flaw however and I am open to correction here. I think the dog that played Hachi was female and not male. Despite the other consistency errors, the movie is imminently watchable. 6 on 10 from my end along with a reiterated warning of keeping a box of tissues handy.
Watch the trailer at http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi2296906777/
Hachi is played by three different adult Akitas- Layla, Chico and Forrest along with numerous Shiba puppies.
ReplyDeleteNice review, this is one of those movies that never got U.S. theatrical release so it seems to be a surprise find for many.