Hachi: A Dog's Tale (2009) User Reviews (661)

Unprecedented loyalty in a story of age-old friendship

[Davor_Blazevic_1959 · 9/10 · 4 January 2010]

Knowing the real-life story behind it, Hachiko: A Dog's Story (2009) has been made in a sort of staged documentary style, similar to the kind of movies often seen on documentary channels (e.g. NatGeo), however without a narrator so common in documentaries, and including well-known actors (Richard Gere, Sarah Roemer and Joan Allen), making it more suitable for theatrical distribution.

Before my last year's visit to Tokyo I've been unaware of the true-life story this movie is based upon. In time an occasion came up to meet a friend in Shibuya city, contemporary center of Tokyo's youth culture (shopping, fashion, nightlife...), and that's how I've learned about the popular local meeting point for all Tokyoites, the Hachikō Akita dog statue just outside of Shibuya Train Station, but the real story behind it has been still eluding me ever since. After seeing this movie, and some additional research on the web, all pieces have fallen into place.

In retelling the story of common bonding between the dog and its owner, so usual that it comes so natural, film is moving at slow pace, following events of an ordinary life, though not without occasional comedic and dramatic overtones. Even past the dramatic highpoint, when common acts of affection and loyalty evolve towards such an unheard-of faithfulness and ultimate devotion, pace of the storytelling does not change, relying primarily on fine details and emotional build-up. Of course, this might not attract everybody, providing that majority of movie audience today is highly dependent on fast paced, action packed scenes, getting thrills from 3D CG stylized ambiance and suspense, high volume amplitudes and aggressive, often rude highlights of any other nature. However, for those who can do without it, and keep alive their interest even in a simple story, who won't shy away from emotional involvement (as if this can be controlled), they shall easily find themselves consumed by its mere beauty and warmth. Usual man's-best-friend story, spiced with an intriguing yet inspiring detail, shall leave you a bit sad, inevitably pensive, but ultimately delighted. Even more so after the reading of the real-life epilogue.

So Touching and Real!

[maria_c54 · 9/10 · 17 August 2009]

I just saw this movie today, and I'm so glad I did.

It is based on a true story and it's only natural that the movie is great because the real story itself is very touching. One of the things that sets this movie apart from the other movies that involve animals is how they stuck to reality instead of throwing in some a-little-hard-to-believe elements here and there just to make it more entertaining.

Sometimes they show things through Hachi's eyes as opposed to human eyes, which helps you relate to him and understand how he felt and what he thought then, as well as emphasizes that Hachi is the main character of the movie.

This is not just a kids' movie. In the end everyone including myself was crying because we were so moved. It is a must-see.

Be sure to take tissues!

[lectrolux · 9/10 · 16 August 2009]

Well, I just came back from seeing this in Shinjuku earlier and I can honestly say that I have NEVER seen so many people crying at the end of a movie.... it really is a sad story.

However, it's also a heartwarming tale of loyalty, about how people and dogs are more than just friends and, I guess most of all, about how a dog's love for its master never fades - even after his/her death!

Richard Gere was fantastic in this movie, he bonded really well with the dog and it never felt like watching an actor at all - it genuinely seemed to be a movie with his own dog!

I highly recommend this to people of all ages. There are enough bits to laugh at (seeing Richard Gere teaching his dog to play 'fetch' was brilliant!) and the story is portrayed really well (even if there were some changes made to the original Japanese tale)

Extremely Emotional

[surfer-lancealot · 10/10 · 2 February 2010]

Well what can i say. I'm a guy i don't cry about movies i know its fake but i gotta say this one caught me by surprise even tho id watched the trailer and read a few reviews already. by the end of the movie i was in tears absolutely broken down crying my eyes out. and saying that i probably haven't shed a tear in about 8 years for anything but i love dogs and this is the most amazing story I've ever seen this is probably the best movie I've seen in about 10 years and i have seen almost everything.

as u can prob tell i would advise everyone to see this and stop and think for a moment if we all cared for each other like we know we should like this movie teaches us wouldn't the world be a better place?

Couldn't stop crying

[elish-enuma-1 · 10/10 · 4 December 2009]

I'm not at all an emotional person,but this movie really touched me,i couldn't even stop crying after 15 minutes from the final.I just sat on my armchair,and started to cry. This movie,teaches us first of all about love,there is no power bigger than love,nothing compares to this strong feeling. I'm really objective when it comes about movies,and honestly no one till now,have cut me as deep. It's surprising...but true,that everything in this world,is ruled by love,and if you thought that only humans are aware of this,you did wrong. I liked the performance,i loved the music(it was so so calm)

So glad to see this film,and i truly recommend it for everyone,i'm really sure you will enjoy it.

Enough to make a grown man cry!

[JapanGaijin · 10/10 · 23 August 2009]

Hachi is a movie based on the true story about a dog in Japan, Hachiko, who would wait at the train station every day for his owner to arrive even after the owner passed away.

I have never seen the original Japanese version of the movie but know the story well as I have been told by many people here in Japan. There is a statue of Hachiko that stands outside of Shibuya Station in Tokyo. Now the statue is the most popular place for Tokyoites to meet their friends before going out shopping or dining in Shibuya.

Unlike other Japanese remakes, this movie actually gives credit to the original story so that you don't get the sense that Hollywood wants to call it its own. All actors/actresses in the movie do a superb job in making you feel as if you were a part of the community embracing the dog. Compared to the original story, people were more accepting of Hachi rather than considering him a nuisance. Of course this is going to be released in the U.S. as a holiday movie so the goal is to make it uplifting.

Just a warning, do take many tissues. I am a grown man and can honestly say that I have never really cried during a movie. I think the score of the movie plus the dog being so adorable made me lose myself. When I looked around the theater though, every single person was crying and I saw a lot of red eyes as I left the Men's restroom. Any movie that can make me do that deserves a 10/10.

If You've Ever Owned a Dog, Don't Miss This Film About Loyalty Love and Devotion.

[bobnsri · 10/10 · 19 November 2009]

Finally a film without explosions, computer graphics, and violence. A family film with a message. Adults will relate to the story of life-long friendship and loyalty. Children will love the "dog story" A tender story will huge box office potential. The possible "sleeper hit" of the holidays. Pet lovers everywhere will relate to this film and will leave theaters in tears. A weepy, wonderful film about the bond that develops between one man and a dog after a chance meeting at a train station. Bring extra tissues! Based on a true story, this film was shot mostly in Woonsocket, Rhode Island at a historic old train station. Beautifully shot and edited. The film runs less than 2-hours. The film generally adheres to the actual true story of a dog in Japan. The dog became a national treasure and a monument was erected to honor him.

Hachi

[0U · 20 February 2020]

I have always been a huge fan of dramas so Hachi: A Dog's Tale, did not disappoint me! The movie is based on a true story that took place in Japan. ........ If you really like dogs, please watch this movie.You will learn how to build good relationships with your dogs.You simply need to love your dogs and make them one of the members of your family. Then your dogs will love you and follow you anywhere. Hachi was a Japanese dog.Hachi was born in Japan. He was so loyal to his owner that he was with him everywhere.Today, there is a Hachi's statue at Shibuya station in Tokyo. After this American version Hachi movie, a tatue of the dog, Hachi, was installed in front of Woonsocket Depot Square,NY where the movie was filmed. It was a very nice short film.The story is from Japan.Japanese love this story because Hachi looks like some samurai who was loyal to his lord and died for the lord. If you love the dogs, please watch this movie.

It's hard to hate a cute doggy film...

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 22 August 2014]

"Hachi: A Dog's Tale" is a remake of a Japanese film, "Hachi-Ko" (1987). Oddly, however, this American version keeps SOME of the original Japanese story (such as the breed of dog, the dog's name and SOME of the events in the dog's life) and completely changes so much--especially since "Hachi-Ko" is based on a real life Japanese occurrence, not in America.

Back in the 1920s and 30s, the real Hachi was a dog owned by a Japanese professor. One thing that set him apart from most dogs was that Hachi would meet the professor at the train station after work each day! But, even more unusual is that after the professor's death, Hachi CONTINUED this routine--waiting patiently for his master every day! In many ways, the story is like that of the very famous Scottish dog, Greyfriars Bobby--who is memorialized in Edinburgh outside the pub and church where the do would do its daily ritual (lying at his master's grave and then visiting the pub). In fact, I did some reading and found several other similar accounts throughout the world. This leads me to wonder WHY the film did a semi-remake. Why not just make a fictionalized story? Why keep a few details and change others--especially when this Japanese dog inexplicably shows up in Rhode Island!

So does this lack of attention to detail mean I hate the film? Even as a retired history teacher, I cannot, as I must confess that I've owned dogs for years and currently have two massive hairy beasts who adore me (in addition to my two cats who alternate between adoration and ambivalence). I am a sucker for a film about a cute dog--and the Hachi in the movie is one of the cutest Akita's ever (much cuter, by the way, than the original Hachi). You cannot help but like the dog and enjoy seeing him interact with his owner (Richard Gere). But, there needs to be more than a cute dog to make a really good film--and currently this fame has an astonishingly high score of 8.2! Is this number, at least in part, less about the quality of the production and more a vote to signify that most everyone loves cute dogs? Well, yes. Objectively speaking, the film is a remake--and that's one strike against it at the onset. And, I just cannot imagine a pleasant doggy film making it to the IMDb's Top 250 List--but it did and it's currently #190--giving it a slightly higher rating than films like "The Best Years of Our Lives" (one of the greatest films of the 1940s), "Rocky" (the first one was very nice), "A Fistful of Dollars" and "The Celebration"--as well as the original Japanese film!! Overall, it's a nice doggy film that is VERY family-friendly at that and with a lovely and evocative piano soundtrack. By all means watch it-- but don't be surprised if you like it but don't love it.

A few final notes: First, I noticed that AFTER the master died in this American adaptation, it ALWAYS seemed to be snowing in this town--for years and years after the death! Second, what's with the professor's wife?! Her husband dies and she finds Hachi at the end years later at the train station and is surprised to see him?! Where was she at the time...off-world or taking a very long nap?! Didn't someone bother to tell her about HER dog or didn't she ask about how old Hachi was doing?! This seems to be a missing plot thread. Third, if you are curious, Hachi's actual remains were stuffed after his death and he is on display at National Science Museum of Japan in Ueno, Tokyo. And, there is a statue to him as well as annual celebrations in this country. How these people view an American film company 'appropriating' their story is something I would love to know.

Not sad, but eyes red

[pchk-629-36011 · 10/10 · 8 January 2010]

Finally a film from the USA (albeit based on a true story in the 1920s Japan) that is without guns, explosions and free of violence and not based at all on romantic elements!

"Love and Loyalty" succinctly sums up the film. The love so simple, so pure and the loyalty so unfailing, so steadfast that it would melt any steel heart. I was so embarrassed that as soon as the film came to the end I dashed straight into the loo only to see my eyes sore red (!!)

The main characters never "take flight" but that matters not at all. It's the simple story of the love between a man and his best friend that more than sufficiently works all the wonders. Not a sad one, but profoundly touching, So touching that even a tough guy like me couldn't possibly hold his tears.

Hachiko, the Akita dog, has set the Yardstick of loyalty under which all loyalty among us human beings are to be measured. Loyalty that is truly monumental. Loyalty that is to be surpassed only by God Himself.

A must-watch film, especially for all dog lovers. Highly recommended for all families and people of all ages.

Surprisingly better than the original

[p-seed-889-188469 · 7/10 · 28 February 2015]

Having now seen and reviewed) the original 1987 Hachiko Monogatari I have come back to this remake with fresh eyes and an upwardly revised opinion. While I still believe this movie in no way reaches the true potential of the "story" I think it at least matches and may even exceed the quality of the original.

Perhaps of greatest surprise to me are the choices the director made in what he took from and what he rejected from the original story. He has moved the story from 1920's Tokyo to 2000's small town America, and this is not an unreasonable choice. However once the link with the original Japanese story has been so fundamentally severed the world is your oyster as far as story details go so having made that choice it does seem a little perverse to make the dog not just Japanese but an Akita, as in the original. The essence of Hachiko is essentially a love story between a dog and his master, and it matters not one whit if they are in Japan or America, if the master is a Professor of agricultural engineering or of music, or a street cleaner for that matter. It does not matter if the dog is an Akita, a Pekinese or a Great Dane. What is pivotal is the portrayal of a credible relationship between the dog and his master, and to achieve this the casting of both man and dog is absolutely paramount. The Akita is a magnificent animal but if these two movies are any indication it has a stoic personality that presents a challenge to a filmmaker who has only 90 minutes to bring the character to emotional life. Presumably the Japanese market for whom the original was intended knows this personality and compensated for it. In this American version the director cunningly introduces a Japanese character who is able to inform the viewer of the Akita's character, which somewhat mitigates and explains the dog's relatively passive behaviour, but nevertheless it still would have been nice to see a greater level of visible connection between the dog and his master.

As I indicated in my other review the conundrum of this story is how to present it without inferring at least some hint of abandonment on the part of the master's family. I think this version does a better job of this than the original, and certainly the character of the Master's daughter and her partner are far more sympathetic than the original, although there is still some lingering unease as to how a dog can remain essentially a stray within the community for a decade or so. In both movies the subplot of neither wife not really wanting the dog is totally unnecessary and simply wastes precious time that should have been devoted to developing the personalities and relationships of the dog his master.

Richard Gere is not called upon to do much before he pops off but never the less does a great job. He presents a far more consistently sympathetic character than his counterpart in the original, although to be fair his Japanese counterpart is saddled with having to exist in the less relaxed context and culture of 1920's Japan. It has to be said the director's conception of a music professor as someone who plays music with all the sophistication of three blind mice for beginner piano, and who supervises very strange dances is more than a little naive. We also have to suspend credibility in the first 10 minutes in which Hachiko makes his way from Japan to a small American town – like people always send puppies randomly half way across the world in a rickety kennel with no documentation, no quarantine, no nothing, right? And they are routinely dumped on top of carts of luggage and accidentally dropped by people who seem to be deaf and blind...why did they even bother with this part of the story? This a waste of time that could have been better used to develop the man/dog relationship.

In summary a solid if not magnificent re-telling of the Hachiko story and probably as good as can be achieved while sticking to the Japanese framework.

Will not leave you the same

[nainwal · 10/10 · 6 March 2010]

I think at the end of the day, what matters in a movie is how different it leaves you after you've watched it. It could be technically brilliant and leave you in amazement about how a narrative can be structured, leave you thinking about an issue from a totally unique perspective or just leave you thinking.

But if you believe that the impact a movie has on you is important - you cannot afford to miss this movie. I've never written a review in the past 7-8 years of using IMDb but signed up just so I could say how much I loved this movie.

I read a couple of reviews talk about crying during the movie and thought it odd. I can't remember the last time I cried during a movie - but towards the last 15 minutes of the movie I didn't only cry - I cried from the depth of my heart, not out of sadness but from a much deeper sense of realization the power of true love and how it can manifest itself. You hear so many times that there is 'God' in all of us if we can realize it - at the end of this movie you will know why it's true.

It's a must watch movie.

tedious to watch, sad vibes

[gangaspecial · 6/10 · 11 January 2021]

5% Story 65% Dog 30% Sad Piano Music. That's the movies content. Everything just merges in watching a sad dog and feeling sad. The whole emotion could have been captured in 10 min footage.

Rescue Them Instead.

[AJ_McAninch · 5/10 · 13 May 2023]

The story of Hachi is one that books and the earlier Japanese version have told through the years. In this version the dogs are the best characters and actors; and the rest is infuriating. Far more emphasis and time are placed on Richard Gere's character. And though it is clear the actor had a good relationship with all the dogs playing Hachi, he is over-emphasized. And the performances by the actresses playing wife and daughter are bland and boring-to say nothing of the way their characters treat Hachi who is relegated to waiting and living outside even in the snow and cold. Eventually, he is abandoned to his waiting spot year in and year out with only the station workers giving a rip about the dog. In the real story, Hachi had a home after his master died. At any rate, this movie missed the true story by a long mile. It's about HACHI and his love for his master. Joan Allen's character is terrible to him from day one and years later acts surprised to see Hachi still waiting. Because she didn't even try to help him. The daughter feigns caring about him, but lets him go. The writer blew the whole story with poor characters and huge plot holes plus irrelevant threads having nothing to do with Hachi. And the true story is actually disturbing because someone should have kept that dog home and loved him enough. Don't make movies and put up statues about heroic waiting dogs: rescue them instead and change their lives.

You cannot get it any better than this

[ankurin · 10/10 · 5 February 2010]

Its really hard to articulate when you have so much to write and so little words to express. And even lesser words which could actually help you convey what you want to say. The closest word which comes to my mind in this case is 'stupendous'.

Hachiko is a true story about a dog in Japan and the special bond he shared with a professor whom he met when it was a little puppy. The story has been put forward exceptionally well by the cast and the director.

The movie has been kept extremely simple with minimum effort on the scenes, yet remarkably you are kept spellbound after a couple of minutes into the movie. And as the other reviews suggest, making the whole theater grab onto their tissues explains how good it really is.

Lastly, coming for someone who also rates 'Eight below' as one of his favorite's, a high rating of Hachiko would seem a little biased to many. But in my honest opinion I don't think that anybody who has watched this movie can rate it below 10.

Well-written and filmed, really touching.

[whateveer · 8/10 · 15 November 2009]

I first knew about "Hachiko: A Dog's Story" because of Sarah Roemer, my favorite actress. When I read more about this movie and found out that Richard Gere and Joan Allen were in the cast too, I was really excited.

I saw the movie on 29 Setember at "Festival do Rio de Janeiro" and I loved it! It's really powerful and touching. I loved how they showed the dog's vision in black & white.

The only thing that I didn't like at all was that the characters seems to "never take flight". I know Parker (Richard Gere) and the dog Hachiko are the main characters, but I think that the other characters could have been explored a bit more. But I do understand why it wasn't done.

If you are a dog person, you will definitely love this movie! It's a sad, beautiful story that touches everyone's heart! A must-see.

unbelievable

[cstschnarr · 10/10 · 3 November 2009]

Saw this movie while traveling in Belarus it brought me to my knees this was a show of the ages and without question a Richard Gere classic and performance of a lifetime this show will be Seen for Years and lifetimes to come I have been back in the U.S. for 2 weeks now and tell everyone about it I think of it many times a day it was yes----that good this is a movie You will never ever forget or get it out of your mind and heart will see it again when it opens in the US in December you may think this is a over statement but when you leave the theater it will be a known fact you will remember this show for ever it was and is a classic forever and a true story to boot...... wow.

A wonderful tale about friendship

[harrison-lopes · 11 September 2011]

How bitter can people be? After reading some negative reviews here, I just felt I had to say something. People who gave this movie low rates because they found it "boring" and found technical flaws in it must be kidding!This is one of the best movies I've ever seen (even now, two years later)and it's not a movie for dog lovers only, it's a movie about friendship and it does have an important message to deliver to people of all ages. It has certainly become a classic and it's one of Richard Gere's best performances ever! It sure is a movie I will be showing my kids when they grow up to help me illustrate concepts like "friendship", "dedication" and "loyalty".

One Man & His Dog...

[Xstal · 6/10 · 27 October 2020]

It should come as no surprise that almost all the wealthiest charities represent animals and not people. Let's face it, they're as vulnerable as children! I spent sixty minutes wondering where this was going, at one point I thought it was a dog training film. Then followed a brief moment when I had to recover my posture having fallen off my chair and, while the remainder of the film did have me under some emotional turmoil, it wasn't until the final few stills that I could put into context the contrivance I'd absorbed. The saddest part is that if you replaced the dog with a child with learning difficulties this film would be long gone and forgotten.

"You want to wait for him, don't you?"

[classicsoncall · 8/10 · 29 November 2017]

Oh my, hold everything. You want to be prepared to watch this movie with plenty of Kleenex on hand. It really does resonate for viewers who have a special bond with their pets, but I think it probably moves a few hearts of those who don't share hearth and home with a favorite canine. It's a bit ironic actually, to think about the picture's impact on a person, when a dog's reaction to it's missing owner invites more sympathy than one feels for the owner himself, who died of a heart attack.

Well, not to get too morbid, this was a sensitively told tale that one finds astonishingly hard to believe when it's revealed that Hachi celebrated his master for ten years after the man's death by showing up daily at a train station at the end of the work day to greet him. Based on an actual event that occurred in Japan in the 1920's, the film has been Westernized for an American audience with Richard Gere in the lead role as a university professor who adopts a wayward Akita puppy found wandering around a train station. But the real star is the pup who matures into the adult Hachi and takes full possession of the viewer's emotions on the way to a heart tugging finish. It's a family friendly film that you're not likely to forget for a long time once you've seen it.

A Nutshell Review: Hachiko: A Dog's Story

[DICK STEEL · 6/10 · 24 January 2010]

I came to know of the Hachiko story from one of the film screenings during the Japanese Film Festival more than two years ago, and having visited Tokyo, who would not have heard and noticed that one of the exits of the busy Shibuya station had one exit named after the famous dog? Why an American version of the story would be made baffles me, if not only to tell of yet another dog story following the likes of the Lassies and the Marleys that because dog is Man's best friend there will always be a ready market for it?

Directed by Swede Lasse Hallstrom, at least there's the sensibility to still ensure that Hachiko remains Japanese, only for it to be accidentally transported from a Japanese monastery, and thanks to a botch up in cargo handling, Hachiko the puppy's destination ended up to be an American town with the Bedridge train station, where his first night wandering around the station's platform brought him to encounter Professor Parker Wilson, played by Richard Gere. Taking pity on the puppy whom he thought was abandoned, Parker brought it home to the opposition of his wife (Joan Allen), but who can deny a homeless dog especially one that looks as cute as a button?

The gist of the story you would already know from the trailer which decided to tell all. The film curiously didn't spend too much time with Hachiko as a puppy, and decided to fast forward to when it became an adult dog, starting to walk with Parker to the station, and at 5pm every work day, promptly made its way back to the station to wait for its master, and then walking back. The Japanese version did this very well with people interaction along the way, which this version decided to erroneously gloss over. It's not about just the Professor and his dog, but the community around in which the dog's loyalty, faithfulness and street- smartness touched. Sure there was some attempts at that in this version, but there was too little and probably wanted to approach the story in a different direction.

Unfortunately it got a little carried away, and after the pivotal turning point, it somehow went downhill with the narrative being dragged out because here's exactly when the relationship between community and the dog would have taken over to move this to another emotional plane, and didn't because the foundations were not established, granted though there were enough moments and scenes to tug at your heartstrings.

One cannot deny that the Akita breeds are cute, and many would have missed the disclaimer toward the end of the credits that the dogs are for experienced dog owners, so don't you be heading toward the pet store to get one puppy on a whim, as the worst thing that shouldn't happen, is an abandonment because fancy has worn off, and would have been very contradictory to the message preached in the film.

Between the American update and the original Japanese film, no prizes for guessing that I much prefer the latter for the simple reason that it had more genuine emotions with a better focus on Hachiko, and the locale which the American "Hallmark" version just tries so hard to replicate. Good news is the Japanese film made in 1987 is now re-released locally on DVD and is available in the shops now, and hopefully, the homage paid to the original story and the dog at the end of the film would pique interest in more picking up that version to watch.

A true story and one of the best films of all time ! (not exaggerating)

[StarGlitter · 10/10 · 4 February 2010]

I have watched some touching and moving movies in my lifetime and about 2 movies have made me cry, However i was crying my eyes out when i was watching this Hachiko movie. I was crying for a good 10 -15 minutes even after this movie ended. I have browsed through the comments and reviews on this IMDb board and on other online forums and have noticed that so many other people who watched this movie have also cried. I really think NO OTHER MOVIE has made so many people cry. Whenever i saw Hachiko go to the station and sit there waiting oblivious to the fact his owner died, my heart died a little each time.

Knowing that this movie was actually based on a real life story set in the 1920s-1930s in Tokyo whereby an Akita-breed dog waited in front of the Shibuya train station day by day around the same time at the same spot for NINE WHOLE YEARS for his beloved university professor Professor Ueno to come back from work, really breaks my heart.

No animal or human would ever sit in front of the station to wait for someone they love for THIS LONG (9 FREAKING YEARS). This dog Hachiko must have had such ENORMOUS love for his owner that he would throw his life away (9 years is like 7 decades in dog years) waiting in front of the station at the RIGHT TIME each day.

How clever are dogs? Real-life Hachiko somehow knew how to read the time in order to wait at the station at the same time everyday for 9 years. Waiting for 9 years- wow! I never knew that the extent of an animal's LOVE and DEDICATION and PERSISTENCE could reach those heights.

In real life, Hachiko's was given away after his master's death, but he routinely escaped, showing up again and again at his old home. This showed that Hachiko loved his original owners (Ueno and his wife and kids) too much to let go of his master Ueno or his memory of him and wanted to return to his remaining living owners.

Eventually, Hachiko's apparently realized that his Professor Ueno no longer lived at the house. So he went to look for his master at the train station where he had accompanied him so many times before. How smart and clever is that of a dog? The other original owners of Hachiko had moved to a different location and Hachiko could not find his other living original owners since he is a dog and so he decided to wait in front of the railway station like he always used to do for his master to turn up and be reunited with him,

This real life story of Hachiko clearly demonstrated UNDYING, UNCONDITIONAL LOVE FOR ANOTHER since both the PHYSICAL ABSENCE of his owner Professor Ueno and the PASSING OF TIME would not diminish Hachiko's love and UNFLINCHING LOYALTY for his original master Ueno. This real life story also reminds us about HOW LOVE CAN MAKE ANYONE (INCLUDING ANIMALS AND DOGS) do CRAZY THINGS for someone they love.

Somehow I just wished that in real-life, the wife and family of Professor Ueno should have just placed lifeless body of Professor Ueno on the floor for a while for Hachiko to sniff and inspect the body. This might sound crazy to all you people reading this but i believe that dogs know about life and death and would be able to tell if a fellow dog or a human is dead.

I am quite sure that Hachiko, being clever enough to wait at the station at the same time everyday for 9 years, would be able to figure out that Ueno was dead. Then this would have given Hachiko at least CLOSURE, then he would not have to wait for 9 years.

You can read up on the real life story of Hachiko in this Wikipedia page which also lists all the Japanese films made about Hachiko. Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hachiko Or you can just Yahoo! Or Google Hachiko's real life story for more information.

A Highly-Rated Richard Gere Movie

[gavin6942 · 7/10 · 17 November 2014]

A drama based on the true story of a college professor (Richard Gere)'s bond with the abandoned dog he takes into his home.

Exactly how this film got into the IMDb Top 250 is something of a mystery. My guess is that there are a lot of dog lovers out there. Not that it is a bad film, but it starts off very much like an ABC Family film, and the production value never really increases.

Luckily, the plot tends to improve as it goes along, and it is clearly an emotional film. Those who are more prone to crying during movies may do a bit of crying here, because it is a great encapsulation of how loyal a dog can be to his master. As summed up by Kim Newman, "Not a dry eye in the house - but not irritating schmaltz either."

Can't say I like it, but it's a haunting movie--maybe for all the wrong reasons

[pjamok-692-397387 · 5/10 · 26 September 2010]

I still can't stop thinking about it, so that says something. However, I'm really troubled by the behavior of the characters in this movie. Ultimately, the storyline doesn't work in the 21st century.

I was troubled that Parker let his dog roam the streets and follow him without even a collar on. And the wife, whose name I can't even remember, doesn't seem to ever attach to the dog for no valid reason as the dog is adorable and loving. The fact that the poor animal is forced to sleep in the tool shed when these people have a huge house with a wonderful sun porch for just the two of them is more than annoying. In fact, the dog is NEVER shown in the house as a grown animal. Makes me think his loyalty is misplaced and nowhere near deserved by these people. Even after her husband dies, she never even says goodbye as her daughter loads the dog up. There is no explanation given as to why she doesn't keep the dog as any creature loved so much by a beloved husband should be cherished and taken care of. The daughter makes a half-hearted attempt to keep the dog, but gives up quickly and never goes to see how the dog is doing. Oh, and how do they explain to the son that they just left grandpa's dog to fend for himself? Makes no sense.

The one with the most concern is the Japanese professor who at least attempts to give money to the local vendors for the dog's care. They refuse as they're willing to take care of him, but there's no true care going on. Couldn't the station master give him a broom-closet to sleep in? A dish with some real dog food in it? A blanket or two? And the hot dog vendor only offers some stray scraps of leftover hot dogs. That's not nutrition. And in the true story, apparently the station master did allow the dog to live in the station and made a home for him (which would have worked MUCH better here) rather than allowing him to live under an old train in all kinds of weather. The ending does work well in its uplifting vision of dog meeting master upon his death.

The filming is well done, and the black and white images of life through a dog's eyes are creative and just enough to make the point. The setting couldn't be more beautiful and adds to the haunting tone of the story.

The screenplay is ultimately really flat to match the characters. The daughter makes an impassioned plea for the dog to stay, telling him how much they love him and want him, and in the next breath says goodbye and opens the gate. Okay, so the premise is the dog needs to do what the dog needs to do, but that's like saying a ten-year-old should be allowed to do what he or she feels like doing. It doesn't make sense. No one goes out of his or her way to help the dog in any meaningful way, not even in a superficial way. And when the wife shows up at the train station ten years later to visit her husband's grave, her interaction with the dog is trite.

Maybe the film would have worked if set in the original time period (1920s) if not the original country. And after writing this I know why I can't stop thinking about it. I'm haunted by the loyalty of an animal who is ultimately so neglected and ignored.

This film is a sad commentary on human behavior and the emotional, physical waste of this beautiful animal is, even to anyone who isn't a major animal lover, a horrible tragedy. There is no redemption in this film. Just sadness.

Loyalty: A Trait To Be Admired

[ccthemovieman-1 · 10/10 · 18 March 2010]

I don't think you find a better example of a dog's devotion to his master than this one, a based-on-a-true-life tale of a dog who was into a routine of meeting his beloved male owner every day at 5 p.m. at the train station.

I saw this movie a week ago and I still can't get it out of my mind. If the words "love" and "loyalty" mean anything to you, this is a nice story see unfold.

The only major mistake made in this movie is that it should have been done as a 1920s period piece. I say that because throughout the story, the dog runs free around the town/city, which is impossible today with leash laws everywhere.

Whatever, the story is still very good, very memorable and very touching in spots near the end. The only spoiler I'll use is a good one: if you fear watching an animal film with a bad/sad ending, you're safe: the dog survives....that's all I'll say on that.

Kudos to Richard Gere for a nice performance. This is definitely not he kind of film he usually does but he explains in a bonus feature, "I read the script, cried, and couldn't say no." The story was too good for him to pass up. That's my recommendation to you: go rent the DVD, sit back and enjoy a nice memorable tale of man's best friend.