Review text, Hachi movie

Hachi : A Dog's Tale ( originally titled Hachiko : A Dog's Story for festival screenings ) is a 2009 drama based on the true story of a faithful Akita, the titular Hachiko. It is a remake of the 1987 film Hachi-kö  literally  " The Tale of Hachiko " . It was directed by Lasse Hallström , written by Stephen P. Lindsey and stars Richard Gere , Joan Allen , and Sarah Roemer .

In the modern day, a class full of young students are giving oral presentations about personal heroes. A boy named Ronnie stands up and begins to tell of 'Hachiko', his grandfather's dog. Years before, an Akita puppy is sent from Japan to the United States, but his cage falls off the baggage cart at an American train station, where he is found by college professor Parker Wilson. Parker is instantly captivated by the dog. When Carl, the station controller, refuses to take him, Parker takes the puppy home overnight. His wife Cate is insistent about not keeping the puppy.   

he next day, Parker expects that someone will have contacted the train station, but no one has. He sneaks the pup onto the train and takes him to work, where a Japanese college professor, Ken, translates the symbol on the pup's collar as 'Hachi', Japanese for 'good fortune', and the number 8. Parker decides to call the dog 'Hachi'. Ken points out that perhaps the two are meant to be together. Parker attempts to play fetch with Hachi, but he refuses to join in. Meanwhile Cate receives a call about someone wanting to adopt Hachi. After seeing how close her husband has come to Hachi, however, Cate tells the caller that Hachi has already been adopted.

A few years later, Hachi and Parker are as close as ever. Parker, however, is still mystified by Hachi's refusal to do normal, dog-like things like chase and retrieve a ball. Ken advises him that Hachi will only bring him the ball for a special reason. One morning, Parker leaves for work and Hachi sneaks out and follows him to the train station, where he refuses to leave until Parker walks him home. That afternoon, Hachi sneaks out again and walks to the train station, waiting patiently for Parker's train to come in. Eventually Parker relents and walks Hachi to the station every morning, where he leaves on the train. Hachi leaves after Parker's safe departure, but comes back in the afternoon to see his master's train arrive and walk with him home again. This continues for some time, until one afternoon Parker attempts to leave, but Hachi barks and refuses to go with him. Parker eventually leaves without him, but Hachi chases him, holding his ball. Parker is surprised but pleased that Hachi is finally willing to play fetch the ball with him. Worried that he will be late for the college, Professor Parker leaves on the train despite Hachi barking at him. At work that day Parker, still holding Hachi's ball, is teaching his music class when he suddenly suffers a fatal heart attack.

For the next nine years, Hachi waits for his owner. His loyalty is profiled in the local newspaper. Years after Parker's death, Cate comes back to visit Parker's grave when she catches sight of Hachi, now old and achy, waiting at the station. She gets emotional and sits next to Hachi until the next train comes. Hachi returns to the train station late at night and closes his eyes for the last time. Then, Parker walks out of the station and greets him as if nothing has changed at all, and the two reunite as their spirits rise up to Heaven to be together forever.

 

                                               --  Strength --

  The story then flashes back to the puppy being shipped from Japan to places unknown, but part of his shipping instructions are torn during his flight from Japan to the United States. Richard Gere, as Parker Wilson, a professor of Music and Dance finds this adorable Akita pup when departing at the train station one evening close to Christmas. Gere's character takes it upon himself to care for the little pup.  Much of this movie was filmed in New England and we are treated to winter scenes and colorful autumn scenes as the owner and his dog become an inseparable pair. We see the passage of time as the seasons change and Parker's daughter and her boyfriend get married. Hachi is always a part of every gathering and every scene as he is truly one of the family. Although we see Parker's daughter go through her pregnancy and new baby's arrival, the story definitely focuses on the relationship between Hachi and Parker. Everyone working at the train station knows Hachi too because he comes to the train station everyday to wait for his master to return home from work. The man selling coffee, the station manager, and the shop keeper are all fond of Hachi. They all know of the special bond between master and his dog too. We do see the daughter expressing her affection for Hachi too, and her own life and circumstances change quite a bit throughout the story, but this is definitely not the focus of the movie. It is much more of a secondary plot of relative little importance other than to note the passing of time.
One part that I found a little difficult to believe too was when the professor’s adult daughter sets Hachi free. It was a little far fetched to believe that would happen in real life, but for the purposes of telling this story, this is what she had to do.

 

                                                  --  Weakness --

                                        

The only thing I thought was slightly lacking in this movie was the part of Carl, (Jason Alexander who played George Costanza on the popular old sitcom, 'Seinfeld') as the train station manager. He was somewhat wasted in his role, not really seeming to add much. He just came across as somewhat indifferent or slightly irritated most of the time and he delivered his very few lines as such. Unfortunately those times are not to last. The second half becomes a harsh twisted event that leads me to tears. Hachi waits one day for Parker at the train station as usual. Little does Hachi know, Parker died of a stroke at his job. Hachi is told from many people that Parker's dead and he's not coming back. Parker's wife tries to aid him, but he goes back to the train station. Parker's daughter, who now has a family, tries to take care of Hachi, but he makes his way back to the station, and the family decides to let him go. Everyone else, who tried helping him, gives up as he still proceeds to wait. The last ten minutes or so becomes an uncomfortable sequence. Nine years go by and the old, weak, and lonely Hachi STILL sits at the train station for the last night of his life. It's a hard thing to realize that a period of time, that's longer than his bondage, goes by and he still does his routine.

 

 Conclusion

      When Ronnie conclude in the class that hachi will forever be his Hero . Ronnie's story has clearly moved the class , with some holding back tears . After school, Ronnie sees his own Akita puppy , also named Hachi, Walk down the same tracks where Parker and Hachi spent so many years together . The soul from this movie is a value of faithfulness, which is shown by Hachiko. This movie is different from other animal related movies, which usually funny or even filled with violence and slapstick humors. Hachiko shows the precious faithfulness to the others. This kind of movie is implicity educating the audience to be a better person. All Family members can watch this, and take. 

animals are not simple creatures. They are complex with a range of emotions just like ours. Simply because they cannot speak it to us doesn't mean those emotions are not there. I defy anyone to read the story of Hachiko and I tell you that this movie is The Best.. For me, Hachiko is a true hero who should be celebrated by all. Loyalty and love like that are very hard to find indeed.