Reviewed by Doug Cooper
Stars Richard Gere, Joan Allen, Cary-Hiroyuki-Tagawa,
Sarah Roemer, Robbie Sublett, Jason Alexander, Erick Avari, Davenia McFadden, Forest (the dog)
Written by Stephen P Lindsey
Certification UK U | US G
Runtime 93 minutes
Directed by Lasse Hallstrom
Richard Gere has had a long and varied career in movies encompassing all kinds of genres. He's been in rom-coms (Pretty Woman, Runaway Bride), action thrillers (No Mercy, The Jackal), weepies (Autumn in New York, Nights in Rodanthe), potboiler mysteries (Final Analysis, Primal Fear), relationship dramas (Intersection, Unfaithful), costumers (Sommersby, Amelia), a musical (Chicago), an Arthurian adventure (First Knight) and even a biblical escapade (King David) among others. He always attacks his roles with gusto and is a vastly underrated actor. With the right material an Oscar beckons within the next five to 10 years, in my estimation.
Alas, Hachi: A Dog's Tale will not help his case. This tedious doggy story is one of the most inconsequential movies of the year and will be quickly forgotten. Gere's fine though as the caring university professor who finds the cute mongrel at his local train station and takes him home, initially shielding the mutt from his wife (Allen). But they soon grow fond of Hachi and the dog forms a fond attachment to his master. Cue montages of the actor nuzzling his pet and frolicking with him on his return from work every day. The faithful dog is always at the small town station entrance waiting for him to turn up after his hard day's teaching at college. This goes on for years - in that time he and his wife's daughter (Roemer) moves out, gets married and has a baby. But nothing breaks the bond between man and pet.
Well, yes it does actually but that would spoil it for you. Suffice to say this effort does does not have a happy ending but thanks should be given to director Hallstrom for avoiding overt mawkishness and sentimentality. The syrupy music score is overused but he tries not to be too manipulative in pulling the heartstrings. But there's only so much you can take of the animal running around the town and the soft indulgent looks he draws from the inhabitants. Overall it's bloody boring.
Based on a famous Japanese story this movie is so wafer thin it can barely stand up, but good old Richard bless 'im does exactly what a movie star should do. When he's on screen he makes it seem better than it has any right to be. That said, this film is poor – but it could've been much worse.