Hachi: A Dog's Tale

Dir: Lasse Hallström

2009

**

Hachi: A Dog's Tale is a remake of 1987's Hachiko Monogatari, a film based on the true story of a loyal Akita who remained loyal to his owner Professor Ueno, long after he had died. Professor Ueno and his Akita lived in the 1920s. The Professor would get the train to work every day and his dog Hachiko would wait at the station for him to return, even after the Professor had died. It's a touching story but it is ultimately a tragedy, although it is never seen as such in either movie. I'm somewhat surprised that Lasse Hallström's version doesn't deviate from the original in one of the few occasions where I would actually admit it would warrant it. It's obviously loved by many but I do wonder if these people just like dogs very much. I like dogs very much but found the story to be slow, forced and tragic. I didn't find a happy side of the story at all, if anything, it questions the loyalty and love of our dogs and suggests it's nothing personal, just habit and instinct in action. I couldn't help but think of the similar, and in my opinion, ever so slightly more poetic true story of Greyfriars Bobby, the little dog who guarded his owner’s grave for 14 years until he also died and was buried next to him. Like I said, it is a touching story and I love dogs but I'm not a huge fan of death and melodramatics and I expect more from a director like Hallstrom.