Hachi - A Dog's Tale: BD Review
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Page 1 of 3 Sony / 2009 / 93 Minutes / Rated G / Street Date: March 2, 2010   In Hachi: A Dog's Tale, Richard Gere stars as Professor Parker Wilson, a distinguished scholar who discovers a lost Akita puppy on his way home from work. Despite initial objections from Wilson’s wife, Cate (Joan Allen), Hachi endears himself into the Wilson family and grows to be Parker's loyal companion. As their bond grows deeper, a spirited relationship unfolds that extends and develops beyond life’s unexpected tragedies. This is the Americanized version of filmmaker Seijirô Kôyama’s 1987 film Hachikô Monogatari, which I have not seen. With stratospheric sentimentality and lithe direction by respected Lasse Hallström (Chocolat, Casanova, The Hoax) in many ways the film’s traction comes across as a vehicle.
I’m oddly impressed with Rated-G films that target an audience beyond children, because without sex, sensuality, violence, nightmarish images or profanities – I think it’s arguable that one has to completely rely on stripped-down storytelling without provocative zingers. And that was my hope with Hachi: A Dog’s Tale, augmented by very, very positive audience feedback.
 Sure, I can’t deny that the film has moving moments that jerked me around here and there. And the easy-breezy filming and fine, if traditional, editing by Kristinia Boden keeps a nice pace. But dang if the residue didn’t reek of manipulation and almost a forceful turn of events – was I going to get arrested for not weeping in key moments?
The actors and other talent certainly give the film a confident stride, and I liked everyone. Even the trained dogs are great! However, Jason Alexander acts like he knows he’s on screen, not unlike the entire cast of Seinfeld. But the film feels like such a vehicle, and performances don’t require complex, emotional subtext, that I was easily imagining other actors in the roles out of lazy fantasy. But I’d rather watch anything where the people appear less settled, unlike Hachi. However, I expected this going in, so the blame rests on my shoulders.
Gere, a Buddist, undoubtedly likes the Asian influence of the film including the spiritual aspects. And while I initially find that cheesy, at the same time I think it’s cool he went for it, because it’s in his heart (just like I dig that Travolta [a Scientologist] did Battlefield Earth [with Scientology influences], even if I never saw it.)
Despite my weird take on this rather innocuous and certainly fan-beloved, family-friendly film, it’s hard to complain about it, as it delivers sincerity as one might expect. And sometimes films are like food when expectations and cravings rule. Sometimes it’s the potato chips, sometimes it’s the Heath Bar, or sometimes the salad – and each better taste as expected, which is the case with Hachi.
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