HACHIKO: a Dog’s Story
Directed : Lasse Hallström
Written   : Stephen P. Lindsey
Starring : Richard Gere, Joan Allen, Sarah Roemer, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Erick Avari

Some say that dogs are human’s best friend. It’s nice to watch the film by Parker Wilson (Richard Gere) and his dog. The film of friendship between Parker and a dog named Hachiko was even able to give inspiration to the whole town about the meaning of true friendship, faith and devotion.

The meeting between Parker and Hachiko had actually happened by accident. Hachiko was a dog without a master who found by Parker when he got home from work. Parker was actually intended to return Hachiko for the owner. But finally Parker’s efforts failed, he decided to adopt Hachiko.


Each day Hachiko always took Parker to the station, a man who worked as a lecturer, when he goes to work. And every evening Hachiko also came to the station to pick up Parker when he got home from work. At one point, Parker went to work as usual, but never returned to the station. Parker died before he came home. Hachiko do not know if Parker had gone, Hachiko still come every afternoon hope to see Parker again.

Days passed and nine years gone, Hachiko always come to the station to meet his master. Although Hachiko never met Parker yet, Hachiko never give up in its faith and devotion.

Tears drain while you watch a dog’s faith and devotion. It seems that only the sentence that best describes of this film, Hachiko: A DOG’S STORY. The story itself was not a new theme for a film story of friendship between man and dog. It was already several times stated to the movie. If there is an interesting picture of loyalty Hachiko, the dog, which kept coming to the station waiting for his master to come despite the fact that his master never returned again.

Do not know why but the feeling that something is wrong with this movie can not seem to escape from the mind while watching this latest Richard Gere’s film. Richard Gere’s acting certainly did not need questionable track record and Lasse Hallström as director who also worked on the film Chocolat and DEAR JOHN have a great record too. The film script by Stephen P. Lindsey is not too much trouble even though he could further develop this film story to be something more.

There is the impression that the whole story of Hachiko: A DOG’S STORY is too short to be translated into 104 minutes movie. Some of the characters in the train station could have made subplots that could support the main film story line. But if it is repaired, it still feels there’s something strange from this film. After a long time trying to find the answer, there is a possibility that it occurred. Throughout the film, an impression of Asia was strong. It may brought by the original story.

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