Hachi: A Dog’s Tale (2009)

Director: Lars Hallström
Screenwriter: Stephen P. Lindsay / Kaneto Shindo
Cast: Richard Gere, Sarah Romell, Joan Allen, Robbie Sublet, Eric Avalli, Hiroyuki Tagawa, Jason Alexander, Robert Capron
Genre: Drama / Humanity
Region: US / UK
Language: English / Japanese
Release: 2009-06-13 (Seattle Film Festival) / 2010-03-12 (UK)
Length: 93 minutes
Also known as: Akita Dog Eight Thousand (Hong Kong) / Loyal Dog Xiaoba (Taiwan) / Loyal Dog Legend
Rating: IMDB 8.1 / Rotten Tomatoes 64%

Movie Synopsis
Hachiko (Forest) is a mysterious dog, because no one knows where it came from. Professor Parker (Richard Gere Richard Gere) picked up a lost puppy at the small town train station, and it seemed destined that the puppy and Professor Parker had a certain relationship. I couldn’t let it go anymore, and in the end, Parker’s love for the puppy Hachiko affected his wife Carter (Joan Allen Joan Allen), who was strongly opposed to keeping dogs at first. Hachiko grew up slowly under the care of Parker. When Parker went to work, Hachiko would always send him to the station, and when he got off work, Hachiko would climb up early and wait at the station. Hachiko’s loyalty made people in the town love him even more . One day, Hachiko behaved abnormally when Parker was about to go to work, and actually played a game of picking up balls that he never knew before. Parker was very satisfied with Hachiko’s performance, but on that day, Parker died of illness. Parker’s wife, daughter Andy (played by Sarah Romell) and son-in-law Michael (played by Robbie Sublet) buried Parker with a very sad heart, but it was unknown to Hachigong who was there. Still waiting in front of the small station door at five o’clock every evening, waiting for the owner to return…
The film is based on a true story that took place in Japan in the 1930s. It was made into a movie in Japan in 1987 and created a box office of 4 billion yen.

“Hachi: A Dog’s Tale” is a 2009 drama film directed by Lasse Hallström and starring Richard Gere. The film is based on the true story of a Japanese Akita named Hachikō, who waited for his owner at a train station every day for nine years, following his owner’s death.

In the film, Gere plays a college professor who adopts a stray dog he finds at the train station, naming him Hachi. The bond between Hachi and his owner grows stronger over the years, and Hachi’s loyalty and devotion are put to the test when his owner suddenly dies and never returns to the train station.

The film is a heartwarming tale of friendship and loyalty, and has been praised for its emotional impact and performances, particularly by the dog actor who played Hachi. The film was a box office success and received positive reviews from critics, and has since become a beloved classic for animal lovers and moviegoers alike.