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There’s
nothing quite a like a heartwarming movie
about a dog. I’ve seen them all, and
as much as I am not so enamored about having
a dog, I still enjoy getting misty eyed
over any story about a loyal pooch. That
said, I wasn’t really sure what to
expect from Richard Gere’s newest
project, “Hachi: A Dog’s Tale.”
After all, as much as I love dog movies,
I don’t really love Richard Gere movies.
However, under the direction of the great
Lasse Hallstrom, this movie completely sucked
me in and turned me into a blubbering idiot
before the credits rolled.
For those who might not be familiar, there
is a very famous Japanese story of a dog
named Hachiko. Back in the 1930’s,
this was a dog that was extremely loyal
to his master. Every day his master would
take the train to work, and every day Hachiko
would wait for him to return.
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When his master passed away, Hachiko continued
his vigil for a decade, waiting for his master
to return. There is even a statue of Hachiko built
on the very spot the dog used to wait. Talk about
loyalty.
Inspired by this wonderful yet heart-breaking
story, “Hachi: A Dog’s Tale”
features Gere as Parker Wilson, a college professor
who unwittingly adopts a little lost Akita puppy.
His wife Cate (Joan Allen) is vehemently against
keeping the dog, even though both Parker and their
daughter, Andy (Sarah Roemer) are obviously in
love with him. As Parker continues to search for
the dog’s real owner, Cate eventually warms
up to him and he becomes a part of the family.
The years roll forward, and the now grown up
‘Hachi’ is as lovable as he is loyal.
As you might expect from a film like this, tragedy
eventually rears its ugly head and Hachi continues
to show a loyalty to his master that is beyond
reason. It’s the family’s response
to the needs of one of its family that make this
a film that will get the tears flowing.
The Bluray release of “Hachi: A Dog’s
Tale” is presented in 1080p High Definition,
and the picture is simply gorgeous. Details are
highlighted throughout and the color palette is
always perfectly matched to the seasons presented
in the movie. The audio is also wonderfully mixed.
This is a quiet film, with quiet moments and nothing
is lost to overpowering music or ambient noise.
Dialogue is always crystal clear.
I was sad to see that there weren’t many
features present on this release. There is only
one ‘Making of…’ featurette,
and while it runs nearly twenty minutes, there
just seemed like there could have been more. Certainly
about the original story that the film is based
on.
“Hachi: A Dog’s Tale” is a
wonderful family film, though the tragic events
may be a little heavy for smaller children. It
is a beautiful movie, certain to brings tears
to your eyes.
Directed by: Lasse Hallstrom
Starring: Richard Gere, Joan Allen, Sarah Roemer,
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
Extras: The Making of Hachi; BD-Live
Specification: Widescreen; Norwegian (5.1); English
(2.0)
Studio: Sony
Release Date: 2/9/2010
MPAA Rating: G
http://www.sonypictures.com/bluray
We'll give Hachi: A Dog's Tale a B-.
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