Hachiko: A Dog's Story

First time screenwriter Stephen Lindsay, who hails from Greer, SC, not far from my old stomping grounds, says he was thrilled to be involved with Hachiko: A Dog’s Story, to which actor Richard Gere attached himself early on and provided a great deal of creative input toward the final script.

Gere stars as Parker, a New England man whose life is changed when an Akita pup finds him late one night at the train station. The station master, played by Jason Alexander, can only turn him over to the pound, so Parker elects to take the pup home until the owner is located. It’s not an easy transition for Parker’s wife, but Hachi and Parker bond, becoming an inseparable pair. And, as any dog movie worth its salt would have it, the pup’s owner never comes forward.

Hachi becomes not only Parker’s best friend but a staple in the community where they live. Parker commutes to work by train, and like clockwork Hachi is waiting on his master every day outside the train station at five o’clock, rain or shine. Hachiko is based true events that occurred in Japan in the early part of the twentieth century. At its heart it's a story of friendship and undying loyalty, and manages to achieve the right balance of drama and sentimentality without going overboard. A word of warning, however – when the screening ended there was not a dry eye in the house.

Director Lasse Hollstrom (My Life as a Dog, The Cider House Rules) has a graceful and elegant visual style, which brings an intimacy to this simple yet poignant story which is appropriate for families and general audiences.