**A cute, sweet and tender film, which imports an originally Japanese story to the USA and which promises to make many children insistently ask their parents for puppies.**
I'm not a fan of dogs... in fact, I'm one of those people who never had dogs, and that's why I didn't develop a great admiration for these animals, despite recognizing that they are excellent companions and can make a difference for many people, in different situations (for example, as part of police units or as guides for the blind). But the truth is that I feel every day how uncomfortable dogs can be, if they fall into the hands of careless owners, or those who do not teach them properly: they howl when alone, they make a lot of noise when other animals pass by, they run to sniff and lick other people without their owners paying attention if they want to have contact with their animals and, worse, they defecate anywhere without their owners taking care to collect the droppings. Yes, the education of dog owners in Portugal is non-existent in most cases. The fault, of course, lies entirely with the imbecile human owners, but it helped me not to harbor sympathy for these animals. The fair, in these things, always pays for the sinner.
However, even the human being with less affinity for dogs will recognize the value and the moving beauty of this film, loosely based on a true story that took place in Japan, before the Second World War, and which has already given rise to at least one Japanese film, in 1987. What this film does is to take this Japanese story and transport it to the United States, telling it as if it had taken place on US soil, but keeping a lot of elements, implicit and discreet, that link us to Japanese culture (the dog breed, the dog's name, even the martial arts). I have nothing against remakes and I have to admit that Hachiko's true story deserved a movie... but the truth is that there are a number of similar reports around the world attesting to the loyalty and unparalleled attachment of various animals to their owners. So, if the idea was just to take Hachiko to the US, maybe it would have been better if the script had created a new and entirely fictional story, albeit inspired by the real Hachiko (and other dogs).
Having made all these considerations, I believe that we owe a tribute to Richard Geere for another exceptionally well done and very palatable work, in which the actor manages to monopolize our attention in a friendly character, that touches our emotional side. However, and if we exclude the three dogs that participated in this film and played the role of the protagonist, there is virtually nothing more to say about the cast! The remaining actors only say what they are told to say, without adding anything truly positive, nor receiving interesting and developed material for their respective characters. This includes Joan Allen, who appears to have dropped in this movie by parachute.
On a technical level, there are several positive aspects to be highlighted, such as the pleasant cinematography, the good choice of filming locations and the intelligent use of the sets and some visual and sound effects. It's not a flashy movie, but it does everything it can to touch our hearts and can even feel corny and sentimental, especially towards the end. I handled it very well, but of course not all people will like it. The choice of animals for this movie was really good, and they are just cute and adorable in the extreme. And we can't forget about that incredible soundtrack, based on sweet piano melodies. It all helps this movie to be exceptionally sweet and suitable for family evenings. However, I leave a note for parents: if you don't want your children to ask you, in an insistent way, to adopt a puppy, don't let them see this movie.
