But the film certainly is affecting, especially when we learn of its inspiration in Tokyo and the exploits of the real Hachiko. Based on the true story of Hachiko, an Akita dog in 1920s Japan. Just log on to your Verizon account and watch the latest shows online. A college professor takes in a dog he finds abandoned, and both find their lives changed.

The subsequent events are moving rather than just manipulative, while the bond between man and canine is treated with a tender gravitas that might surprise those expecting merely some doggie-themed weepie. Watch the full length movie of Hachi: A Dogs Tale online or on the Fios Mobile app.

After a slightly wobbly prologue illustrating Hachi's unlikely journey from rural Japan to commuter-belt America, the film takes its time in showing how this four-legged pal becomes an essential part of the household of Gere and his sceptical spouse Joan Allen. Richard Gere might not be the first actor you'd cast in a slushy animal saga but he's actually just right for the role, as director Lasse Hallström is determined not to milk the story for cheap sentiment. When an akita puppy is discovered one evening at a suburban train station, a music professor takes the dog home and unwittingly changes both their lives, in this lovely family drama inspired by a famous true-life case of canine devotion.

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