For the record:i: A Dog's Tale (2009) is not the original film based on this amazing dog's life. The Richard Gere film was itself a remake of a 1987 Japanese film.
This retelling is from China and is not without its charm. It hits the right emotional beats too, even though the soundtrack might seem a bit schmaltzy to American ears. The tear jerk moment (when you, the audience realize what the dog cannot)) is still a gut punch and the entire film is shot beautifully. I think most have a problem with this version because of the breed of dog used. Both previous films made about this dog were historically accurate in their depiction of a very particular breed: The Akita . This was an integral part of the story. The change to a Chinese breed kind of negates the well earned reputation that the Akita has for their unflappable loyalty to just one person. It is the main reason I could not give it a higher score.
