Kuîru

Quill could be billed as a quasi-documentary about how golden lab guide dogs for the blind are trained in Japan. It is all quite informative, but not very dramatically interesting. For the most part, it is child suitable. There is sadness as the dog Quill is taken from his puppy home to be trained, then taken from there to serve, then taken from there when the owner dies. Quill himself eventually dies of old age in an overblown sequence that goes on and on and on like some sadistic Disney flick determined to make every child cry. I was saying out loud, "for pity sake, tell the vet to put him down". The pathos dissipated for me when one character gave instructions to Quill on what to do when he got to heaven. That was just too silly.

I sat down in 2021 to watch the 2004 Japanese movie "Quill". Turns out that this was actually my second time to get to watch this, though I can't remember when I watched it the first time, but it was shortly after it was initially released.

Turns out that "Quill" is a very enjoyable movie. It is a movie that is as much heartfelt and lovable as it is entertaining and enjoying. And it should also be said that it is a very emotional story.

The story in "Quill" follows the dog named Quill from being a puppy, up through its training to become a guide dog for the visually impaired, and up to Quills final moments on this Earth.

Writers Shoichi Maruyama and Yoshihiro Nakamura did a great job in bringing the work of novelists Ryohei Akimoto and Kengo Ishiguro to a movie script. And director Yôichi Sai brought the story to life in a very enjoyable manner on the screen.

"Quill" is very nicely acted by the actors and actresses on the cast list, and you just can't help but fall in love with the adorable dog, Quill, itself.

Now, if you are the emotional type, then you might want to have a tissue or two at hand for this movie.

I can warmly recommend that you find the time to sit down and watch this 2004 timeless movie if you get the chance to do so. This is without a doubt a very beautiful and heartwarming movies. My rating of "Quill" lands on a well-deserved nine out of ten stars.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Hunter Willow Jones (age 11) reviews the film below:

Video review here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhaV-vEmSdk I LOVE this movie! It is heartwarming and the dogs are so adorable. I was not actually looking forward to watching Quill; I mean the title didn't seem very interesting. Also, it is a Japanese film with English subtitles, which didn't excite me. But as the movie progressed I like it more and more. Quill is the story of one special guide dog; a yellow Labrador named Quill because of a unique brown spot on his side. Shown as a docudrama, Quill goes from a small puppy with its mother being picked to be a guide dog because of his calm nature and sent to live with a foster family that loves and cares for him until he is a year old and then he is off to school where he learns to be the eyes for a blind person. Though Quill does not seem to learn as quickly as the other dogs, Satoru Tawada (KippeiShiina), Quill's trainer, is patient and sees the potential in him. Quill is teamed up with Mr. Watanabe (Kaoru Kobayashi), who is not a dog lover and does not like being blind. Though the pair has a rocky start, Mr. Watanabe grows to trust and respect Quill. The ending is inspiring despite it being sad. Technically, Quill was average with good sound and cinematography. The dogs in Quill are simply amazing. They are so well trained. I thought they were the best actors in the film. The subtitles were a little distracting, I didn't like that I couldn't understand what was being said and had to read it, but as I got into the movie that became easier. I liked seeing what life was like in Japan and that there are differences from my town like the way the houses look, but there are more things that are same like how we love our pets. When my parents and I were done watching Quill we talked a lot about the movie from what it is like to be blind to how dogs are trained to be guide dogs to the story and characters. Quill made us smile, laugh and cry, but it also made us think. Quill was released in Japan in 2004, but has just been released in American in May 2012. Quill is a wonderful movie for any age, but it is better for kids who know how to read. Kids and adults both will enjoy it. I give Quill five stars!

Before watching this film, I was feeling quite excited as I just had a certain idea of what Sai Yoichi might be as a filmmaker. He started his illustrious career as an assistant for Nagisa Oshima on the highly controversial art film "Empire of the senses". It was the same film for which the famous gangster turned filmmaker Koji Wakamatsu provided funds. In the recent past, I had seen only one film directed by him "Blood and Bones". For me,although it was a very violent film I had ever seen in my life, it enabled me to keenly watch and observe Kitano Takeshi's acting talents. So it was with such pleasant expectations and unknown surprises that I began watching this film with my family. At the end of the film, I was feeling elated as I had discovered an hitherto unknown facet of Japanese culture. To begin with, "Quill" made me catch glimpses of family life in Japan as it was shot in a small town away for the bustling metropolis Tokyo. Watching this film made me realize how much value people from Asian countries especially Koreans, Chinese and Japanese attach to English language and culture. It is true that one should try not to be sentimental about dogs, what pleased me the most was the emotional bond which Yochi Sai depicted by making a blind person aware of his dog's worthiness. There are moments of sadness in the film but all in all they served their purpose well. This is a point which all serious viewers would take away with them when they watch this simple, frank and honest film.

Quill is among one of the cutest, most lovable movie dogs I have ever seen. He is a Labrador who was raised from the time he was born to be a guide dog for the blind and achieves the goals to become one not over time, but seemingly through his aptitude for patience, kindness, and responsibility. He was one of several pups to be born and then taken to a foster family for one year as they trained him to become a loyal, playful, yet disciplined dog. When the inevitable "parting ways" scene comes between Quill and his foster family of one year, roughly fifteen minutes in, it inspires tears as if it wasn't planned or even hinted at.

That is one of the strongest regards I can sincerely pay to a film targeted at making the audience cry. We know Quill's first family is a temporary one, we know he only has a one year time frame with them, and we know both parties are in for a beneficial experience. To know all that and shed authentic tears at the forthcoming "end of a chapter" shows that the picture utilized its emotional heights properly, with added integrity, and not in a manipulating fashion.

After spending a year with a kind Japanese family, Quill is off to formal training to become a guard-dog, learning key points such as identifying curbs, corners, and objects blocking a blind man's path. He is assigned to Mitsuru Watanabe (Kaoru Kobayashi), a man who is cold to the idea of having a guide dog, feeling it may corrupt the limited independence he still holds on to. He all ready has a stick and feels more comfortable because he's the ones controlling it. Little does he know that Quill has a strong ability to be empathetic with his humans, and he is one of the best dogs a blind man could be fortunate enough to have guiding them.

Quill: The Life of a Guide Dog doesn't examine how touchingly the dog and man connect over time, nor does it illustrate how dogs make something softer than it actually is. Director Yôichi Sai objectively shows the casual processes a guide dog is taken through. Going into this expecting a documentary of sorts, I was taken by how stably this tale amounts to the boundaries of fictitious storytelling. For all I know, this could've been a docudrama, illustrating a true story purely and without cliché traps, as it does.

Being that Quill is a Japanese film centering on the area of Japan (I've been dancing around that fact for fear that it will curb a potential viewer's mind), Quill's trainer (Kippei Shiina) makes it very clear that when giving Quill directions, Mr. Watanabe must state them in English so as not to open the possibility of Quill mistaking pedestrian Japanese or nearby Japanese dialog for commands. It's an interesting little side-note to say the least.

Although not directly stated or marketed to any person, I could see young kids appreciating this story just as much as an adult. The subtitles are basic and can be read by anyone of a fourth grade reading level. Kids will adore the cute little puppy, parents will enjoy the depth and emotional impact (as well as the sensitive direction), and it would be a nice introduction to the unlimited possibilities of getting a dog if a family would be thinking of committing such a step.

Some people have stated that Quill had a bad life as a dog and was gravely mistreated throughout his entire career. I don't believe so; the dog was never abused or neglected. His life was somewhat less loving, maybe, than the typical American dog in a middle class suburban home, but never did I recall an instance where Quill was treated with neglect or abuse. If not loved unconditionally, Quill's actions were at least appreciated by not only Mr. Watanabe, but his foster parents, who Quill spends his later days with.

As stated before, Quill is one of the cutest, most lovable movie dogs I have ever seen and Quill: The Life of a Guide Dog is among the best dog movies I've ever seen. It shows how dogs assist humans in shockingly beneficial ways and does so by creating an emotionally lively and enjoyable picture with familiar characters and beautiful storytelling. I'd say it's a better dog movie than Marley and Me, because of its concern for performances and the fact that there's more than just a cute dog at the center of its story.

Starring: Kippei Shiina and Kaoru Kobayashi. Directed by: Yôichi Sai.