A heartwarming tale of bonds and family with so much innocence In a season where films of action, violence and horror dominate the box-office, it’s quite refreshing to see a movie go right back to basics. ’10 Promises to My Dog’ (Inu to Watashi no Jyu no Yakusoku) focuses on something so simple, and perhaps taken for granted, which is the relationship we have with our pets. Despite covering something featured all-too-often, this film isn’t a run-of-the-mill ‘man and his dog’ movie.
The tale begins with 14-year-old Saito Akari (Fukuda Mayuko) longing for a dog for companionship, partially because her doctor father is not able to spend enough time with her. One day she finds a cute little puppy in the family lawn (later revealed to have been planned by her mum). She names her ‘Socks’ after the white markings on her paws, and they both develop a strong bond together. Akari is later taught of the ’10 Promises of Dog Ownership’ by her dying mother. These are actually more like promises between her and Socks. These can easily be related to, as they serve as a reminder that keeping a pet comes with certain responsibilities. The story then revolves around the 10 years Akari spends with Socks.
As Akari grows up, her social life changes around her, and she slowly forgets the promises she made. The older Akari (Tanaka Rena) is preoccupied with work, she gets interested in men and spends more time with friends. Things can get really sad at various moments of the movie, and many pet owners can relate to events that unfold. Even if you aren’t a pet owner and just love animals, you can’t help but relate with all the hardship and things that threaten to break the family apart. The star of the show, Socks is herself a beautiful animal. Starting off as a ridiculously cute puppy, she grows up into a gorgeous golden retriever that is loved by everyone who knows her. She’s also a surprisingly good actress, giving expressions and body language that will touch your heart.
Tanaka Rena and Fukuda Mayuko deserve special mention for their roles of Akari’s different stages in life. Other than the fact that they manage to look very sweet and similar to one another, they also portray great acting and match Socks so well through their character. It’s not hard to imagine yourself in Akari’s shoes. The character of Saito (Toyokawa Etsushi), Akari’s dad is also a lovable character that sees interesting development. He starts out as a workaholic father that has no time for the family and fears dogs, and later quits his job after his wife passes away. Trading his surgical knives for kitchen ones, he works hard from home, keeping the family together through tough times and also develops a bond with the very dog he feared before.
10 Promises to My Dog is a moving tale and is a pleasant surprise for those seeking something different that doesn’t involve bloodshed. There’s no Hollywood storyline involving a dog saving the world, and it’s not even really an adventure. Instead, there is emphasis on events in life that bond companions and sacrifices made in the name of family. It might not be a groundbreaking tale, but it is definitely a touching one that transcends ages, and it shows that one can still make a movie with so much innocence.
5 Stars (Out of 5)
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