I think it would be a good idea to watch this movie with someone that doesn't already know the story of the real Hachi and see what their reaction is.
Very loosely based on the real-life story of Japanese dog Hachiko, they did about as well a job as you can expect turning this Japanese story into something that happens in, I think, Rhode Island between Richard Gere and a Achi puppy that he accidentally ends up owning and at first, doesn't even want.
This movie, like most movies in that span of 10 years, managed to pass me by without me even knowing about its existence. Although its modest income wouldn't exactly be considered blockbuster numbers it did make a respectable 30 million dollars overall.
Some people complained that the movie kind of dragged on but to be fair, I am sure that this film, which can basically be summed up in a 200 word article with a few photos, is a bit difficult to turn into a 90 minute film. I think they probably would have struggled with a script for that.
I dont think there is a way to watch this film not already knowing the ending since the trailer and the few advertising materials I could find kind of give away the ending but I suppose that isn't really the point. I normally don't like it when films ideas are taken from other countries and remade in the USA but I can understand, financially, why they do so. I watched all of this film and got misty-eyed at multiple points.
If you like dogs like I do, I think you would enjoy this one, even if you already know what is going to happen.