10 Promises to My Dog

Akari is twelve and her mother has fallen seriously ill. In those days a puppy comes into the house. Akari names him Socks, after the white markings on his paws. Her mother has her make ten promises about the dog: be patient, talk to him, stay with him, do not forget. Akari will not keep those promises in the years that follow. Katsuhide Motoki's Japanese film starts from a text that circulated online as the ten commandments of dog ownership. The telling sets growing up and neglect side by side: Akari is not a bad person, her life simply goes another way. Rena Tanaka plays the grown Akari. The film overdoes the feeling, but its subject is clear and honest.