Parents' Guide to

Quill: The Life of a Guide Dog

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Charming subtitled drama shows healing power of dogs.

Movie NR 2012 100 minutes
Quill: The Life of a Guide Dog Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 9+

Based on 1 parent review

jhannibal
jhannibal Adult
June 25, 2013
age 9+

(spoiler alert: death happens)

Great film, well done with cute puppy moments and teachable moments about dogs. Spoiler alert: both the dog and his blind owner die in the end. We didn't see that coming, and it caught us emotionally off-guard. I'd have prepped my kids with that fact if I'd have known in advance. Otherwise, totally great film. The subtitles were fairly easy for a eight or nine year old to read, despite the words detracting a little from the kid focusing on the images on-screen.
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What's the Story?

Quill, a dedicated Labrador, is the one puppy in his litter who doesn't immediately come when he's called, a potential sign of introspection and patience that may mean he's got the right stuff to be a guide dog for the blind. Soon he's sent to a school where he's trained to lead a sightless person; later, he's assigned to Watanabe, a surly journalist who's more than a handful for the people around him. Eventually, dog and master become a tightly bonded unit, changing both of them for the better.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (1):

QUILL: THE LIFE OF A GUIDE DOG appears to be a documentary, so carefully does it document the entire dog-training process. But this Japanese film is actually a charming drama about the relationship between a canine and his master and how their interaction can transform them both. It could have all been played for kitsch, but thankfully, there are no human voiceovers explaining Quill's inner thoughts, nor are there any cutesy techniques to personify him.

Instead, Quill allows the dog to do what dogs do: He sits when he's told to sit and waits when he's told to wait, and, most importantly, he carefully leads Watanabe safely through town And you still gets to know the main characters, especially the canine headliner. Such a gem he is! He cares about his master more than anything else in the world. This is a film that shows what it takes to connect with another being, and it's told in such an elegantly simple way.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the relationship between Quill and his master. How does it differ from a standard pet-owner relationship? What qualities make Quill a good guide dog?

  • How is Quill different from other movies that focus on animals? Did you get a sense of what Quill is thinking and feeling even though there's no voiceover or other device that serves as the dog's inner dialogue?

  • How does the blind Watanabe cope with his disability? How does the film portray his life? Does the film contradict any stereotypes about people with disabilities?

Movie Details

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