Our take
Divorce is hard, even with a fairly civil separation and moving to another place entirely free from the divorced parent. The main emotional stakes are usually carried by the parent, but even then, children have some stake in this relationship, seeing that this permanently affects their relationship with both parents and any siblings they may have. I Wish tackles a separated family through the kids’ eyes– taking a rumored wish-making pair of bullet trains to get their family together, but in the optimistic reality kids tend to have, rather than a fantastical fairytale adventure. Through Hirokazu Kore-eda’s frames, and the precocious real life brothers portraying the main duo, I Wish effectively balances its hopeful tone all throughout, capturing the kids’ hopes and dreams in an endearing, but not overly sentimental, way.
The story
Twelve-year-old Koichi, who has been separated from his brother Ryunosuke due to his parents' divorce, hears a rumor that the new bullet trains will precipitate a wish-granting miracle when they pass each other at top speed.
Elsewhere
"The spirit of Spielberg, transplanted to the east. Bliss."
— David Jenkins
"You can contemplate the wonder in these glowing young faces without feeling as if you're on an intravenous drip of corn syrup."
— David Edelstein
Due to their parents’ separation, twelve-year-old Koichi Ohsako lives apart in a different prefecture from his younger brother Ryunosuke Kinami. The two hatch a complicated plan involving the new bullet trains to make their wish come true.
The guitar score is a bit cheesy, but with the slice-of-life scenes and the performances, it all comes across as charming rather than cliché.
How immensely healing. Where can I get their grandpa’s sponge cake?
The details
Streaming arrival
Who picked it
Isabella Endrinal is a curator at A Good Movie to Watch. She's now free from the corporate night shift. Previous articles have been published in outlets such as NANG Magazine. She's currently catching up on some classic films… if she isn't coping with the fact that the Haikyu anime will end soon.
