March 02, 2015
I Wish 奇跡
An endearing portrait of a young boy’s bid to bring together his separated parents through the power of kiseki.
He has been dubbed the Wes Anderson of Japanese cinema, but we deem Hirokazu Koreeda’s film-making to be truly idiosyncratic. His latest creation, I Wish, is both moving and whimsical, an endearing portrait of a young boy’s bid to bring together his separated parents through the power of kiseki (‘miracle’). The crossing of the newly-created Shinkansen, young Koichi believes, will generate enough energy to make his wish come true; and this is not a hope peculiar to him alone. He is joined by his younger brother Ryu and their band of aspirational classmates, each with their own wish to fulfil. Drawing on the charm of its provincial setting in Kagoshima, the film is simultaneously playful and poignant, evocative of both the slow-paced life in southern Japan and a ten year old’s determination to realise his dreams by whatever means he can.
