Parents' Guide to

I Wish

By Brian Costello, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Unique, leisurely subtitled film about parental separation.

Movie PG 2011 128 minutes
I Wish Poster Image

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What's the Story?

Koichi is a 12-year-old Japanese boy going to school in a town he does not like. His parents are separated; although he lives with his mother and grandparents, his brother Ryu lives with his slacker musician father in another town. As this is happening, the talk around him is of a new bullet train system that is almost ready to begin. Koichi begins to believe that if he wishes for his family to be together once more at the point where the two bullet trains pass each other at their highest speeds, this wish will come true. He convinces his friends and his brother to believe in this idea, too, and together they sneak away from their homes and embark on a journey to the bullet train in the hopes of making their deepest wishes come true.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (1):

Although it's slow-paced at times, I WISH is a beautiful film, a meditation on wishes, yearning, and belief. The acting from the children transcends the Japanese setting; the behavior of their characters is so universal that both parents and kids from other cultures will find aspects with which to identify. The themes of separation and divorce, of adults trying to follow their dreams, and of earnest desires of imaginative children are frankly explored through the ideas of both adults and children, and the result is as unforgettable as it is bittersweet.

The film's leisurely pace and subtitles might be problematic for some viewers, but there really hasn't ever been a movie quite like I Wish. It's a lovely coming-of-age story that will resonate with the whole family.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the movie's Japanese roots. In what ways was the film universal, and in what ways was it uniquely Japanese? How would this movie be different if it were remade in an American (or any other country's) setting?

  • What are your thoughts on subtitles in movies? Do they add to or take away from the viewing experience? Why?

  • How is the issue of divorce and separation treated in this movie? Do you think it is a realistic depiction?

Movie Details

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