I have seen several films directed by Hirokazu Koreeda and enjoyed them since they often give an unconventional look at Japanese life. So, it's not surprising that I was excited to see "Kiseki" ("I Wish"). Sadly, however, I was quite disappointed in the picture...mostly because of its incredibly slow pace. Oh, well...I guess you can't win 'em all.
The story is a bit like "The Parent Trap"...just a bit. This is because the story is about two brothers who have been separated by their awful parents. It seems they parents divorced and instead of having the boys remain together, each parent took one! Not surprisingly, the boys miss each other! Well, when one of them hears a rumor that you can have your wish granted if you watch two bullet trains pass each other. This means they both need to sneak off to a spot midway between their homes in Fukuoka and Kumamoto. They also bring along a few friends who also have wishes...including one weird kid who brings along his dead dog and his wish is that the dog returns to life!
The film might have worked better had it been more of a comedy or if it had been more poignant. However, instead it's neither and moves at a snail's pace. Interesting at times, but I honestly had trouble staying awake as I watched.
The story is a bit like "The Parent Trap"...just a bit. This is because the story is about two brothers who have been separated by their awful parents. It seems they parents divorced and instead of having the boys remain together, each parent took one! Not surprisingly, the boys miss each other! Well, when one of them hears a rumor that you can have your wish granted if you watch two bullet trains pass each other. This means they both need to sneak off to a spot midway between their homes in Fukuoka and Kumamoto. They also bring along a few friends who also have wishes...including one weird kid who brings along his dead dog and his wish is that the dog returns to life!
The film might have worked better had it been more of a comedy or if it had been more poignant. However, instead it's neither and moves at a snail's pace. Interesting at times, but I honestly had trouble staying awake as I watched.