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I Wish

2011·Movie
2h 7min·PG

Where to watch

Links go to licensed services. Data from JustWatch and TMDB.

What's your score?

Your score

I Wish fingerprint

Big heart, strong craft, low-key.

Energy

Calm and low-key

  • Fast Pace4
  • Tension3
  • Spectacle3

Heart

Uplifting and wholesome

Much of it is about growing up and family.

  • Hopefulness9
  • Coming of Age9
  • Wholesome8

Humor

A little humor

Not a comedy at heart.

  • Wit & Wordplay4
  • Situational Comedy3
  • Absurdist Humor3

World

Everyday modern life, growing up, and family

  • Dialogue Centrality7
  • Rewatchability7
  • World Immersion6

Craft

Standout characters

  • Character Depth8
  • Direction7
  • Acting7

Style

Functional look and sound

  • Cinematography7
  • Music Composition7
  • Editing6

Who it's for

AdultsDate NightFamily Movie NightFriends NightParty VibeIntergenerationalKidsPartner WatchPublic Viewing SafeSolo WatchTeensBackground WatchComfort WatchDrop-in FriendlyPure EscapismThought-Provoking

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You want dark or edgy material

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Based on the GoodWatch fingerprint: our scores for 70+ attributes of every movie. Select a row to see all of them.

About

They wished for a miracle.

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.
Gentle Family DramaComing-of-AgeChildren's PerspectiveHope and OptimismJapanese RealismBrotherhoodRural SettingWholesome

Sequels and Prequels

No sequels or prequels available

Media

Questions about I Wish

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream I Wish legally?

I Wish is included with a subscription to Philo in the United States. You can watch it free with ads on Kanopy, Hoopla, and YouTube Free. You can also rent or buy it from Apple TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, and Google Play Movies. All links in Where to Watch go to these licensed services.

Is I Wish worth watching?

80
GreatGoodWatch score

Yes. It's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 81/100 (IMDb 7.4, Rotten Tomatoes 93%, and Metacritic 80). The GoodWatch score combines critic and audience ratings.

What is I Wish rated?

PG

It's rated PG in the United States.

How long is I Wish?

2 h 7 min

I Wish runs 2 h 7 min.

Do critics and audiences agree on I Wish?

Critics87
Audiences76

Not quite. Critics rate I Wish higher (87) than audiences (76). It may be more rewarding than it is crowd-pleasing.

What language is I Wish in?

Japanese

It was made in Japanese. Produced in Japan.

In how many countries can I watch I Wish?

13BRCACHFRGBHKIEJPKRNLSKTWUS

GoodWatch finds legal streaming, rental, or purchase options for I Wish in 13 countries. Pick any of them in Where to Watch to see the local services.

What tropes does I Wish use?

Divorce Is TemporaryHot LibrarianCatch PhraseBittersweet EndingChekhov's SkillChick MagnetPlaying CyranoMultigenerational HouseholdShout-Out

TV Tropes lists 9 storytelling tropes for I Wish, including Divorce Is Temporary, Hot Librarian, Catch Phrase.