Wenny
Has Wings (Original title: Ano sora wo oboeteru) | 2008 | 1h 55m
Genre:
Drama | Country: Japan
Director:
Shin Togashi | Writers: Janet Lee Carey, Kôta Yamada
Cast:
Yutaka Takenouchi, Miki Mizuno, Ryohei Hirota
IMDB:
4.2
My
Rate: 9/10
Erina’s death in an accident involving her and her older brother becomes a silent blow that cracks their family from within. The wound left by his sister’s passing makes Eiji try to bring back the warmth of their home — even if it means hiding the loss that’s slowly eating him away.
Warning:
Contains scenes of violence and harsh language.Synopsis:
Eiji
lives in a happy family together with his mother, father, and younger sister,
Erina. They’re even waiting for the arrival of a new member — the baby his
mother is expecting. But that happiness doesn’t last long and seems to vanish
in the blink of an eye.
An
accident befalls Erina and Eiji, causing Erina to lose her life. Erina’s death
not only leaves a wound, but also takes away the warmth from the family. Each
of them sinks into their own sadness and, without realizing it, destroys
themselves in silence.
Ignoring
his own feelings and grief, Eiji tries to bring that warmth back. On the other
hand, he has to find a way to heal the emptiness inside him. Eiji writes
letters to Erina about the feelings he can’t express, even though he knows
those letters will never reach her.
Will
they be able to find a way out of the grief that’s close to swallowing them?
Review:
Loss
that comes suddenly leaves a wound that’s not easy to accept — as if we’re
forced to make peace with a reality we never prepared for. Wenny Has Wings
tries to capture that feeling in a quiet and slow way. This adaptation of Janet
Lee Carey’s novel manages to touch the heart without forcing tears.
The
film opens with cheerful music that suddenly stops, replaced by a dark tone
that emphasizes the tragedy that hits the family. Eiji’s body on the operating
table and the tension surrounding him become a strong foundation for the story
that will unfold. The introduction of the characters — the parents and Erina —
is arranged neatly and with empathy.
The
main conflict doesn’t come from outside, but from within each character. The
father who chooses to drown in guilt, the mother who tries to stay strong for
Eiji and the baby in her womb, and Eiji who tries to fill the empty space left
by Erina while carrying his own wound. Their sadness feels close, built through
long pauses, silence, and slow but piercing dialogue.
The
character development is shown very well. The big argument that happens becomes
a turning point — the moment when they finally acknowledge their own wounds and
try to live alongside them instead of ignoring them. A resolution that feels
very satisfying.
The
acting from the cast is excellent. Ryohei Hirota plays Eiji wonderfully — his
fear, bitterness, and longing feel real. His cries leave a long-lasting
impression. Ai Yoshikawa as Erina also performs with full dedication and
manages to portray a strong character even though she only appears in fragments
of memory.
Technically,
the film is beautiful. The color composition, camera movement, transitions
between reality and memory, and small symbols like balloons and bright light —
all work together to deepen the emotional impact of the story.
Seeing
the quality of its presentation and the depth of its theme, the IMDb rating
doesn’t seem to reflect how special this film is. For lovers of mellow and
quiet psychological dramas, this film is definitely worth watching.
The
atmosphere of this film reminds me of Zinnia Flower, both highlighting
grief and the ways people try to tend to their wounds. That everyone has their
own way of dealing with loss — and even when the world seems to stop, life
still has to go on.
Memorable Scene:
This
is one of the most heart-wrenching scenes. Eiji breaks down crying in the arms
of his counseling teacher, as if all the burdens he’s been holding inside
finally found a way out. Ever since Erina’s death, he forces himself to be
strong and cheerful like his sister — even when he feels like his parents no
longer want him. That contradiction keeps tearing him apart from the inside.
In
life, we often fixate on what’s gone until we forget to see what’s still here.
Loss can blind us, but life still asks us to care for what remains — especially
ourselves. The wound still needs to be felt, but slowly, it also needs to be
passed through.
Memorable Dialogue:
“Dying doesn’t mean she’ll disappear forever.”
Ending:
Bittersweet
Ending
Recommendation:
Must
Watch
(Aluna)
 – From Loss to Acceptance){kind=link}
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