Best
Wishes to All (Original title: Mina ni ko are) | 2024 | 1h 29m
Genre:
Folk Horror / Psychological Horror / Horror / Mystery | Country: Japan
Director:
Yûta Shimotsu | Writers: Rumi Kakuta, Yûta Shimotsu
Cast:
Masashi Arifuku, Kotone Furukawa, Aine Hara
IMDb:
6.1
My
Rate: 6/10
A woman, though clearly reluctant, returns to her hometown to visit her grandparents. A dark secret she has tried to ignore resurfaces, bringing doubt about the life she has been living.
Warning:
Contains scenes of violenceSynopsis:
A
woman returns to her hometown after years away, intending to visit her
grandparents whom she hasn’t seen in a long time. The old house welcomes her
with a warmth that almost feels too calm. But behind that calm lies childhood
memories she has buried for years—terrifying experiences that made her never
want to return.
At
first, everything seems normal. Family smiles, greetings from villagers, and a
reunion with an old friend that sparks nostalgia. But slowly, oddities begin to
surface. The strange behavior of her grandparents and small secrets that seem
deliberately hidden from her.
Everything
changes when she sees a strange man inside the house—his eyes and mouth tightly
stitched shut. Even more horrifying, her grandparents show no sign of shock at
all, as if the creature’s presence is simply part of their daily life. In fear
and confusion, the woman asks her old friend for help to free the man, unaware
that her actions instead open the door to a far more terrifying disaster.
What
secret has the village actually been guarding all this time—and what mistake
has she unknowingly unleashed?
Review:
Imagine
if the luck and happiness we feel are actually born from the misfortune that
others are forced to bear. As if happiness is something limited—something not
everyone can have, and only achievable by sacrificing others. This is the idea Best
Wishes to All tries to convey, a feature-length film developed from a short
film of the same title that won awards in 2021.
The
difference between the short version and the feature-length film feels quite
significant, both in terms of narrative and atmosphere. Unfortunately, this
expansion does not fully succeed in covering the weaknesses that already
existed before. Instead of deepening the story, the film leaves behind more
unanswered questions and unresolved narrative burdens.
The
most noticeable change appears right from the start. In the short version, the
female character arrives at her grandparents’ house feeling happy and full of
enthusiasm. This contrast makes the shock when the secret is revealed feel
extremely effective.
In
contrast, the feature-length version immediately presents the main character as
reluctant and filled with fear. The dialogue with her parents, her tense facial
expressions, and flashes of her dark childhood memories remove the element of
surprise that was once the story’s main strength.
The
conflict then slowly develops through disturbing sounds from a locked room, the
strange behavior of her grandparents, the villagers’ attitudes, and the
appearance of a horrifying hidden figure. All these elements push the main
character into a dilemma between ignorance, fear, and her sense of humanity.
The
resolution is still acceptable, though it feels random and loosely tied
together. The character’s transformation is fairly visible—she slowly makes
peace with the horrifying reality. A bleak and miserable ending, but one that
feels less impactful than it should.
The
short film version already had a strong and striking narrative foundation. It’s
natural for expectations to rise when the story is expanded into a feature
film. Unfortunately, the execution fails to fully meet that potential. The
character background that was previously vague does not receive meaningful
development, even though it could have become an interesting psychological
element.
The
uniqueness of the short version—where the secret feels exclusive and intimate
within the family—changes into a ritual practiced by an entire village. This
shift should have opened new perspectives, but instead it is left unexplained
once again. The dialogue also fails to provide additional context or meaning.
The
main character also loses her sharpness. In the short film, she is portrayed as
someone who slowly fractures mentally, even approaching psychosis as she is
forced to accept a bitter truth. The haunting narrative monologues that became
a defining feature of the short version are absent here, even though they were
one of its strongest emotional elements.
Another
weakness lies in the uneven storytelling. Transitions between scenes feel
broken, with many empty moments that add no meaning. This is unfortunate,
because the film’s message carries strong moral depth. It would have been far
more effective if the story framework and characters from the short film had
been preserved and then developed more carefully.
In
the end, Best Wishes to All is a film with a strong moral idea, but one
that does not fully succeed in turning it into a complete and moving story.
Instead of deepening the trauma, characters, and meaning behind the presented
terror, the film feels hesitant in choosing its direction, causing its great
potential to be diminished by an underdeveloped execution. While it still
leaves behind unease and questions about the price of happiness, the film
ultimately feels more like a reminder of the strength of its short version—that
sometimes, silence and simplicity are far more capable of delivering a much
deeper horror.
Memorable
Scene:
This
is a quiet yet unsettling scene. The female main character reunites with a
teenager she once saved from bullying. In that meeting, the teenager realizes
the woman’s hidden purpose—the search for a replacement sacrifice for her
family. Without hesitation, he offers himself, as if the decision had long been
prepared.
This
scene shows a near-silent mental collapse. On the surface, the teenager talks
about happiness and acceptance, about how he has made peace with the bullying
he endured. But behind those words lies a deep exhaustion. His desire to become
a sacrifice is not a noble act, but a form of despair—a final attempt to escape
a life he no longer wishes to live.
Memorable Dialogue:
“Humans fight one another for that limited happiness.”
Ending:
Sad EndingRecommendation:
Okay to Watch(Aluna)
 – Kind Wishes That Were Never Sincere){kind=link}
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