Shinobu Yaguchi made his directorial mark with giddy comedies like My Secret Cache, Waterboys, and Swing Girls, and this film takes his comedy (of sorts) to the friendly skies.
Happy Flight is a buoyant entertainment, with situations springing from the familiar context of the airport and environs. The cast is uniformly agreeable, showing their skills at light, breezy material. If anything, the comedy is perhaps too light; unlike Yaguchi's other blithe offerings, there's a certain paucity of fresh gags to keep the whole thing running smooth. The talented Haruka Ayase proved her comic skill with Hotaro no Hikaru; the movie Cyborg Girl gave her a platform for a clever, funny dual role. Here, however, the writing doesn't allow Ayase to make much of her character or situation. Other actors have the same problem.
The situations were engaging for the most part, but never seemed to result in comic payoff. Given the level of talent here, one expect a bit more. If anything, this comes off like a gently comic drama, always careful to treat ANA with kid gloves - but in the process depriving the comic elements of bite.
