I saw Wish I Was Here last year and really enjoyed it. It came on HBO the other night and I decided to watch it while I was working. It didn’t take long that I remembered why I liked it so much and it managed to resonate on a personal level this time as I just lost my father-in-law. I feel Wish I Was Here is deserving of the Not Quite Golden, Ponyboy.
Wish I Was Here is a heartfelt comedy!
Aidan Bloom (Zach Braff), a struggling actor, lives in Los Angeles with his wife (Kate Hudson) and two children, Grace (Joey King) and Tucker (Pierce Gagnon). Aidan has to give an attempt at home-schooling his offspring as the support his father, Gabe (Mandy Patinkin), was giving for private school is no longer an option. Aidan has to deal with his ill father, his curriculum, and his career issues while trying to be a good husband and father.
Zach Braff makes me laugh a lot in this film and then manages to make me really like his character. He’s trying to be a good husband, father, and son, but seems to be coming up short despite his efforts. Early scenes make me love him as a character, like when his daughter mentions wearing a modesty wig and he tells her she’s beautiful even if she were bald. It’s a great scene that establishes his character.
Joey King gives a great performance in this film as well. I really enjoy her interactions with her granddad. She really seems to be in character throughout the film, but her little brother Tucker isn’t quite as great. Gagnon has a few solid moments, but he isn’t as strong of a performer as King. Hudson does a solid job, but isn’t in the film as much as the others. Josh Gad, who plays plays Noah Bloom, Aidan’s brother, and is quirky and funny in the role. There is a heartfelt moment he shares with King over a phone call that demonstrates their abilities as actors.
I like Braff’s directorial style in this film. There is a surreal element that acts as insight into what Aidan is going through and I could see some people not liking it, but it works for me. The casting choices are strong and the cinematography works well. The best part is the tone of the film to me. It just feels like real life in every aspect. There is comedy and there are very sad moments, but the way they are woven together feels like reality.
If you get a chance to see this film I suggest that you do. It’s a simple story, but extremely relatable. Braff’s take on life mimics my own and I’m a fan of these type of stories.
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