Friday, 27 November 2015

Wish I Was Here

UK Release Date: 19th September 2014

A struggling actor, father and husband finds himself at a major crossroad, which forces him to examine his life, his family and his career (www.imdb.com).

Director: Zach Braff (Garden State)

Starring: Zach Braff, Kate Hudson, Joey King, Josh Gad, Mandy Patinkin, Ashley Greene

Zach Braff, as director, writer and actor, squeezes much in to an hour and a half slot, giving the five main cast members (Braff's Aidan, his wife, son, daughter and father) more than enough to do. It's a jumble at one time, and at utter harmony another.

Aidan is a family man with little income. He relies heavily on his father Gabe (Homeland's Mandy Patinkin) paying for his children's schooling. But when Gabe becomes seriously ill, Aidan must reconsider the route his life is taking. I want him to do well, regardless of his actions towards bad news.

Wish I Was Here is a drama with spurts of comedy. The humour's in the right places, never enlightening a rather somber tone.

Braff is a popular man. The movie is chock full of cameos, including Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory) and Donald Faison, who's a welcome sight after their Scrubs tenure. Josh Gad plays Braff's brother, his sub-story stretching out the running time.

As joyful or sorrowful as it is to watch, Wish I Was Here cannot help but feel like a short series. 

3.5/5

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