Wish I Was Here, 2014.
Directed by Zach Braff.
Starring Zach Braff, Kate Hudson, Mandy Patinkin, Joey King, Pierce Gagnon, Josh Gad, Ashley Greene, Donald Faison, Michael Weston, James Avery and Jim Parsons.
SYNOPSIS:
Aidan Bloom is a 35-year-old man who finds himself at major crossroads, which forces him to examine his life, his career, and his family.
Much has been made of Wish I Was Here even before a metaphorical ball was “kicked”. After many failed attempts to get any sort of project going since his first film, 2004’s superb Garden State, writer-director Zach Braff’s sophomore effort comes with the weight of two different expectations: the success of State, but now from 47,000-odd fans and followers who have helped part-fund the film outside of the “system”. Finally, a decade on from his first jump into the world of directing, Braff is back and whether you’re already a fan or not, it doesn’t disappoint.
WIWH tells the story of Aiden Bloom and his young family living in Los Angeles. Aiden is a struggling actor who is trying desperately to juggle going to auditions with being a responsible father to his two kids Grace and Tucker (King and Gagnon), a loving and supportive husband to wife Sarah (Hudson), as well as trying to juggle his own family: sick father Gabe (Patinkin) and his shut-away brother Noah (Gad). Stuck at an emotional and physical crossroads, Aiden is faced with the prospect of losing everything he holds dear unless he faces up to his responsibilities.
What separates the young director from many others in Hollywood is his unique ability to unite two combating forces that maybe shouldn’t work: raw drama and absurd comedy. Braff seeks for realism in everything he does, both here and in Garden State, and again succeeds splendidly. Nothing is “cookie-cuttered” here, everything has real consequences and nothing is clean or neatly wrapped in a tight bow. That may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s in that raw emotion that gives the film its powerful core.
To then combine those rawer moments with somewhat outlandish humour is risky, but Braff’s timing and judgment for is to be admired, and raises the film from good to very good. Even the most outlandish comedy beats, be it the astronaut/spaceman sequences or discussing his father’s struggles whilst his dog pees in the corner, work well and raise many laughs.
Outside of usual beats, Braff moves from the twenty-something angst of State to the more “responsible” themes of family, parenthood, middle age, religion, spirituality and even life itself. Big ideas to tackle in your second movie, but he revels in the challenge, juggling the film delicately and succeeding in telling a story that has both resonance and wit without ever being overbearing. You may not agree with anything he has to say about these subjects, but the emotional journey that his characters go on is compelling enough to make it worth taking with them.
As an actor too, Braff reaffirms his already sizeable reputation. Despite now having three others to carry on his shoulders, Aiden is something of a selfish guy when we first meet him, too worried about himself than the “greater good”. He soon learns the error of his ways of course, but is saved from being completely unlikeable by Braff’s “everyman” qualities, as his sincerity and warmth shine through once again in what is his best performance to date.
Another added bonus is his superb supporting cast, led by Kate Hudson and Mandy Patinkin. Hudson (here the best she has been in years) adds beauty and grace to proceedings, while the always-superb Mandy Patinkin proves what an acting powerful house he is, and the two share the film’s most touching moment. Special mention to Joey King and Pierce Gagnon, who excel as the Bloom kids, despite substantial amount of emotional weight on their young shoulders.
While the film may have missed the mark in terms of box office across the pond, it certainly hasn’t missed it in terms of quality. In his second feature, Braff shows a maturity that suggests that he still has a long directorial career in front of him, and revels in the creative control the production process has allowed him. Its idiosyncrasies and melodies may be too much for many, but Wish I Was Here is smart, funny and heart-warming (and has another terrific soundtrack), and easily one of the best indie films of the year reiterating Braff as a genuine talent in or out of Hollywood.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film ★ ★ ★ / Movie ★ ★ ★ ★
Scott Davis
