Wish I Was Here
Starring: Zach Braff, Kate Hudson, Josh Gad
Director: Zach Braff
Rating: 2.5/5
It was back in 2004 when Zach Braff made his feature film directorial debut with Garden State, ten years on, and he is back with Wish I Was Here.
Braff leads the cast as well as being in the director's chair, and has also penned the screenplay with brother Adam Braff.
Wish I Was Here tells the story of a mid-thirties man whose life has become directionless, but is forced to change drastically on learning of his father’s terminal cancer.
There was a lot of excitement surrounding Braff when he made his debut with Garden State, sadly, Wish I Was Here doesn't quite reach those dizzy heights.
Don't get me wrong, this is not the worst movie that I have seen this year, but Wish I Was Here is a muddled comedy that rather loses steam than soars.
I Wish I Was Here looks at some interesting themes such as life, death, everything in between, and how that all impacts on us, but the story and the outcome is all just a bit predictable.
While there are funny and heartfelt moments, the movie just plods over the same ground that we have seen done many times before.
I do like Braff as a filmmaker, as I think that he does make movies with confidence and has a very keen an interesting eye. But Wish I Was Here is missing the hippy and quirky edge that made many sit up and take note of Garden State.
Braff does make a likeable leading man and there is a solid performance from Kate Hudson, but it is Joey King who really shines.
She takes on the role of Aidan's teenage daughter Grace, and she give a terrific performance. King is an up and coming star, and I am excited to see what she does over the next couple of years.
There are some funny and tender moments in Wish I Was Here, but they are just a few and far between, that it does leave the movie feeling a little flat.
Wish I Was Here is out now.