Wish I Was Here
1.5/4
Starring: Zach Braff, Kate Hudson, Mandy Patinkin, Joey King, Pierce Gagnon, Josh Gad
Rated R for Language and Some Sexual Content
For a brief period, Zach Braff's directorial debut, "Garden State," was my favorite film of all time (emphasis on brief, since I only saw the film once, and that was years ago). The same will not be said about his newest film, "Wish I Was Here," which is just awful.
This new dramedy feels like a trailer for another movie, although it would be stretching it to say that it would be good. There are plenty of "emotional" moments that would look good in a trailer, but Braff doesn't build upon them. The whole thing feels like an assembly of little clips that, by themselves, are decent enough, but they don't really add up to much.
Aidan Bloom (Braff) is a struggling actor. He has the support of his lovely wife Sarah (Hudson), but his father Gabe (Patinkin) considers him a failure. After Gabe's cancer returns, he chooses to spend his remaining money on an experimental treatment instead of his grandchildren's tuition. Since public school is out of the question and Sarah has to bring home the bacon, he takes it upon himself to educate them, and in so doing, he learns that what we do for each other is more important than what we do for ourselves.
To be perfectly frank, there wasn't much of a chance that this story would be something substantial, but a serviceable tearjerker wasn't out of the question. But Braff botches it. Subplots are raised and dropped with alarming frequency, scenes end far too quickly, and when he touches on something that could be meaningful, he skims over it.
The humor is also limited. Some of it, like the rabbi and the Segeway, belongs in a really bad sitcom. Most is so weak it's hard to realize that Braff is making a joke.
The performances are adequate. Leading the pack are Kate Hudson and Mandy Patinkin. Hudson isn't as bubbly as usual, but she's warm and encouraging, and those are some of her strengths. There are times when she's required to have a backbone, like when dealing with an obnoxious co-worker who loves talking about his "mid-boners" (played by the always oily Michael Weston), and she's still rather good in these scenes. Mandy Patinkin, looking nothing like Inigo Montoya, is terrific as the grumpy and abrasive Gabe. He's a total jerk, but Patinkin makes his desire for redemption believable. Josh Gad and young Pierce Gagnon provide solid support as well, but Joey King is flat, playing the very conservative daughter.
Zach Braff has shown range and comic timing in the past, but here, he's merely adequate, and some of his supposedly funny scenes, like the stuff with the swear jar, don't work. His heart doesn't seem to be in it, which is ironic, since he co-wrote, directed and co-produced this movie.
Then there's the ending. It would be bad enough that it's melodramatic and sappy. That comes with the territory, but not only does Braff overdo it, it's not even set up well. Sappy endings are bad. Poorly manufactured ones are even worse.
Just avoid this movie.
Starring: Zach Braff, Kate Hudson, Mandy Patinkin, Joey King, Pierce Gagnon, Josh Gad
Rated R for Language and Some Sexual Content
For a brief period, Zach Braff's directorial debut, "Garden State," was my favorite film of all time (emphasis on brief, since I only saw the film once, and that was years ago). The same will not be said about his newest film, "Wish I Was Here," which is just awful.
This new dramedy feels like a trailer for another movie, although it would be stretching it to say that it would be good. There are plenty of "emotional" moments that would look good in a trailer, but Braff doesn't build upon them. The whole thing feels like an assembly of little clips that, by themselves, are decent enough, but they don't really add up to much.
Aidan Bloom (Braff) is a struggling actor. He has the support of his lovely wife Sarah (Hudson), but his father Gabe (Patinkin) considers him a failure. After Gabe's cancer returns, he chooses to spend his remaining money on an experimental treatment instead of his grandchildren's tuition. Since public school is out of the question and Sarah has to bring home the bacon, he takes it upon himself to educate them, and in so doing, he learns that what we do for each other is more important than what we do for ourselves.
To be perfectly frank, there wasn't much of a chance that this story would be something substantial, but a serviceable tearjerker wasn't out of the question. But Braff botches it. Subplots are raised and dropped with alarming frequency, scenes end far too quickly, and when he touches on something that could be meaningful, he skims over it.
The humor is also limited. Some of it, like the rabbi and the Segeway, belongs in a really bad sitcom. Most is so weak it's hard to realize that Braff is making a joke.
The performances are adequate. Leading the pack are Kate Hudson and Mandy Patinkin. Hudson isn't as bubbly as usual, but she's warm and encouraging, and those are some of her strengths. There are times when she's required to have a backbone, like when dealing with an obnoxious co-worker who loves talking about his "mid-boners" (played by the always oily Michael Weston), and she's still rather good in these scenes. Mandy Patinkin, looking nothing like Inigo Montoya, is terrific as the grumpy and abrasive Gabe. He's a total jerk, but Patinkin makes his desire for redemption believable. Josh Gad and young Pierce Gagnon provide solid support as well, but Joey King is flat, playing the very conservative daughter.
Zach Braff has shown range and comic timing in the past, but here, he's merely adequate, and some of his supposedly funny scenes, like the stuff with the swear jar, don't work. His heart doesn't seem to be in it, which is ironic, since he co-wrote, directed and co-produced this movie.
Then there's the ending. It would be bad enough that it's melodramatic and sappy. That comes with the territory, but not only does Braff overdo it, it's not even set up well. Sappy endings are bad. Poorly manufactured ones are even worse.
Just avoid this movie.
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