Wish I Was Here

Zach Braff's latest directorial effort doesn't exactly cover new ground, especially for Braff himself. But I have to say that there is something special about the film and it did make me feel warm in certain parts of my body that haven't felt warm in a while.

Aidan Bloom (Braff) is an out of work actor who chases his dream while his wife, Sarah (Kate Hudson), brings in the family income. Aidan spends his time going to auditions and looking after their two kids Grace (Joey King) and Tucker (Pierce Gagnon). His father Gabe (Mandy Patinkin) has been suffering with cancer on and off, but this time it's here for good.

As you can see, this is a bit of generic family drama. Fans of Braff's previous film Garden State will definitely identify the similarities. But something about this film went a little deeper than that movie. The relationship with his estranged father is explored a little bit more and the idea of faith is touched upon, albeit briefly.

But this film is still about being lost at a certain point in your life and needing a little direction to get things back on track. The film also has way too much introduction. There's a point about an hour in where I thought that we didn't need to be introduced to any more plot points, but we were and that slowed the film down considerably for me. Although it did get better toward the end of the film.

One thing is for sure though and that is that Braff can make a beautiful looking film. All the shots are exquisitely crafted. There is one of the Santa Monica Pier at night that I did think captured the moment perfectly. Despite this, I did think that slow motion was overused here, with every serious moment drawing attention to itself, without letting the audience discover these moments for themselves.

The performances that were above the rest came from both Kate Hudson and Mandy Patinkin. I've never really thought of Hudson as being a good actor, but then again I haven't seen too many of her films. She has a really incredible range and works really well with some of the more emotionally heavy scenes. The same goes for Patinkin. Some of my favourite scenes in the film involved him dropping his harsh exterior.

Verdict: A heartwarming drama that is pretty harmless and makes you feel warm inside. Don't expect anything really new or exciting. A bit heavy on the soundtrack too.