WISH I WAS HERE follows the life of Aidan Bloom (Zach Braff), an L.A-based mid-thirties husband, out-of-work actor and non-practicing Jew. Approaching a crisis point in his life, he s reluctant to give up on his dream of becoming an actor yet feels the strain he s putting on his wife, Sarah (Kate Hudson), the sole breadwinner. When his father (Mandy Patinkin), gets ill and they can no longer afford to send their kids (Joey King and Pierce Gagnon), to a private Hebrew school, Aidan is forced to re-evaluate everything. Not easy for a guy who still daydreams he s a spaceman.... Also starring Josh Gad, Jim Parsons and Ashley Greene, WISH I WAS HERE is the uplifting and relatable story of life, love and family for a thirty-something man who finds himself at major crossroads. The talk of Sundance festival on its debut earlier this year, WISH I WAS HERE is renowned as one of the biggest Kickstarter projects ever created, and features soundtrack music from the likes of The Shins, Bon Iver, Coldplay, Cat Power and Paul Simon. [show more]
In 2004, Zach Braff made his feature directorial debut with Garden State, one of the most celebrated indie productions of the 21st century. Written and directed by Braff, the film is a wonderful exploration of themes like love, young adulthood, and finding yourself amongst a sea of people swimming with the current.
Ten years later, Braff returns with his long-awaited second film, Wish I Was Here, and the result is spectacular. The characters may be separate, but Braff picks up many of the same threads he explored a decade ago and takes them even further. His characters are now more grown up, with children of their own. He and his brother, co-writer Adam Braff, explore what life is like for adults in their 30s who don't necessarily know who they are, and don't always want to conform to what society demands and expects of them.
Zach Braff stars as Aidan Bloom, an actor who struggles to find work in the competitive industry in Los Angeles. When his father, Gabe (Mandy Patinkin), reveals that his cancer has returned and that he will no longer be able to provide for his grandchildren's education, Aidan withdraws his children from their private school and takes on the challenge of teaching them himself.
It's this premise that gives the Braff brothers a perfect chance to explore the same kind of themes Garden State did ten years earlier, but with a current story and taking on current issues. The world that exists today is in many ways a far cry from the one that existed just ten years ago, and Wish I Was Here navigates those changes perfectly. It's pretty rare for an independent film to do so many things with such little time and in such a powerful way. More and more we turn to television to get to know characters and watch how they develop. It's all the more impressive when an independent film can do it in a fraction of the running time, and often with a fraction of the budget.
Braff put up some of his own money to get the film made, and turned to the fanbase he's built up over his length career, most notably anchoring the TV comedy, Scrubs. He asked them to give him their hard-earned money in exchange for making the film he wanted to make, and he didn't disappoint. I was one of the thousands of people who supported him in that endeavour, and I am so glad that I did, because the result is one of the finest feats of filmmaking we've seen in a long, long time.
Kate Hudson gives a superb performance as Braff's on-screen wife, Sarah, who supports him through thick and thin, and who is the rock he turns to when he is facing his hardest times. Patinkin, perhaps best known for his role in recent hit Homeland, is every bit as impressive as Braff's ailing father, with Josh Gad delivering a hilarious performance as Aidan's brother, Noah. And arguably more impressive than anyone are the two young children, Joey King and Pierce Gagnon. Braff asks a lot of them as both a writer and a director, and they never fail to light up the screen in every scene they're in. Joey King, in particular, gives a wonderfully nuanced performance as Aidan and Sarah's slightly troubled adolescent daughter, Grace, who is struggling with the same kinds of identity issues her father is going through.
The message is a powerful one. No matter what age we are, or what upbringing we had, our paths to find ourselves can at times be a struggle, seemingly insurmountable. But these characters are never without hope. They lean on each other in times of need, and their trials and tribulations are all the more affecting and moving for it.
The Braff brothers' script is wonderful, wearing its heart on its sleeve, and much credit goes to Braff's work as a director behind the camera, drawing these terrific performances from the entire leading cast. All we can do now is hope that it won't be another ten years before we see him get back behind the camera and direct his third film.
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Please note this is a region 2 DVD and will require a region 2 (Europe) or region Free DVD Player in order to play. WISH I WAS HERE follows the life of Aidan Bloom (Zach Braff) an L.A-based mid-thirties husband out-of-work actor and non-practicing Jew. Approaching a crisis point in his life he s reluctant to give up on his dream of becoming an actor yet feels the strain he s putting on his wife Sarah (Kate Hudson) the sole breadwinner. When his father (Mandy Patinkin) gets ill and they can no longer afford to send their kids (Joey King and Pierce Gagnon) to a private Hebrew school Aidan is forced to re-evaluate everything. Not easy for a guy who still daydreams he s a spaceman. Also starring Josh Gad Jim Parsons and Ashley Greene WISH I WAS HERE is the uplifting and relatable story of life love and family for a thirty-something man who finds himself at major crossroads. The talk of Sundance festival on its debut earlier this year WISH I WAS HERE is renowned as one of the biggest Kickstarter projects ever created and features soundtrack music from the likes of The Shins Bon Iver Coldplay Cat Power and Paul Simon.
Comedy drama written and directed by Zach Braff starring Kate Hudson, Mandy Patinkin and Jim Parsons. Zach Braff plays Aidan Bloom, a 35-year-old actor struggling to find his true purpose in life. While his children are enjoying a private education at the expense of Aidan's father Saul (Patinkin), he daydreams about one day becoming the space knight from the future he invented as a child. When Saul reveals he can no longer pay for his grandchildren's education, Aidan decides to give homeschooling a go. Recognising that the school curriculum isn't the best way of teaching his kids, Aidan invents his own methods and philosophies to educate his offspring.
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