Rick Morin: Movie Review - Wish I Was Here

Starring: Zach Braff and Kate Hudson.
Written by: Zach and Adam Braff

Meet Aidan Bloom (Zach Braff): A 35-year-old family man living the suburban dream/nightmare; He’s an out-of-work actor with two kids in private school and Sarah (Kate Hudson), his devoted wife, brings home the bacon from a dead-end job as a data-entry clerk.

The kids go to a private Jewish school, not because Aidan is devout, but because his domineering father Gabe (Mandy Patinkin) is paying the exorbitant fees and demands they get a religious education. Then Aidan learns that Gabe has cancer and can no longer pay for the schooling. 

Suddenly, and not surprisingly, Aidan finds himself at major crossroads, which forces him to examine his life, his career and his family

With funds tapped out, Aidan decides to home school the kids – from here we are treated to some of the film’s warmest and funniest scenes; in spite of his faults, and they are plentiful, Aidan is definitely a contender for Father-of-the-Year. 

The film, while well written and capably directed, is at times needlessly self-aware and preaching – many of the scenes appear highly contrived in order to accommodate an endless procession of existential dollar-store wisdom.  

Over-all, Wish I Was Here is a heart-felt, warm fuzzy – and quite funny movie about a Dad’s journey of discovery to the things that matter most in life: love and family. And, hey, just in time for Father’s Day!

Wish I was here was directed by Zach Braff and co-written with his brother Adam – the screenplay is said to be autobiographical

If you’re not familiar with Zach Braff’s work, he his best known for his role as Dr John Dorian from the hit television series Scrubs – in fact, watch for a sneaky cameo from his Scrubs co-star and friend, Donald Faison, playing a hi-end car salesman.  

Braff made his directorial debut in 2004 with the cult indie film Garden State, in which he also starred.