Wish I Was Here (2014) Directed by Zach Braff and co-written with Adam Braff
I wanted so much for this film. As did all the Kickstarter backers and lovers of Garden State.
Don't get me wrong, this film is heartfelt, funny, sad, and well-shot. But overall, it leaves the audience wishing there was just...more.
Relying on well-trodden cliches and spoon-fed-to-you life lessons, this film's messages are all over the place. Braff's lead character is feeling lost: see the scene where he notices an empty pamphlet holder saying "This pamphlet will save your life". However, he is also the mouthpiece and omniscient voice of life lessons in this film as well, which creates a conflicting picture of where the meaning is really coming from. Redeemed by a masterful performance by Mandy Patinkin and much too-short cameo by Donald Faison, this film can be considered a luke-warm feel-good movie that any Zach Braff fan should definitely see.
