''Wish I Was Here'' is a 2014 American
comedy-drama film
Comedy drama, also known by the portmanteau ''dramedy'', is a genre of dramatic works that combines elements of comedy and drama. The modern, scripted-television examples tend to have more humorous bits than simple comic relief seen in a typical ...
directed by
Zach Braff
Zachary Israel Braff['Scrubs' Star Zach Braff Wows ...](_blank)
and co-written with his brother Adam Braff.
The film stars Zach Braff,
Donald Faison
Donald Adeosun Faison (; born June 22, 1974) is an American actor and comedian, best known for his leading role as Dr. Chris Turk in the ABC/ NBC comedy-drama '' Scrubs'' (2001–2010), and a supporting role as Murray in both the film '' Cluele ...
,
Josh Gad
Joshua Ilan Gad (born February 23, 1981) is an American actor. He is known for voicing Olaf in the '' Frozen'' franchise, playing Elder Arnold Cunningham in the Broadway musical ''The Book of Mormon'', and playing Le Fou in the live-action adap ...
,
Pierce Gagnon
Pierce Gagnon (born July 25, 2005) is an American actor. He is known for his roles in the film ''Looper'' and in the CBS series ''Extant'', as well as voicing Tim Templeton in the Netflix series '' The Boss Baby: Back in Business''.
Personal life ...
,
Ashley Greene
Ashley Michele Greene Khoury (born February 21, 1987) is an American actress. She is known for playing Alice Cullen in the film adaptations of Stephenie Meyer's ''Twilight'' novels.
Early life
Greene was born on February 21, 1987, in Jack ...
,
Kate Hudson
Kate Garry Hudson (born April 19, 1979) is an American actress and businesswoman. She has received numerous awards and nominations, including a Golden Globe Award, a Critics' Choice Movie Award and a Satellite Award, as well as nominations f ...
,
Joey King
Joey Lynn King (born July 30, 1999) is an American actress. She first gained recognition for portraying Ramona Quimby in the comedy film ''Ramona and Beezus'' (2010) and has since gained wider recognition for her lead role in ''The Kissing Boot ...
,
Jim Parsons
James Joseph Parsons (born March 24, 1973) is an American actor. From 2007 to 2019, he played Sheldon Cooper in the CBS sitcom ''The Big Bang Theory''. He has received various awards, including four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead A ...
, and
Mandy Patinkin
Mandel Bruce Patinkin (; born November 30, 1952) is an American actor and singer, known for his work in musical theatre, television and film. He is a critically acclaimed Broadway performer, having received three Tony Award nominations, winning ...
. The film had its world premiere at the
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival (formerly Utah/US Film Festival, then US Film and Video Festival) is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with more than 46,66 ...
on January 18, 2014 and was given a
limited release
__FORCETOC__
Limited theatrical release is a film distribution strategy of releasing a new film in a few theaters across a country, typically art house theaters in major metropolitan markets. Since 1994, a limited theatrical release in the Unite ...
on July 18, 2014 by
Focus Features
Focus Features LLC is an American film production and distribution company, owned by Comcast as part of Universal Pictures, a division of its wholly owned subsidiary NBCUniversal. Focus Features distributes independent and foreign films in th ...
. This marked the final film appearances for
James Avery
James La Rue Avery (November 27, 1945 – December 31, 2013) was an American actor. He was best known for his roles as Philip Banks in ''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'', Shredder in ''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'', Judge Michael Conover on ''L. ...
and
Allan Rich
Benjamin Norman Schultz (February 8, 1926 – August 22, 2020), known professionally as Allan Rich, was an American character actor.
Career
Rich began his acting career when he was nine years old. He appeared in the Broadway productions ''I'll ...
before their deaths on December 31, 2013 and August 22, 2020 respectively.
Plot
Aidan Bloom is a 35-year-old father of two struggling to be an actor in Los Angeles while his wife, Sarah, works a tedious data entry job. In order to send their kids, Tucker and Grace, to a Jewish school, they rely on help from Aidan's father, Gabe, who insisted they go to an Orthodox Jewish day school.
When Gabe reveals his cancer has returned, he tells Aidan that he has decided to put the rest of his money into a new stem cell treatment, meaning his grandchildren can no longer afford to attend their school. After school administrator Rabbi Twersky refuses to provide any aid to the Blooms, Sarah suggests that Aidan homeschool their kids, and their adventure of self-discovery begins. Through teaching them about life his way, Aidan gradually discovers some of the parts of himself he could not find.
Aidan takes the kids on a field trip, camping in the desert. Another day, they are able to test drive an Aston Martin, as Grace is wearing a wig and the salesman mistakenly believes she is dying. Another he works with the kids fixing up their yard, referring to it as Mr. Miyagi learning (referring to ''
The Karate Kid
''The Karate Kid'' is a 1984 American martial arts drama film written by Robert Mark Kamen and directed by John G. Avildsen. It is the first installment in the ''Karate Kid'' franchise, and stars Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita, Elisabeth Shue and W ...
''), working to repair the fence and pool. Aidan fools a wealthy neighbor's maid into believing he and the kids are there to clean the pool so he can teach Grace to swim.
Aidan's brother Noah is a virtual shut-in who can only be bribed to babysit for his brother. He also refuses to see his dying father, from whom he is estranged. Noah falls for his neighbor Janine who is a furry costume maker, which gives him the idea to impress her by making a costume for
San Diego Comic-Con
San Diego Comic-Con International is a comic book convention and nonprofit multi-genre entertainment event held annually in San Diego, California since 1970. The name, as given on its website, is Comic-Con International: San Diego; but it is co ...
. He does go, and gets the girl. As Gabe nears death, he calls to ask Aidan to come, bringing his favorite ice cream and Noah. He surprisingly leaves the convention to join them at Gabe's side.
Aidan grows closer to his wife and children, his faith through the support of young Rabbi Rosenberg, his brother and his father. The family moves onward and upward. We see Grace happily starting high school. Sarah stands up against her harasser at work, she getting one year of severance pay, and he many hours of obligatory anti-sexual harassment training and is fired. Aidan gets a job teaching acting.
Cast
Production
Crowdfunding campaign
On April 24, 2013, director
Zach Braff
Zachary Israel Braff['Scrubs' Star Zach Braff Wows ...](_blank)
launched a
Kickstarter
Kickstarter is an American public benefit corporation based in Brooklyn, New York, that maintains a global crowdfunding platform focused on creativity. The company's stated mission is to "help bring creative projects to life". As of July 2021, ...
campaign for his comedy film ''Wish I Was Here'', aiming to make $2 million to boost the project, based on a script he co-wrote with his brother Adam J. Braff.
Larry Sher
Lawrence Sher, (born February 4, 1970) is an American cinematographer and film director, best known for comedy films such as '' Garden State'', '' The Dictator,'' and ''The Hangover'' series, frequently collaborating with directors Todd Phillips ...
was set as director of photography, and
Michael Shamberg
Michael Shamberg (born 1945?) is an American film producer and former Time–Life correspondent.
Life and career
His credits include ''Erin Brockovich'', ''A Fish Called Wanda'', '' Garden State'', ''Gattaca'', ''Pulp Fiction'' and '' The Big ...
and
Stacey Sher
Stacey Sher (born November 30, 1962) is an American film producer.
Early life
Sher was born to a Jewish family in New York City and raised in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She graduated and got her bachelor's degree from University of Southern Cal ...
were set to produce.
The campaign raised $2 million 3 days after the project was launched. On May 15, 2013,
Worldview Entertainment
Worldview Entertainment is an American independent motion picture company that finances and produces theatrical quality feature films for worldwide distribution. The company was founded in 2007 and is based in New York City. Worldview has produced ...
stepped in to gap finance the project, which at that point had raised over $2.6 million. The campaign ended on May 24, 2013, and raised $3,105,473 from 46,520 people.
At the film's New York premiere, actress Joey King stated that she donated money to the film on Kickstarter before she was even attached as a cast member.
The movie received considerable criticism for its funding model. Over $3 million of the around $5 million budget came from
crowdfunding
Crowdfunding is the practice of funding a project or venture by raising money from a large number of people, typically via the internet. Crowdfunding is a form of crowdsourcing and alternative finance. In 2015, over was raised worldwide by crow ...
, then Worldview Entertainment stepped in to top up the budget to $5 million. The unconventional funding model meant that crowdfunding supporters were promised 'bonuses' for their pledges, yet production company Worldview Entertainment stood to make a financial return on their investment. Braff has stated that he believes the negativity regarding the movie's crowdfunding campaign contributed to the movie's box office failure.
Casting
At the time the Kickstarter was launched,
Zach Braff
Zachary Israel Braff['Scrubs' Star Zach Braff Wows ...](_blank)
and
Jim Parsons
James Joseph Parsons (born March 24, 1973) is an American actor. From 2007 to 2019, he played Sheldon Cooper in the CBS sitcom ''The Big Bang Theory''. He has received various awards, including four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead A ...
had already been cast.
Braff plays Aidan Bloom, a struggling actor, husband and father trying to find his purpose. On May 14, 2013,
Mandy Patinkin
Mandel Bruce Patinkin (; born November 30, 1952) is an American actor and singer, known for his work in musical theatre, television and film. He is a critically acclaimed Broadway performer, having received three Tony Award nominations, winning ...
joined the cast, playing Gabe Bloom, Aidan's father.
Josh Gad
Joshua Ilan Gad (born February 23, 1981) is an American actor. He is known for voicing Olaf in the '' Frozen'' franchise, playing Elder Arnold Cunningham in the Broadway musical ''The Book of Mormon'', and playing Le Fou in the live-action adap ...
also joined the cast to play the role of Aidan's brother.
On May 15,
Anna Kendrick
Anna Cooke Kendrick (born August 9, 1985) is an American actress. She has received various accolades, including a Satellite Award, five Teen Choice Awards, three MTV Movie Awards, and nominations for an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award a ...
signed on to play Janine, a young woman who is into
cosplay
Cosplay, a portmanteau of "costume play", is an activity and performance art in which participants called cosplayers wear costumes and fashion accessories to represent a specific character. Cosplayers often interact to create a subculture, ...
.
Kate Hudson
Kate Garry Hudson (born April 19, 1979) is an American actress and businesswoman. She has received numerous awards and nominations, including a Golden Globe Award, a Critics' Choice Movie Award and a Satellite Award, as well as nominations f ...
joined on May 20 to play Sarah Bloom, Aidan's wife.
Joey King
Joey Lynn King (born July 30, 1999) is an American actress. She first gained recognition for portraying Ramona Quimby in the comedy film ''Ramona and Beezus'' (2010) and has since gained wider recognition for her lead role in ''The Kissing Boot ...
was set to play Grace Bloom, the 12-year-old daughter of Aidan and Sarah Bloom, on July 2, 2013.
Pierce Gagnon
Pierce Gagnon (born July 25, 2005) is an American actor. He is known for his roles in the film ''Looper'' and in the CBS series ''Extant'', as well as voicing Tim Templeton in the Netflix series '' The Boss Baby: Back in Business''.
Personal life ...
was added to the cast on July 9, to play Tucker Bloom, son of Aidan and Sarah.
On July 17, it was announced that
Ashley Greene
Ashley Michele Greene Khoury (born February 21, 1987) is an American actress. She is known for playing Alice Cullen in the film adaptations of Stephenie Meyer's ''Twilight'' novels.
Early life
Greene was born on February 21, 1987, in Jack ...
would replace Anna Kendrick as Janine.
Filming
Principal photography
Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production.
Personnel
Besides the main film personnel, such as actor ...
took 25 days, beginning on August 5, 2013 in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
and ending on September 6, 2013.
Release
The film's first
trailer was released on April 9, 2014.
The film had its
world premiere
A première, also spelled premiere, is the debut (first public presentation) of a play, film, dance, or musical composition.
A work will often have many premières: a world première (the first time it is shown anywhere in the world), its firs ...
at the
2014 Sundance Film Festival
The 2014 Sundance Film Festival took place from January 16, 2014 until January 26, 2014 in Park City, Utah, United States, with screenings in Salt Lake City, Ogden, and Sundance Resort in Utah. The festival opened with ''Whiplash'' directed by Da ...
in January 2014, 10 years after the premiere of Braff's directorial debut ''
Garden State''.
Focus Features
Focus Features LLC is an American film production and distribution company, owned by Comcast as part of Universal Pictures, a division of its wholly owned subsidiary NBCUniversal. Focus Features distributes independent and foreign films in th ...
bought the distribution rights for $2.75 million.
After its opening at Sundance, it was announced that the film would open on July 18, 2014, exclusively in New York and Los Angeles. The release ended up a bit wider, playing in 68 theaters during its opening weekend. The release then expanded on July 25. The special preview screening in London was attended by Kate Hudson and Zach Braff on September 18, 2014.
Critical reception
''Wish I Was Here'' received mixed reviews from critics. On
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
, the film has an approval of 47%, based on 133 reviews, with the site's consensus reading: "There's no denying ''Wish I Was Here'' is heartfelt, but it covers narrative ground that's already been well trod – particularly by director Zach Braff's previous features." On
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
the film has a score of 43 out of 100, based on 34 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
Legacy
The box office failure of the movie, attributed to negative publicity surrounding the movie's crowdfunding campaign, has meant that it is the only high-profile film, as of 2022, to have used the crowdfunding model.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack for the film includes an original song by
The Shins
The Shins is an American indie rock band formed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1996. The band is the project of singer-songwriter James Mercer, who has served as the band's sole constant member throughout numerous line-up changes. The band's cu ...
, an original song by
Bon Iver
Bon Iver ( ) is an American indie folk band founded in 2006 by singer-songwriter Justin Vernon.
Vernon released Bon Iver's debut album, ''For Emma, Forever Ago,'' independently in July 2007. The majority of the album was recorded while Vernon ...
, and an original title track by
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer Will Champion and creative director Phil Harvey. They met at University Col ...
, recorded with
Cat Power
Charlyn Marie "Chan" Marshall ( ; born January 21, 1972), better known by her stage name Cat Power, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and model. Cat Power was originally the name of her first band, but has become her stage name as a ...
.
# "So Now What" by
The Shins
The Shins is an American indie rock band formed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1996. The band is the project of singer-songwriter James Mercer, who has served as the band's sole constant member throughout numerous line-up changes. The band's cu ...
# "Broke Window" by
Gary Jules
Gary Jules Aguirre Jr. (born March 19, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, one-hit wonder, known primarily for his cover version of the Tears for Fears song "Mad World#Michael Andrews and Gary Jules version, Mad World", which he recorded wi ...
# "The Mute" by
Radical Face
# "Cherry Wine" (Live) by
Hozier
# "Holocene" by
Bon Iver
Bon Iver ( ) is an American indie folk band founded in 2006 by singer-songwriter Justin Vernon.
Vernon released Bon Iver's debut album, ''For Emma, Forever Ago,'' independently in July 2007. The majority of the album was recorded while Vernon ...
# "The Shining" by
Badly Drawn Boy
Damon Michael Gough (born 2 October 1969), known by the stage name Badly Drawn Boy, is an English indie singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.
Gough chose his stage name from a character in the show ''Sam and his Magic Ball'', which he saw ...
# "Mexico" by
Jump Little Children
# "Wish I Was Here" by
Cat Power
Charlyn Marie "Chan" Marshall ( ; born January 21, 1972), better known by her stage name Cat Power, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and model. Cat Power was originally the name of her first band, but has become her stage name as a ...
and
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer Will Champion and creative director Phil Harvey. They met at University Col ...
# "Wait It Out" by
Allie Moss
Allie Moss is an American songwriter and guitarist from Jersey Shore. She released her own EP entitled ''Passerby'' in 2009. In 2011, Moss released her debut album ''Late Bloomer''.
# "The Obvious Child" by
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon (born October 13, 1941) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and actor whose career has spanned six decades. He is one of the most acclaimed songwriters in popular music, both as a solo artist and as half of folk roc ...
# "Breathe In" by
Japanese Wallpaper
Gabriel Strum, known professionally as Japanese Wallpaper, is an Australian indie pop singer-songwriter and producer. He released his debut single "Breathe In" featuring Wafia on 10 October 2013. The song featured in Zach Braff's film ''Wish I W ...
(featuring
Wafia
Wafia Al-Rikabi (born 4 August 1993), known professionally as Wafia, is an Australian singer-songwriter of Iraqi-Syrian origin. Originally studying biomedicine at university, she began to write songs to escape its monotony. Her breakthrough hit ...
)
# "Heavenly Father" by
Bon Iver
Bon Iver ( ) is an American indie folk band founded in 2006 by singer-songwriter Justin Vernon.
Vernon released Bon Iver's debut album, ''For Emma, Forever Ago,'' independently in July 2007. The majority of the album was recorded while Vernon ...
# "Raven's Song" by
Aaron Embry
# "Mend" by
The Weepies
The Weepies were an American indie pop- folk band consisting of singer-songwriters Steve Tannen and Deb Talan. Their music has been described as "subtly intoxicating folk-pop".
History Formation and early years (2001–2005)
In 2001, Talan and ...
# "No One to Let You Down" by
The Head and the Heart
The Head and the Heart is an American indie folk band. They were formed in the summer of 2009 by Josiah Johnson (vocals, guitar, percussion) and Jonathan Russell (vocals, guitar, percussion). The band also includes Charity Rose Thielen (violin ...
References
External links
*
*
*
*
Wish I Was Here' at
Kickstarter
Kickstarter is an American public benefit corporation based in Brooklyn, New York, that maintains a global crowdfunding platform focused on creativity. The company's stated mission is to "help bring creative projects to life". As of July 2021, ...
{{Authority control
Films directed by Zach Braff
Kickstarter-funded films
Films shot in Los Angeles
2014 comedy-drama films
American comedy-drama films
Worldview Entertainment films
2014 films
2014 independent films
Focus Features films
Films about families
Films scored by Rob Simonsen
2010s English-language films
2010s American films