Aidan Bloom is a 35-year-old father of two struggling to be an actor in L.A. while his wife, Sarah works a tedious data job. In order to send their kids, Tucker and Grace, to a good 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 come back, he tells Aidan that he's 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 his 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 couldn't find. His brother Noah is a virtual shut-in who can only be bribed to babysit for his brother and refuses to see his dying father, from whom he is estranged. Noah falls for his neighbour Janine who is a furry costume maker, which gives him the idea to impress her by making a costume for Comic-Con. As Gabe nears death, Aidan grows closer to his wife and children, his faith through the support of young Rabbi Rosenberg, his brother and his father.
Cast
Production
On April 24, 2013, director Zach Braff launched a Kickstarter campaign for his comedy filmWish 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. Cinematographer Larry Sher was set as director of photography and producers Michael Shamberg and Stacey Sher were set to produce the project. The campaign raised $2 million 3 days after the project was launched. On May 15, 2013, Worldview Entertainment 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.
Casting
At the time the Kickstarter was launched, Zach Braff and Jim Parsons 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 joined the cast, playing Gabe Bloom, Aidan's father. Josh Gad also joined the cast to play the role of Aidan's brother. On May 15, Anna Kendrick signed on to play Janine, a young woman who is into Cosplay. Kate Hudson joined on May 20 to play Sarah Bloom, Aidan's wife. Joey King was set to play Grace Bloom, the 12-year-old daughter of Aidan and Sarah Bloom, on July 2, 2013. Pierce Gagnon was added to the cast onJuly 9, to play Tucker Bloom, son of Aidan and Sarah. On July 17, it was announced that Ashley Greene would replace Anna Kendrick as Janine.
The film's first trailer was released on April 9, 2014. The film had its world premiere at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival in January 2014, 10 years after the premiere of Braff's directorial debutGarden State. Focus Features 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, the film has an approval of 46%, based on 127 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 the film has a score of 43 out of 100, based on 34 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
Soundtrack
The soundtrack for the film includes an original song by The Shins, an original song by Bon Iver, and an original title track by Coldplay, recorded with Cat Power.
