Wish I Was Here - C+

Rated R, 114 minutes

Braff's charming but overly familiar "Wish I Was Here"

I've always liked Zach Braff, from his days on the TV sitcom "Scrubs" even through his well-received (but overrated, in my opinion) feature "Garden State." He directs, stars and writes in the sweet new comedy "Wish I Was Here" (which was partially funded through Kickstarter), which is more or less a likably reflective, revisionist follow-up to "Garden State" though it's quirky, sitcomy feel to it makes it seem a little shallow. In other words, if you've seen "Garden State" or "Scrubs," you've also seen "Wish I Was Here." The movie tells the story of Aidan Bloom (Braff), a struggling actor, father and husband to Sarah (Kate Hudson), who at 35 is still trying to find his identity; a purpose for his life. He winds up trying to home school his two children (Joey King and Pierce Gagnon) when his father (Mandy Patinkin) can no longer afford to pay for private education and the only available public school is on its last legs, and is forced to learn about fatherhood and his own spirituality, among other things. The enjoyable but unmemorable "Wish I Was Here" may make you feel you were somewhere else: it's a likable film about likable people struggling with some unlikable things. The quirks and some of the one-liners will remind you of Braff's long-running sitcom "Scrubs" (watch for a cameo from his co-star Donald Faison), while the wistful indie-acoustic tunes will remind of "Garden State" as Braff's character very leisurely learns about being a great father and role model. "Homeland's" Patinkin steals the movie in his brief scenes as the wise and wise-cracking father; he and Hudson share one particularly affecting scene mid-film as they discuss the impact Patinkin's character had on the family. Yet, even those death-bed scenes go on too long, as Braff really wants to tug on those heart strings or make you laugh instead of delving into the issues he presents with some real substance. I really liked "Wish I Was Here" but that doesn't necessarily mean it was great, either. I had already seen it with Braff's previous efforts, and while the film has some affecting moments, it's a hardly revelatory examination of mid-life struggles.

Wes's Grade: C+