Wish You Were Here

While on holiday in Cambodia, two couples, Dave and Alice Flannery (Joel Edgerton and Felicity Price) and Steph McKinney and Jeremy King (Teresa Palmer and Antony Starr), partake in all the traditional tourist attractions the impoverished country has to offer, but after attending an underground dance party, Jeremy unexpectedly disappears and a dark secret is buried within the circle of friends. What starts out like a third chapter in "The Hangover" franchise quickly morphs into a simple and dismal story of betrayal that drags its feet through the first two acts, only to conclude on an intriguing high note. However, the compelling conclusion only leaves an irritating aftertaste, since the journey certainly isn't worth the pay off. Director Kieran Darcy-Smith neglects his characters' foundations and significance to such a degree that viewers have little to invest in. In turn, everyone's wavering fates are insignificant and disposable. In the same fashion of the story, Edgerton and Price float through the film without devoting too much into their characters, but once the finale comes into play, they immediately switch gears and display their true acting abilities.

I got through the movie, the acting was not horrible, but I absolutely hate when the movie keeps bouncing from past to present. Drives me nuts and I have to think the director thinks they are creative, I just think they are lazy and can't tell a decent story. That being said, all actors were believable, and the story did its job. This really shouldn't be necessary to say, but if you go somewhere new, it is not a good idea to get so blitzed out that you lose your sense of well being. Stay safe! Everyone wants to have fun, and Cambodia I have no doubt is beautiful and offers a lot of entertainment. I think anyone who watches anything on Asian cultures knows they delve into areas that are distasteful. It is not a place I would care to visit but if I did, I wouldn't be stupid about it.

Wish you were here is the story of four people who take a holiday in Cambodia but one of them goes missing. The film pieces together the mystery of where the missing man has gone.

It's a relatively small film but is well filmed nicely combining drama with the ongoing mystery. It stars the on the up Joel Egerton who is very good in this and he receives excellent support from the rest of the cast who all put in believable performances.

It held my interest throughout as it keeps you guessing as to what has happened to the missing man. The main downside is that it does maybe lose a little steam towards the end and the ending is a little flat.

Wish you were here will not appeal to those who seek action or thrills and is not a brilliant film however for those that like nicely pitched drama's this is well worth watching.

Here is a review based on my enjoyment of the film, bearing in mind I have no film background or any credentials as a film critic. Basically I am just telling you my own personal perspective, which I fully accept others may or may not agree with: The acting was convincing and engaging, the settings were authentic (I really felt like I was there with them in Cambodia)... It's just that the movie goes on and on and on... and there really is no mystery in the end (I don't want to say more bc it might spoil it for you). I spent most of the movie trying to entertain myself - surfing the net, taking breaks to do laundry and chores - so I could still watch but keep myself occupied bc basically I was bored. I thought the ending was good as it pulls the story together. I just would have preferred they got to the ending quicker. Wish it had been a 45 minute movie, instead of 1.5 hours. I did watch the beginning of the movie (it was good), and I watched the end of the movie - it was mostly the stuff in the middle that ran over-long.

Wish You Were Here starts with a barrage of sights and sounds, as married couple Dave and his pregnant wife Alice (Joel Edgerton and Felicity Price), Alice's younger sister Steph (Teresa Palmer) and new boyfriend Jeremy (Antony Starr) holiday in Cambodia. All too quickly Dave and Alice have returned to Sydney, and we find out that Jeremy is missing after a drug fuelled night. As Steph returns home, questions are asked and secrets revealed as the trio try to cope with what happened.

I was intrigued as to where the movie was headed, but at around the 50 minute mark I was starting to lose patience, waiting for it to get to a point. When it finally got to that point, although shocking, I almost didn't even care what had really happened. And the final moments felt rushed and glossed over.

We don't get to see nearly enough of Edgerton or Palmer, both of whom have exceptional talent. Edgerton really embraces the character of Dave who is hiding a dark secret and it's slowly tearing him apart. Palmer doesn't get the chance to shine as her character is left alone to suffer. Considering it was Steph's boyfriend who disappeared, it would have been better to see more from her point of view. Price floats through with the same bored expression as a self absorbed wife. Starr is likable and very believable, but again we don't get to see him enough.

Unfortunately director Kieran Darcy-Smith's first feature doesn't know what it wants to be, and perhaps tries to be a little too clever for it's own good. I'll admit that the stunning trailer with the hypnotic music was what captivated me and gave me high hopes for Wish You Were Here, but I also feel that the trailer gives a different impression of what the movie ends up being about. It starts out as a mystery, but about half way through Alice becomes the main character and the movie takes a left turn into a narrative about a marriage breakdown from only one person's point of view.

The locations in both Sydney and abroad have been beautifully shot. The scenes between past and present flow seamlessly. Besides the opening of the movie, the fateful holiday is shown only through minor flashbacks, which I think are the highlight.

Australian movies certainly have the ability to pull you in and not let you go. But it's frustrating when you know a movie has the potential to move you and engage you, and it fails to do so. This should have been a gripping dramatic thriller, but sadly there are no thrills to be had here.