Wish I Was Here, review Dir: Zach Braff cast: Zach Braff, Kate Hudson, Mandy Patinkin, Joey King, Pierce Gagnon, 113 minutes The action centres on the Bloom household, led by Braff's out-of-work actor dad Aidan and financially supported by his wife Sarah (Kate Hudson). Their kids Grace (Joey King) and Tucker (Pierce Gagnon) both go to an expensive Jewish school paid for by their orthodox and patriarchal grandfather (Mandy Patinkin). But when terminal cancer rears its head, the children find themselves facing half a term of home schooling with dad. Throw in Aidan's slobby brother Noah (Josh Gad) - who comes with hinted at mental health issues and "genius" - and the quirks and cliches begin to stifle any sense of reality. And that's before you take into account Aidan's periodic Walter Mitty moments where he drifts off into save-the-world fantasy adventures that look cheap and add nothing of consequence to the action. Hudson rises above the material, while Patinkin's excellent performance ensures tears are jerked, but it's a far cry from satisfying.