Review of Wish You Were Here (2012) by Ngrncr N — 13 Oct 2013

Written and directed by Kieran Darcy-Smith (Animal Kingdom), Wish You Were Here is a (very) slowly unfolding dramatic film starring Joel Edgerton (Warrior, The Great Gatsby) as Dave Flannery, who just recently traveled to Cambodia with his wife Alice (Felicity Price), sister-in-law Steph (Teresa Palmer - Warm Bodies, Take Me Home Tonight) and her boyfriend Jeremy (Anthony Starr - Without a Paddle, The World's Fastest Indian) .

.. only to have returned home one member short. Jeremy did not make it home to Australia ... and as the film plays out it appears as if each of the three remaining characters know something that they are not revealing.

Dave and Alice have hit a roadblock in their relationship and Steph has moved into town after her boyfriend went missing. Jeremy's disappearance is known to the authorities; but what happened in Cambodia? Who knows more than they are telling? Who is keeping a secret or telling an outright lie? Alice even begins to distrust her sister with her husband .

.. so the entire film is permeated with a feeling of un-knowing-ness and while if feels burdensome at times -- the film just goes on and on without any "reveals" for a good forty minutes or so -- the film has an ultimate payoff; but it isn't easy getting to it.

Edgerton has slowly been racking-up some great performances over the years, and this is another one.