©Courtesy of Lionsgate
Abandoning the disappointments of mundane life to instead pursue the excitement of true love can be an equally exhilarating and disheartening journey. Actress Isabelle Fuhrman’s protagonist of Charlotte in the relatable new romantic comedy, Wish You Were Here, effortlessly highlights that rite of passage.
After the character’s seemingly perfect first date ends disconcertingly the next morning, she’s left to finally start searching for answers, direction and meaning in her unfulfilled life. Fuhrman reunited with her Orphan: First Kill co-star, Julia Stiles, on Wish You Were Here. The equally melancholic and uplifting rom-com marks the latter’s feature film directorial debut.
Wish You Were Here is based on the 2017 best-selling novel of the same name by Renée Carlino. The author also co-wrote the screen adaptation’s script with Stiles. In Wish You Were Here, Charlotte goes on an impromptu first date with app creator/artist Adam (Mena Massoud), who she meets outside her New York City home. She’s encouraged to go out with him by her best friend, roommate and co-worker, Helen (Gabby Kono).
©Courtesy of Lionsgate
The newly connected duo seem to quickly bond as they engage in personal conversation, including making up stories about their potential future, as though they’re an older couple looking back on a lifetime of memories. They also create a mural together on a wall near her home, and end the night with physical intimacy.
However, the following morning, Adam insists that their date was a one-night stand, and they’re not going to start dating. Devastated, Charlotte subsequently ponders their time together in order to figure out where things went wrong. In the process, she relies on emotional support from Helen and her parents (Jennifer Gray and Kelsey Grammar).
Charlotte’s mom and well-meaning jokester brother, Chucky (Jordan Gavaris), try to cheer her up by signing her up for a dating service. They feel that some of her problems in life would be solved by finding another romantic connection.
In an effort to move on from her time with Adam, Helen urges Charlotte to go on a date with Seth (Jimmie Fails), who messaged her on the app and is seemingly nice enough. Despite the fun they had together, she can’t stop thinking about Adam, so she decides not to further pursue a romance with Seth.
©Courtesy of Lionsgate
Charlotte’s decision to not pursue dating anyone else comes right before she finds out that Adam didn’t discourage their relationship from growing on purpose; he’s actually been diagnosed with a brain tumor that affects his memory, and he doesn’t want to burden her with his illness. She ultimately realizes that her true life purpose is to take care of him while he still has the time to remember her.
The film thrives on its ability to highlight the joys and struggles of young adults finding true connection as they navigate a blossoming romance in contemporary society. Charlotte and Adam playing the game of imagining their relationship together from an older perspective emphasizes the story’s theme that people are lucky to spend their life with the person they love.
Stiles’ screen adaptation also embraces the atypical structure of Carlino’s entry in the rom-com literary genre. With Charlotte and Adam’s initial romantic connection ending quickly in the story, she seeks comfort in her potential new bond with Seth early on. But she soon realizes they may be better off as just friends, which pays off in a gratifying way towards the end of the film.
Charlotte and Adam are then able to eventually overcome their feelings of regret as they declare their love for each other in a belated grand gesture. Her journey of overcoming her feelings of separation and loss uniquely come before she declares her love to him is unique in the rom-com genre. However, it emphasizes the more relatable way people romantically connect in contemporary society.
Wish You Were Here‘s rare storytelling approach in the rom-com genre also thrives in part by the natural chemistry between Fuhrman and Massoud. The actors have a genuine ease as they develop the conversations and adventures between Charlotte and Adam, especially after she learns of his illness.
Massoud emphasized his character’s empathy, even as he intentionally hides his illness from Charlotte at the beginning of the story. He initially doesn’t share his diagnosis as he’s afraid that he wouldn’t be to truly love her in the way she deserves. Fuhrman, meanwhile, highlighted Charlotte’s kind and down-to-earth nature, even as she feels lost in her inability to save Adam’s life after she does learn about his prognosis.
Wish You Were Here is an emotionally powerful directorial debut and writing effort from Stiles, who garnered believable and charming performances from Fuhrman and Massoud. The actors shared their genuine chemistry as they built the connection between their equally empathetic characters in the atypical structure of Stiles’ screen adaptation of Carlino’s novel. Overall, the movie thrives on its ability to highlight the joys and struggles of young adults finding an authentic bond as they navigate a blossoming romance in contemporary society.
©Courtesy of Lionsgate
Overall: B
Lionsgate will release Wish You Were Here in theaters this Friday, January 17, 2025.
If you like the review, share your thoughts below!
Check out more of Karen Benardello’s articles.
Here’s the trailer of the film.