Video Interview : 'Wish I Was Here' Star Zach Braff

– By Beau Behan, Film Critic & Entertainment Reporter

Originally published at 6:20 p.m. July 11, 2014. Edited to move video to top of the page.

• Wish I Was Here (2014), Rated R, 120 min, Comedy, Drama
• Opening Nationwide (USA), July 18, 2014
• Stars : Zach Braff, Kate Hudson, Joey King, Mandy Patinkin, Josh Gad
• Director : Zach Braff
• Writers: Zach Braff, Adam J. Braff

Wish I Was Here   is Zach Braff’s sophomore directorial feature since his 2004 indie box office hit, Garden State. The new film explores the pursuit of one’s happiness, dreams, spirituality, education, and that perfect job amid all of the challenges and joys of raising a family. It is also about not missing life – just living life in the ‘now’ moment.

A labor of love and passion, Wish I Was Here was made possible with the help of Braff’s fans and supporters through Kickstarter crowd-funding. According to Braff, their goal was “to raise $2 million dollars in a month.” They never expected that within 48 hours, that amount would be fulfilled.

“It was a great feeling,” says Braff. “Coming together, they gave me the opportunity to tell the story with no compromises, and with a great many creative people. What a wonderful way to make a movie.”

Go see the movie. It’s excellent! Wish I Was Here hits theaters July 18.

5 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Wish I Was Here

1. There are approximately 47,000 Kickstarter backers of the film.
2. Zach Braff’s home was used as a filming location.
3. The five-week shoot took place in Los Angeles.
4. Kickstarter backers were regularly invited to visit shooting locations—even playing the roles of extras
5. The actors primarily wore their own wardrobes for their roles.

Past Beau Behan Features on Patch

• Video Interview : ‘Transformers’ Stars Nicola Peltz and Jack Reynor
• Video Interview : ‘Jersey Boys’ John Lloyd Young, Erich Bergen, Michael Lomenda
• Video Interview : Jay Baruchel, America Ferrera, Dean DeBlois, ‘How to Train Your Dragon 2’
• Video Interview : William Eubank On Pursuing ‘The Signal’

About this column: Beau Behan’s claim to fame is that his last name being the same as that of the Irish novelist, Brendan Behan. He sees himself as a romantic Rudolph Valentino type, but realizes you probably don’t. As a film critic, his work has been featured in NBC Bay Area, NBC News and Boston Globe, and can be seen on the TV show, “Beau’s Flicks & Nix”, on the Comcast Hometown Network. A “Flick” is a movie, and a “Nix” is just an opinion, nothing more. (BeauBehan.com)