What You Wish For

Grade: A-

What You Wish For is a movie that might make you want to rewatch the first “act,” and take in the dialogue again, knowing what you know now. I did. It’s a dizzyingly fun thriller, with some very dark comedy that sneaks up on you. I felt the same way watching it as I did on my first viewings of Parasite and Pig. It keeps you thinking you know where it’s going, and not only will you likely be wrong, but it has more and more in store. Critics, understandably, have been extremely circumspect when writing about it. I do think you should go in knowing as little as possible, but I’ll just talk about the short plot summary on IMDb. But even that is just a small part of the whole picture.

The title refers to the “grass is always greener” narrative. You meet someone, or hear about the life they’re living, and it looks so perfect, and you might want it. And what if you actually get it? Nick Stahl plays Ryan. His traveling to Latin America is to visit an old friend, and to lay low for a bit. He owes some money, and has been getting texts from someone saved in his phone as “Rabbit.” If he doesn’t get some money in a couple of days, Ryan’s mother will have a less than enjoyable encounter with a rabbit.

Ryan and Jack went to culinary school together, and haven’t seen each other in 12 years. Jack has been staying in a ridiculously glamorous house. It’s not his. He’s been bouncing around the world, as a chef for super-exclusive private dinner parties, and the agency puts him up in digs like this. About a quarter of the way through, Jack leaves the movie. Ryan finds himself at the house with a couple of coordinators for the dinner. It’s “tomorrow night. What have you got for us so far? Menu, courses, etc?” Ryan makes the split second decision to “be” Jack, and carry on as him – make his money, pay off who he needs to, and live the dream. We know he can cook. This would have to rely on the coincidence of none of these people ever having met the real Jack in person, but it’s a small hurdle to jump.

There’s an angle of Reindeer Games and The Talented Mr. Ripley here, just from what I’ve told you. The former had Ben Affleck posing as somebody else, and tap dancing on the fly. There’s a pretty major plot point dropped on us, that I’m glad I didn’t know about. I’d steer clear of the trailer. Some of the best laughs come from when a character has to lie, and is asked follow-up questions, and we see them desperately weaving that web even more. Remember in There’s Something About Mary when Matt Dillon claims to be an architect, and then is asked about his influences, building materials, etc? You’ll think of that.

I really haven’t told you as much as it sounds. There is still such a wealth to discover, and you will, if you take that ride. The food service piece reminded me of Burnt or The Menu, but this isn’t exactly the typical “eat the rich” commentary like we got earlier this decade. The plot summary is my least favorite part of writing these reviews, and reading them. I am more interested in hearing how the movie made the critic feel, as well as telling you how it made me feel – and What You Wish For is as exhilarating, entertaining, and memorable as they come. It took me out of life for a while, and got me continuing to think about it long after. That’s what every film should do. It made me go back to not only the first part of the movie, but to some previously read reviews. After you see it, I wonder if you’ll read this again, too.

Grade: A-