What You Wish For

And the premise is either entirely improbable by any stretch of the imagination. Or...this is a very true-to-life "fictional" depiction by insiders of this one hundred percent (100%) totally happening international thing of people like this. Regardless. It is good fun. And once we are clued in as to what is really occurring, things get nicely tense and unpredictable. Do a lot of those things always make sense? Naw. Who cares. Are there so many things not cool with the entire deal and not just that one ingredient in the dessert? Yep. But hey, it's a crazy, carefree world these days. It was great going into this movie totally unaware of what it's about. And that made for a nicer experience. Oh and it has some dark humor in spots too.

A chef with gambling problems meets up with a friend at a posh villa and when the friend dies life suddenly gets better...or worse? I had no idea what this was about nor who the actors were but I gave it a shot. The acting wasn't up to par and the dialogue was very forced, clipped and delivered in an amateur style. I almost turned it off until I realised there was a bit of a story in there. I kept watching and it was an intriguing story which I really liked: a chef gets paid a lot of money for making special meals for rich clients. The acting was poor to average throughout, and the dialogue never rose above average, yet there were tense scenes which kept me interested. I'm glad now I watched it as it was a decent film but I would love to have seen it given the Hollywood treatment. Not the best film made but I have it a 6 because it kept me interested and it made me tense at times.

I came across this one by accident whilst searching Nick Stahl, and was both presently surprised to find myself enjoying it, whilst somewhat frustrated at the obvious shortcomings and oversights. It's a solid premise, but aspects of the delivery are overly simplified and too exaggerated for a cringe free viewing. For example the Australian girls return to the venue, the police detectives insistance on questioning, our protagonists inability to string a sentence together under pressure. Was this our cooks first rodeo or not? There are just too many particulars that were stupid, inconsistent, or contradictory but were necessary for the story to work, and this is a classic characteristic of lazy writing and/or a rushed production. That said, the movie isn't without it's charm (and unsettling content) and though it does deliver... more or less, it should have been a more comprehensive production. Anyway, once again I'm not going to pick this one to bits as its not really one of those movies that warrants such close scrutiny. It is what it is. I'd say watch it casually and you'll be fine, its ok for a less immersive movie experience as long as your prepared to be a little forgiving. I think 6/10 is a fair score,

There is something extremely perverse about this unpleasant little film and it's not specifically the revolting subject matter (a guy cooking for a cabal of super-rich cannibals). Rather what baffles me, and apparently only me judging by the comments section, is the nefarious way the film positions the viewer toward this subject matter. In the end, we're made to feel that, welp, there's nothing to be done, no way out, no consequences and no hell to pay for what happened, that it's a toxic job, but someone's gotta do it. Yes, I get that baddies don't always need to get their just desserts in movies; after all it's not the 1950s anymore. But ask yourself what you're supposed take with you from this shitstain of a movie. You don't have to take the cannibalism stuff too seriously. After all, this story, this allegory, works just as well for anything else on the subject of the excesss and crimes of the super rich. Squid Game is quite similar in that respect (in its subject matter, not its moral positioning). Understand that these kinds of people exist in this world and they commit heinous acts of depravity. The subject here could have just as easily been human trafficking. The disgusting part is the casual shrugging of the shoulders we see here as if to say "oh well, that's the world we live in now." Not only is this dark, it's a nihilistic embrace of complete hopelessness disguised as entertainment. This is what our culture has stooped to: edgy shock value without a moral centre. Very offensive trash.

I'll have to keep an eye on more works from writer/director Nicholas Tomnay. I've never heard of him, but after seeing "What You Wish For", I want to see more of his works to see if he is really this good or was this just a fluke. First, this is a "genre" piece that I normally avoid at all cost. It grosses me out to even think about this subject. So for me to even like this movie says that I must really think very highly of the writing/directing. Same goes for my wife, who hates this type of subject even more than I do. But the writing is so good. He knows how to keep the suspense. He knows how to make a smart movie. Every character seems to do what I would expected them to do in those situations. Nobody does anything stupid like in the M-Night (or his daughter's) movies. So many movies out there have characters doing the dumbest things in the world. That just shows me how stupid the writer is - as stupid as the characters they write. But Nicholas Tomnay seems to be a smart writer - his characters do all the things I expected them to do in their situations. This writer/director deserves to write/direct the biggest budget movies out there. I hope he gets the keys.

"What You Wish For" had the potential to be a binge-worthy limited series. The premise of a down-on-his-luck chef impersonating a colleague for a wealthy family with dark secrets is packed with tension and ripe for exploration over multiple episodes. A TV show format would have allowed for a deeper dive into the characters' motivations and the bizarre world they inhabit. We could have seen the chef navigate the opulent estate and its eccentric inhabitants over time, building suspense and gradually unraveling the family's mysteries. The film felt rushed, cramming a story with rich potential into a short runtime. A series could have fleshed out the plot, creating a more satisfying and suspenseful viewing experience.

This film is clever, moves briskly, and keeps us wondering which way things will go through its last scene. A gripping and wildly entertaining ride. Synopsis: Ryan (Nick Stahl) is a talented, down-on-his-luck chef with crushing gambling problems. Circumstances being what they are, he leaves town in a hurry for the safe haven of an unnamed Latin American country where his friend Jack (Brian Groh), a more prestigious chef with his own unique troubles, welcomes him into his home. Ryan has no idea how Jack's able to afford his extravagant lifestyle cooking for the elite in paradise; he doesn't want to feel envious, yet he can't help but want this life for himself as well. Soon, a grim twist of fate will give that to him. Ryan assumes his friend's identity and soon discovers just what Jack's been doing to maintain the lifestyle he so desperately craved.

What starts out as a down on his luck chef with a gambling debt who takes on the identity of his recently decreased pal turns into a darkly funny, pacy horror/ thriller that has us both chuckling at the insanity of the story and it's various sick side turns. We both kept imagining that this twisted dinner party would be something extravagantly silly that both Matthew and Liz would attend in London or indeed Phil with his cooking at home for obnoxious people with money. ' Tongue sorbet', anyone! Like the superb 'Fresh' from a couple of years ago, this is a showcase of body horror, cannibalism and keeping an audience guessing that is lean (no pun intended) and doesn't need a lot of money to make one satisfied throughout the experience. Unlike Furiosa!

Nick Stahl played a chef with a financial issue in this crime thriller movie. He's a brilliant actor who embodied Ryan so well. The movie progress very slowly at the beginning, which can be a deterrent for most people to continue watching. But if you're like me, have a steel-like determination, then you'll get to the most interesting part of the movie after the snooze fest is over, which starts after about 30 minutes. And from there, the thrill kept on flowing to you like a stream of icy waves, chilling down your spine. And when you thought there's a hope for Ryan... Well, I'm not gonna spoil anything. What you need to know is that after the first 30 minutes, the good stuff are starting to begin. So, steel yourself, or find another movie to watch, if you don't wanna wait patiently. I did, and it didn't disappoint me.

I came across this one by accident whilst searching Nick Stahl, and was both presently surprised to find myself enjoying it, whilst somewhat frustrated at the obvious shortcomings and oversights. It's a solid premise, but aspects of the delivery are overly simplified and too exaggerated for a cringe free viewing. The Australian girls return to the venue, the police detectives insistance on questioning along with our protagonists inability to string a sentence togethe under pressure are just a couple of examples. Was this our cooks first rodeo or not? There are just too many particulars that were inconsistent but just allowed to stand for the story to work, and this is a classic characteristic of lazy writing and/or a rushed production. That said, the movie isn't without it's charm (and unsettling content) and though it does deliver... more or less, it should have been a more comprehensive submission. Anyway, I'm not going to pick this one to bits as its not really one of those movies that warrants such close scrutiny. It is what it is. I'd say watch it casually and you'll be fine, its ok for a less immersive movie experience as long as your prepared to be a little forgiving. I think 6/10 is a fair score,