Julia Stiles dips her toes into the directing world with her adaptation of Renee Carlino’s Wish You Were Here
. The romantic drama, starring The Orphan‘s Isabelle Fuhrman and the live-action Aladdin‘s Mena Mᴀssoud, follows the path of The Fault in Our Stars and Me Before You. The film centers a woman who falls into a whirlwind romance with a man who is terminally ill. A month shy of Valentine’s Day, the film is out in time for those seeking that tearful experience only a romance about a dying person can provide. The subgenre is a hit for a reason.

Stiles opted for this story to be her directorial debut because the novel was emotionally resonant, and on the surface, I can see why. Films grappling with mortality and the unfairness of true love being cut short always grip the heart. Timing and communication are critical to successful relationships and Charlotte and Adam don’t have either from the onset. But for a romance to get us to that heart-wrenching, inevitable feeling, the couple in question still needs to feel like they are meant to be, and maybe, just maybe, there is that sparkle of hope despite the prognosis.

How many of us revisit A Walk To Remember with the belief that Jamie will somehow pull through? Chemistry is what makes us want to believe an outcome is going to be one thing, only for us to feel the visceral reality of the truth.

Wish You Were Here Is Elevated By Its Central Performances

Isabelle Fuhrman is great as usual. She is charming as the relatable Charlotte, a waitress who wants something more in life. She has an out-of-this-world amazing meet-cute with Adam. Charlotte feels like a real person and, despite the script’s shortcomings, she is in an impossible situation. Her desire for love and companionship sets her up for the ultimate heartbreak.

Fuhrman has nice chemistry with Mᴀssoud, but it isn’t that dazzling. At times, it feels as though Fuhrman is carrying the two as she oscillates between vulnerable and determined. Mᴀssoud is certainly doing his best; he also taps into his character’s vulnerability, but his strength is less around the romance and more about the struggle Adam faces with his illness. As is the case with many romantic dramas of this nature, his condition is terminal. Mᴀssoud’s performance is heart-shattering. It’s difficult to maintain composure throughout the watch. Furhman is the same with her performance, easily pushing the tear-duct release ʙuттon.

Wish You Were Here Can Feel Like Two Separate Films

Stiles is a capable director. The film is filled with contrivances and clichés, but it’s effective, though the bar to get an emotional reaction is rather low. Stiles also wrote the screenplay (alongside Renée Carlino), and the strongest part is how she delicately shepherds us through this experience. The film is hard to watch and is perhaps not the go-to romantic movie night choice, but if you’re looking for a film that cuts you to the core and tears you up inside, Stiles’ film is the perfect choice.

Wish You Were Here could have done some things better, but it ultimately serves its purpose. It’s a visceral experience, though it doesn’t reach those epic highs because the romance, while it works on paper, doesn’t quite materialize as expected. In some ways, Fuhrman exists in the romantic dramedy Wish You Were Here strives to be, while Mᴀssoud is in a harrowing drama.

Both accept the challenges of their roles and nail them, but when they come together, that full-on spark isn’t quite there. However, I recognize that chemistry is subjective, so others may find the complete experience satisfying. In the end, together and on their own, the film’s leads effectively tell a story about how love is always the right path, no matter how much it may hurt.

Wish You Were Here is now playing in theaters. The film is rated PG-13 for some Sєxual material and strong language.