Nick Stahl stars in “What You Wish For” – image courtesy of Fantastic Fest
by: Cody Villafana
Directed by: Nicholas Tomnay (“The Perfect Host”)
Written by: Nicholas Tomnay (“The Perfect Host”)
Starring: Nick Stahl, Tasmin Topolski, Randy Vasquez
On the run from gambling debts, chef Ryan (Nick Stahl) escapes to Latin America to meet up with an old friend from culinary school, Jack (Brian Groh). Upon arrival at a gorgeous villa in paradise, Ryan is shocked to find his friend dejected at the seemingly perfect life of being an incredibly well compensated private chef, flown to picturesque locations for high end client dinners. One morning, Jack exits the picture, leaving Ryan with an opportunity to assume Jack’s identity, only to find himself completely in over his head with the expectations of the upcoming meal.
As one may expect, the film takes a sinister turn and it becomes pretty clear early on what that turn will be. It’s a testament to the work of writer/director Nicholas Tomnay’s clever script that allows the film to turn the screws on the intensity, adding tension and new wrinkles post-reveal. As a director, Tomnay also makes the most of a microbudget with beautiful, picturesque scenery with most of the film taking place in a villa in Latin America.
In the film’s lead role, Stahl’s understated, but quality performance relies heavily on conveying emotions like discomfort, fright, and in many cases, defeat, through facial expressions. The farther he gets into his scheme, the more he realizes the mistake he’s made and is able to play the part with not only the appropriate amount of regretful fear, but also with a really fantastic delivery of dark humor to diffuse the tension.
As the film’s cautionary title starts to come into focus, the tension ramps up as Ryan aka Jack finds himself under immense pressure having to cook a meal like his life literally depends on it. It is here where an inquisitive detective played by Randy Vasquez arrives and throws a wrench in everything. Vasquez is superb in the scene stealing role, making a meal out of every interaction and expertly toeing the line between acting ignorant but being a step ahead. This gripping cat-and-mouse game leads to some of the best scenes in the film, clearing the way to stick the landing.
While “What You Wish For” is not immune to B-movie pitfalls like some stiff and stilted acting and narrative tropes, the film is a well-executed example of taking a simple story and squeezing it for every bit of tension. Coupled together with delectably-shot food scenes and great practical locations, it’s also a fantastic example of efficient low-budget filmmaking from an intriguing talent in Tomnay.