Despite the backlash and controversy about using Kickstarter to fund his next movie, Zach Braff has already successfully raised $2.6 million for Wish I Was Here. He has the money he needs to make the movie and he’s also secured the services of Mandy Patinkin for one of the lead roles.
Patinkin, who is currently best known for playing Saul Berenson on Homeland, is on board to play Braff’s ailing father in the movie.
The former Scrubs star is playing Aidan Bloom, a struggling actor, father and husband, who at 35 is still trying to find his purpose in life. He and his wife are barely getting by financially and Aidan passes his time by fantasising about being the great futuristic Space-Knight he'd always dreamed he'd be as a little kid.
When his dad can no longer afford to pay for private school for his two kids and the only available public school is on its last legs, Aidan reluctantly agrees to attempt to home-school them.
The result is some comic chaos, until Aidan decides to scrap the traditional academic curriculum and come up with his own. Through teaching them about life his way, Aidan gradually discovers some of the parts of himself he couldn't find.
Braff wrote the script with brother Adam and is currently putting the pieces in place to get Wish I Was Here made. We talked to him about the reasons for crowd funding and his reactions to criticism right here.