User reviews

Emotion filled Family Drama set in 1940's Virginia. Nice script for the all star ensemble of Actors !! Rich characters. All round Good Film, especially the Courtroom scenes. Narration top notch !!

This is a simplistic review as it reflects a simplistic but touching story.

I grew up in the NRV. Giles county was just over Cloyd's Mountain. The plot of the film is spotty in places, slow to develop and lacks real continuity, with fits and starts. The cinematography does well to catch the nuances of the Valley though there are some hiccups.

Ellen Burstyn, Mackenzie Foy, Alano Miller all do extremely well in their respective roles. Josh Lucas as a compassionate attorney and Ned Bellamy as the primary antagonist contribute well to the stories inside the story.

The last few scenes are rushed and somewhat trite, but I recommend 'Wish You Well' as an escape to another place, another time that seem more relevant than ever.

Pop some corn, find a comfortable place and enjoy the scenery, the slow pace and throw in some Dots to complete this 101 minutes of a rather good movie.

Some viewers will find this a bit slow for them, but if you perceivere you will love it.

I don't think I have ever seen an Ellen Burstyn performance that I did not like and MacKenzie Foy was just excellent in her role. In fact both children were rather well played by MacKenzie Foy and JP Vanderloo.

If you are not into historical stories or aren't fond of feel good movies, give this a miss, you probably won't like it either. This is no lovey dovey romance, but it is a really good movie that can be watched by most, although not necessarily appreciated by all.

Overall I really liked it and recommend it to anyone who wants to feel good about the world for a moment.

6/10

I watched this via Amazon Prime last night. Most of their free movies aren't worth watching. This one was watchable with only a few parts that needed to be fast forwarded. Like the scene when the two kids first got to school. Come on now, kids aren't that mean. AND, any scene with THAT neighbor in it. Ellen Burstyn was great. I loved the little girl and boy. Two gripes. Astute foliage watchers would know that peak foliage does not last longer than about 2 weeks. The bright colors just went on and on. Number 2 gripe: the mother. Who was minding her? You can't have someone just lie in bed for months in the same position.

A beautiful, slightly cheesy film that has been oversimplified - almost like a film for children. Sometimes told so simply and understandably that you doubt your own mind. I do not recommend reading this book to anyone who has read the book because it does not come close to the story. If you are looking for a nice evening entertainment with your children, you will find it with this film.

I had such a nice time seeing this film for the festival in Indianapolis. I was particularly impressed by its content. It is sure to be a family favorite. There aren't many films that are fit to take children to see. This film is both appropriate and enjoyable for the entire family. It was heartbreaking at times to walk the life of these young children. the film easily moved a mother to tears. tears of sadness and confusion on how a mother could lose her connection to her children. And then to tears of joy as she reclaims her position as a loving mother. The shots from autumn in Virginia were gorgeous with their valleys of crimson and amber. The crew did an amazing job capturing the beauty of this area. The leading characters also gave a very memorable performance. I hope that many others will have the opportunity to see this film on the big screen. Family films like Wish You Well are what's my mothers are hoping to see more of in the theaters.

Treacly and not worth the time it takes to watch the trailer, the plot line is hardly worthy of the sixth grade reading level to which it panders. Ugh. After watching that I need a shower.

No, it's not action packed as is usually the case with a lot of movies now, but more importantly it took me to another time and place. A place that I didn't want to leave. I'm not going into details, I want you to watch this. I honestly savored every minute of this movie and took my sweet time watching it. Very well crafted and edited and I was honestly surprised at the seemingly simple ease at going back in time, to another place and taking you right along with them. I cannot recommend this enough. James Welch Henderson, Arkansas 11/26/2020

The main problem with the film is that it's poorly edited and has many unnecessary scenes, the acting is fine only on the main characters, then the rest of the cast are bland at best. I recommend this movie if you can't sleep at night.

Heartwarming story of love, loss and greed and how it affects people across generations.

Saw this film at the Richmond International Film Festival and was blown away. Made on a small budget, you wouldn't know it from the finished product. Great performances from Ellen Burstyn and Josh Luckas I was expecting but the children in the story, Mackenzie Foy and JP Vandeloo surprised me with wonderful performances as well. Terrific story of a family thrown together after tragedy and their struggles to overcome rural hardships in the 1940's by David Baldacci who I believe wrote the screenplay as well? Great family film, no reason to worry about young children watching it. Shot entirely amongst the beautiful scenery of southwest Virginia. Hope it sees wide distribution so my niece and nephew can see it in theaters.

I give three stars for the beautiful Virginian landscapes in an otherwise tedious, mega slow, predictable kitsch. After 10 minutes you know where this story is going, and how it will end.

Horrible(!) acting, and again, boring, boring, boring.

If you can't sleep, this is your film.

Wish You Well is a surprisingly Great film with an awesome cast. It is Super to have a feel good real life film that everyone in the family can see together. It is a need alternative to the plethora of action adventure and dark movies that have prevalent the past several years.

The film is very well acted. Great scenes. Believable. I think it has the potential for numerous awards.

Brought tears to most viewers eyes.

Baldacci is a fantastic author and this, although out of his usual genre, is one not to be skipped over. I hope he does more films.

WIsh You Well should be on the Annual Watch list along with Miracle on 34th Street and Its a Wonderful Life!

I would highly recommend this to virtually everyone.

This movie is stunning with a lovely lilting pace, beautiful photography and a cast of actors young and old to be proud of. I would never have guessed this is a low budget film. It is superbly done.

Ellen Burstyn and MacKenzie Foy are well cast. The setting of the movie in 1940 and Southwest Virginia are both nostalgic and beautiful. The movie faithfully follows the excellent book by the same name. The story moves along with a good pace. Josh Lucas' portrayal of a country lawyer is very believable. Keith Tyree handles his part very professionally. The different areas for filming were well chosen with the courthouse very representative of a period building. The antique vehicles picked to compliment the year 1940 were a good touch. The cinematography and sound is well done. The editing had a few areas that overlooked some obvious mistakes such as the 1938 Buick had 1938 license plates rather than the correct 1940 ones. There was a cell tower on a hill in the background and there were round bales of hay which wouldn't have around in 1940. All in all, a wonderful film.

A wonderful story of two young siblings transplanted from New York City to rural Virginia and the many lessons about life that occur. David Baldacci is a master story teller with his many books and it is a real treat to see his characters in "Wish You Well" come to life on the big screen. Ellen Burstyn, Josh Lucas, Ned Bellamy, Mackenzie Foy, and JP Vanderloo all are outstanding making their characters real and take the viewer on a wonderful journey back to the 1940's and show what life was like on a typical farm in the Virginia countryside. The movie is filmed on location in the beautiful mountains of Southwest Virginia and the scenes are stunning. This film will make you laugh and cry and will have you leaving the theatre feeling good about your journey.

What a beautiful movie!!! Worth watching along or with family and friends allowing our mind and soul unfold throughout the movie. A moment to see the beauty that our land have to offer with every season. How hope and dreams keep our imagination alive, kindness, friendships, loyalties unfolded. We are so wrap in technology, always wanting big and better things. There is nothing wrong living a simple life.

I viewed this movie just to see why it got so many 10 star review.s. I do not normally leave a written review but compelled to do so.

This movie is so deserving of every one of the 10 star reviews and more.

The plot is solid with heart warming and heart breaking moments at the same time. The characters draw you in like an intriguing novel would as you sit reading it on a rainy day.

The story illustrates how family dynamics on the outside is not always what they appear to be on the inside. It's a Virginia mountain family tale with a twist.

Yes even a decade after the movie's release the story line is still relevant and reminds you that hope can move mountains. Enjoy.