What You Wish For
By Jeffrey M. Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Gruesome, gory violence in otherwise tasty foodie thriller.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
What You Wish For
Community Reviews
Based on 1 parent review
What's the Story?
In WHAT YOU WISH FOR, Ryan (Nick Stahl) is a chef with a gambling problem—and with debt collectors after him. To escape the heat, he goes to a Latin American country to visit an old culinary school pal, Jack (Brian Groh). Ryan is surprised at how lavish Jack's place is, and Jack explains that he's taken a job cooking exotic meals for wealthy people. But he hints that the work isn't all it's cracked up to be. After an unexpected turn of events, Ryan finds himself cooking the next meal in Jack's place, with the happy promise of a large, much-needed paycheck. Unfortunately, it's not long before Ryan finds out just what Jack was talking about.
Is It Any Good?
This food-focused thriller is a tad familiar and perhaps even predictable, but it still manages to throw in enough secret ingredients to keep things simmering. Written and directed by Nicholas Tomnay, What You Wish For relies heavily on the opulent mansion set and lush rainforest backdrops for atmosphere. And that decision works: The open, airy feeling nicely contrasts with the creeping suspense.
Stahl is another winning factor. Despite the fact that he never seems like a real chef (his chopping and omelette-making skills are rather average), he sells the role with a strong sense of desperation and urgency. And certainly the finished dishes on-screen are gorgeous. Ultimately, like The Menu (which it feels like a lower-budget take on), the movie is mostly about the push and pull between the haves and have-nots, with the latter going to untold lengths to try to get ahead and the former cruelly toying with the latter. To that end, the character of Detective Ruiz (Randy Vasquez), who arrives during dinner and is unexpectedly asked to join in, makes a terrific wedge between the two, adding extra tension. In the end, even if you can guess what What You Wish For has under its chef's hat, there are still a few more twists in the cupboard.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about What You Wish For's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
How does the movie address the theme of the gap between the wealthy and the non-wealthy? How are members of each group portrayed?
How is drinking portrayed? Is it glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?
Why are movies about food preparation and eating popular, especially when we can't smell or taste the food?
Movie Details
- In theaters: May 31, 2024
- On DVD or streaming: May 31, 2024
- Cast: Nick Stahl , Tamsin Topolski , Randy Vasquez
- Director: Nicholas Tomnay
- Inclusion Information: Female actors
- Studio: Magnet Releasing
- Genre: Thriller
- Topics: Cooking and Baking
- Run time: 101 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: June 30, 2024
Inclusion information powered by
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate