One of the more universal experiences that we all seem to encounter during our journey towards maturity is that particularly ambiguous space between adolescence and adulthood, which can be a challenging period for many people, even those who are relatively well-adjusted and responsible. Its the time when we are old enough to be aware of the world that surrounds us and its many hypocrisies and challenges, but still too young to have any clear knowledge on how to navigate this period – and yet, we are still expected to handle the emotions and internal quandaries that emerge during this time, which is often the moment in which we do the most maturing, crossing that threshold between two major stages in our lives. David Leland is fascinated by this idea, since he forms an entire film around the concept, crafting Wish You Were Here as a way of exploring those bewildering but vital years towards the end of our adolescence. Leland, making his directorial debut after a few years of working as an actor and screenwriter (being a scribe on classics of British cinema, such as Alan Clarke’s Made in Britain and Neil Jordan’s Mona Lisa, two very impressive credits on their own), emerges as a director capable of unsettling many cliched elements that had plagued the industry at the time, putting together a daring and imaginative comedy that is as touching as it is bitingly funny, the emotional resonance of this film being part of its immense appeal, and one of the primary reasons it has stood the test of time as one of the more cherished productions from this particular period, and one that is consistently being rediscovered by those who are almost always enchanted by some aspect of the film, whether its the humour, the heart or the stunning central performance. Regardless of how we approach the film, Wish You Were Here is a delight for a number of reasons, most of them being directly aligned with its simple, straightforward premise and strong command of its emotional inventory.

One of the few genres that has never quite gone out of style over the year, both in terms of written and visual storytelling, is the coming-of-age narrative, and the reasons for its widespread popularity over the decades is not inexplicable – we adore stories about people navigating the treacherous road towards adulthood, and whether focusing on a younger protagonist or one that is right on the precipice of maturity, we’re often sincerely charmed by these stories. Wish You Were Here is very much formed in the image of these existing stories, with Leland crafting a lovely tale about a young woman in the years following the end of the Second World War, showing her personal journey through an era defined by social and cultural changes. The 1950s were a watershed moment in Great Britain, and this film aims to explore these changes by looking at the personal journey of a young woman as she battles against social conventions to stay true to herself, despite the challenges that stand in her way. The director is inspired primarily by filmmakers like Alan Clarke, Ken Loach and Mike Leigh, the latter perhaps being the closest in terms of both tone and style, with the upbeat humour being undercut by a severe sense of melancholy that indicates that, despite the comedic diversions, this is not meant to be a film lacking in substance. Social realism is a very important component of postwar British cinema (as well as in several other countries – it seems like any nation impacted by the Second World War experienced a boost in grittier, more honest stories about regular people trying to make their way through hostile socio-cultural shifts that change the way their community functions), and while it may not be the most impactful or daring, Wish You Were Here does manage to convey a genuinely complex understanding of the country and how it was gradually taking shape, mainly through the emergence of the younger generation finally being given agency to make their own decisions. These ideas are all beautifully explored throughout this film, and Leland does very well in capturing a particularly freewheeling tone that supports and supplements nearly all of the film’s most challenging and intriguing ideas.

It has been said on occasion that any effort to tell a story that is focused on presenting an image of everyday life should abandon traditional three-act narrative structure entirely, and instead endeavour to capture a combination of important events and inconsequential moments, presenting them in tandem, since the linear structure of everyday life is not necessarily well-served by the idea of having clearly defined narrative acts. Wish You Were Here adheres to the rules set out by its social realist forerunners insofar as it doesn’t attempt to redefine the genre, but rather takes its time to develop a more complex understanding of the characters and the world in which they live. It isn’t directly aligned with the practice, but Leland does utilise a simpler version of the stream-of-consciousness narrative, where a vaguely surreal approach to the narrative highlights the varying episodes in the life of our young protagonist as she navigates this confusing, challenging world. Told mostly through vignettes that are presented mostly in order, but still manage to stand independently for the most part, Wish You Were Here offers brief snapshots into the life of young Lynda as she makes her way through her middle-class existence, doing her best to handle the obstacles that stand in her way, especially in how she actively avoids becoming just another housewife. This particular narrative approach is quite effective for this film, since it is undeniably one that could have become heavy-handed in terms of its commentary (and there are a couple of overwrought moments, but they’re necessary, providing context and an emotional anchor), but through a more distinctly abstract lens, which never presents implausible scenarios but does prevent the film from becoming too emotionally overwhelming, the director can tell this delightful story without needing to dwell on the more conventional elements, secure in the knowledge that the audience would be able to relate to the protagonist and her journey enough to not have the obvious steps explicitly portrayed on screen, and instead focusing on the more bespoke elements of the narrative.

When discussing Wish You Were Here and its legacy, conversation will inevitably always shift towards discussing Emily Lloyd, whose remarkable portrayal of Lynda is considered one of the most exciting breakthrough performances of the era, and one that is also unfortunately used to mention how promising her career seemed to be at the start, before she fell victim to personal struggles that caused her to retire from acting after only about 15 years. Regardless of the events that transpired in subsequent years, her performance in this film is a revelation. It can be challenging to be a young actor tasked with bringing such a complex character to life, and doing so in a film that centralizes the character in absolutely every scene – there are very few moments when Lloyd isn’t on camera, which was likely an enormous undertaking for someone who was essentially still very young and impressionable. Yet, she works through these obstacles and delivers a spellbinding, heartfelt performance that balances humour and pathos with nothing short of the most deft, earnest charm committed to film during this period. Its a performance driven by the purest sense of charisma imaginable, and while she is undeniably slightly inexperienced, this lack of polish is used to the benefit of the film, since Lloyd’s ability to hold our attention, despite playing such a challenging and borderline unlikable character, is remarkable and one of the many tremendous aspects of this film that makes it so incredibly endearing and compelling, even at its most simplistic. The supporting cast is also very good, but it’s Lloyd who commands the screen and makes this film her own. Wish You Were Here is one of the greatest showcases of a young actor to have come out of this decade.

There are many valuable ideas embedded at the heart of Wish You Were Here, a film that is not restricted by its simplicity, but instead uses it as an asset, a fascinating quality that keeps the entire film afloat and prevents it from becoming too overly dense, especially considering the era in which it takes place. It may come across as slightly twee in a few places, which is a product of the combination of the upbeat tone and tendency towards focusing on a character who is defined by her reckless, devil-may-care attitude that comes about as a result of her inability to take anything seriously. However, this is all part of the appeal of the film, since beneath this quirky exterior, there is a hard-hitting, complex character study that touches on themes such as the postwar mentality, the process of growing up in a society in which you have to fight to be noticed, as well as conversations circling femininity, motherhood and identity, all of which Leland weaves together into this delightful, heartfelt and wonderfully charming comedy that moves at a rapid pace, and doesn’t slow down unless it is necessary. It may not be the definitive text on any of these themes, but as a quaint and revealing coming-of-age story about a young woman coming to terms with her role as a woman in postwar Britain, Wish You Were Here is an absolute delight, an easygoing but profoundly moving examination of some very simple concepts, carefully curated by a writer and director who prioritizes his characters above anything else, leading to a wonderfully compelling film that never takes itself too seriously, but does tackle some very important subject matter.