In "Wish You Were Here," author Renée Carlino provides a blueprint for a romantic drama that could easily be misinterpreted as saccharine or saccharine. Her novel tells the story of an unhappy love affair, a devastating terminal illness, and a young woman caught at a crossroads in her life. Yet rather than shaping these elements into a mimeographed version of The Fault in Our Stars, Die Young, or pretty much everything in Nicholas Sparks' oeuvre, director Julia Stiles constructs Something fresh. The actor-turned-filmmaker, who co-wrote the adaptation with Carlino, imbues the source material with a clear sense of emotional authenticity, from its fantastical romance to the characters' nuanced relationship dynamics.

Twenty-something Charlotte (Isabelle Foreman) is directionless and working as a waitress at an unpopular Mexican dive bar with her roommate Helen (Gabby Kono-Abdi). Together, the best friends chafe at the mundanity of their jobs, from dealing with ridiculous customer complaints to enduring the indignity of bells summoning their services from pop-up flags mounted on tables. Charlotte's frustration is inevitable as her overbearing mother (Jennifer Grey) and financially supportive father (Kelsey Grammer) seek tenderness during her daughter's dutiful visits. Push, encourage her to date and figure out her goals. She realized with embarrassment that she wasn't living up to her full potential, but her fears changed.

Enter Adam (Mena Massoud). On a night when Charlotte and Helen drink away their sorrows on the porch, the dashing painter finds himself lost among their neighbors, serving fine Chinese takeout to the tipsy Helen and serving a still-sober Xia. Lott offers a spontaneous date. The two hit it off right away, flirting, making out and jokingly talking about their future careers in his bohemian studio loft apartment. But in the waking morning light, Adam's demeanor changed, kicking her to the curb. Months later, Charlotte still has to think about him, even as she tries to move on with kind-hearted football mascot wannabe Seth (Jimmy Fail). She finally learns the truth about Adam: He's recovering from brain tumor surgery and his days are numbered.

It's at this point - perhaps a little too far into the somewhat meandering second act - that the film's emotions begin to coalesce. Charlotte's journey to enlightenment does not hinge on whether she finds a man or finds a successful career, but rather upon her discovering the untapped well of resilience hidden within her that offers the opportunity to unlock the meaning of her life key. She embodies the TikTok catchphrase of "the 'everything's going to be okay' girl," which is a bit contrived, but her evolutionary arc may impact young adult viewers on a deeper personal level. The two meet on equal terms, like lost souls (Adam is more realistic than Charlotte, as he is introduced wandering her neighborhood). She saved him with her love, just as he saved her with his whole soul, giving her a greater purpose in life.

Styles and Carlino steer the film's proceedings away from melodrama and comedy, rooting the film in a balanced, honest sincerity. After a choppy start, there's noticeable restraint in order to keep the character authentic and the tone tightly controlled. Charlotte's mother and Helen are no longer likely to be insufferable to read about, but appear delightful, charming and well-intentioned. Chucky (Jordan Gavaris), Charlotte's antagonistic younger brother, isn't exactly an '80s-style blowhard, but still has a certain respect for the archetype.

Although Styles has previously directed a short film and a short series behind the scenes, her feature film directorial debut brings a lot of promise for future endeavors. After first laying the groundwork for making us care about the couple's doomed romance, she shapes the narrative's dreamy escapism. She, cinematographer Ryan De Franco and editor Melody London display visual dexterity in the romanticized montages. From the vibrant lighting cues, to the shot choices that focus our attention on the couple, to the composition of those visceral images that make the romance soar and the inevitable sting of sadness feel like a Blow. Additionally, the way the filmmakers represent death, such as tearing down the mural the lovebirds painted on their first date, is entirely expressed in the language of cinema.

Foreman, who starred alongside Stiles in the wildly entertaining Orphan: First Kill , infuses her heroine with grace and vulnerability. She portrays Charlotte's uncertainty with tenderness, coloring the inner color of the character's dynamics. She and Masood have exciting chemistry. While this is very much Furman's show, Massoud is given ample opportunity to show off his range, working his undeniable magnetic charm in the lighter moments while tugging at our heartstrings in the sadder moments. Kono-Abdi and Gray also shine, bringing wisdom and tenderness to their caring supporting characters.

"Wish You Were Here" pulls off a miraculous hat-trick of turning a couple's cheesy gimmick into a deeply romantic gesture by the film's end. The title comes from Charlotte, pining for her soulmate, scribbling on the remnants of Adam's mural (symbolizing the weight of his memory weighing on her heart). While this film may not be remembered for as long as a lost love, it's definitely worthy of the postcard sentimentality of its title.