While writing the screenplay, Messina was recommended two works by Luigi Pirandello, the tragedy The Life I Gave You (La vita che ti diedi) and the short story "La camera in attesa", and used those to tie the story together.

[5] Peter Debruge of Variety wrote: A clear disciple of Italian master Paolo Sorrentino, the film-school-trained Messina served as assistant director on The Great Beauty, and he adopts many of his mentor's stylistic predilections on his first feature.

[6]Debruge continued: Watching The Wait, there can be little doubt that this first-time helmer has the potential to become one of Italy's most prominent new voices (the signs were there as early as his Cannes-selected 2011 student film, Terra, another abstractly stylized exercise in psychological identification featuring Colangeli).

From Sorrentino, Messina has further developed his ability to deliver a stunning sensory experience, though the treatment feels inadequate for such lean material.

"[7] A. O. Scott of The New York Times commented, "It's a pleasure to watch Ms. Binoche and Ms. de Laâge onscreen together.