Irish Wish - A Netflix Movie Review

You can’t edit life like you can edit stories.

Irish Wish is a 2024 Netflix film. Maddie wishes she was marrying her crush, instead of her best friend. A magical genie grants her wish. In this alternate universe everything Maddie ever wanted or a nightmare?

Why is everyone giving Irish Wish a hard time? While the film initially treads familiar romance cliches, the film gradually evolves into a compelling narrative with a meaningful lesson. Audiences overlook the unique and creative elements woven into the story, missing their originality.

Irish Wish stars Lindsay Lohan. I’m happy that she has returned to acting. Lohan does a good job as Maddie, it’s just the writing needed to be developed further, surrounding her character. Lohan manages to deliver a convincing portrayal, infusing her character with depth.

That goes for side characters who are underdeveloped. Credits include Ed Speleers, Alexander Vlahos, Ayesha Curry, Elizabeth Tan, Jane Seymour, and Jacinta Mulcahy. The side characters are your generic tropes in every rom-com film. There’s the crush, the supportive best friend, and the mom. However, the wrong characters are focused on.

What was up with Maddie’s mom’s (Jane Seymour) hectic travel subplot? Her scenes are primarily comic relief and don’t add much to the story. Having Rosemary present for the wedding would have made better sense.

Rosemary’s hectic travel storyline was more important than the mysterious genie? If a genie exists in this universe, how many other wishes has she granted? The premise revolving around the power of an ancient Irish wish to alter one’s romantic fate is intriguing and adds a mysterious element. Too bad it’s left as a mystery.

One of the film’s standout features is its creative concept, which unfortunately gets overshadowed by the negative reviews. While the central romance is given ample attention, the development of the secondary characters leaves much to be desired.

Maddie and James (Ed Speleers) had the best chemistry. From their first scene on the bus, you know they'll be rivals and fall in love. Not entirely. Maddie and James spend time getting to know each other - twice. I wish (hmm, maybe it will come true) that the film focused on this storyline.

There’s genuine chemistry between the characters and they take several adventures together. Janeen Damien could have executed the story more strongly, like the whole subplot with Maddie’s mom and the genie. Irish Wish is a heartfelt story. These are the films we need more of. It’s lighthearted, comical, and it’s realistic.

The story takes place in a lively Irish setting. Irish Wish was filmed in the seaside town of Westport for village scenes. You bet filmmakers show off Ireland’s gorgeous green landscapes. I was so jealous of the picturesque ocean landscapes the characters walked through. I wish to go to Ireland someday (Could my wish come true again?)

What did I like about this film, you ask? Irish Wish has a meaningful message. It also has one of my new favorite quotes. Unlike how you can edit the pages of stories, life doesn’t have an edit button. Don’t spend time on life’s what-ifs. Enjoy what you have.

Nevertheless, Irish Wish succeeds at conveying an important message about the dangers of rushing into relationships. Don’t rush love. Take as many chances with it as you want. Despite these flaws, the film explores this theme with sincerity.

Avoid bad reviews and watch Irish Wish on Netflix. It’s a better film than you think. Despite its shortcomings in investing further with subplots, Irish Wish offers a fresh twist and it’s an engaging rom-com.