In Irish Wish, Lindsay Lohan is an awkward, soft-spoken doormat—sorry, woman—who happens upon a whimsical Irish wishing seat. Ah, don’t we all want an ancient stone to make our wishes come true? See, Maddie is a perfectly desirable, smart, witty, and capable woman, yet her dream guy chooses her best friend over her. Already, you know how this is going to pan out; however, there’s a certain sense of joy in this kind of predictability. I like to call these movies the best kind of 2-star movie. You know what’s going to happen; I was even finishing pieces of dialogue. That’s how much we’re used to these Hallmark-esque romcoms that feel like blithely written fantasy minus the mythical creatures and the fancy dress. There’s nothing better than a countryside fish-out-of-water romance movie starring Lindsay Lohan, and it feels almost like we’ve gone back to 2006. It really feels as if I’ve been transported back to the time Just My Luck had just come out, and my aspiration to be the perfect child, like Lindsay from The Parent Trap, morphed into my desire to be the perfect career woman in Just My Luck. Irish Wish obliquely refers to this movie with scenes where scarves get stuck in cabs on big days, and when someone wishes for something massive, a gust of wind sweeps them off their feet, and suddenly everything feels like a strange fairy tale.
There’s no denying that there’s a lot of fun in Irish Wish. It brings out the best of what Lindsay is known for: her awkwardness and her ability to fix things up with a charming smile and a little bit of craziness. I will admit this is definitely better work in comparison to Janeen Damian’s previous endeavor with Lohan, Falling for Christmas. As a massive fan of cringy Christmas romcoms and Glee (it was wonderful to see Chord Overstreet step back onto my telly screen, even if I had never expected it to be with Lindsay Lohan), I still found it quite troublesome to defend that film. Irish Wish is like that familiar everyday route you take back home from work, but during Christmas. It’s familiar yet decorative, you know? I’d like to see Lindsay take the “road not taken.” Ironic, because this film is all about accepting your fate and not wishing for anything to be different.
The actress still has the ability to charm on screen all these years later. I don’t mean she’s old; I just mean she was already a huge star when I was like 2. I have to especially talk about her stunning hair and that there’s an actual effort made in styling it for this film (that fishtail braid, though!). I would not say the same regarding the wardrobe, which makes her look like she’s trying to be an English princess, but in Texas. What’s with the check obsession? I suppose there’s something innocuous about it. Anyway, you can’t really go wrong with the stunning Irish backdrop; it’s like The Banshees of Inisherin all over again (I’m kidding, don’t be fooled by my tomfoolery). The film also stars two dashing fellas opposite Lindsay: Ed Speleers as James Thomas (can there be a more British name?) and Alexander Vlahos as Paul Kennedy (an interesting choice for sure). No, don’t worry, you’re never confused about who the right one is for her. This isn’t a K-drama; there’s no such thing as a second lead syndrome. James is an attractive photographer with no home and only a taste for the drink of life. On the other hand, Paul’s an author whose books Maddie edits. A perfect fit? A case of opposites attracting? Maddie and Paul may appear to be a match made in heaven, but his fate lies with Maddie’s best friend Emma.
The supporting stars are all fun, with a special shout out to Paul’s mother, the uptight Irish woman with a taste for China and disdain for all things Maddie. I suppose playing the diversity card with two colored best friends is what we’re going to get in a film with Lindsay Lohan as the star. Ayesha Curry barely has a role except to be boy-hungry and be Maddie’s supportive friend. Whereas Elizabeth Tan is somewhat the “other woman,” Paul is simply a crush to Maddie, not an actual partner. I’m not complaining, because there’s not much more you can expect from a Netflix original called Irish Wish, with a poster that looks like it’s for an adult romance novel from the early 2000s. Don’t worry, this film is accentuated by the party poppers that are romantic comedy staples: the awkward meet cute, the enemies-to-lovers trope, the little dance number, the eccentric mother who’s got nothing to do with the actual story except to be a burden to it, and most importantly, the fairy godmother—you know she’s going to be a hassle in a film filled with an absurd turn of events.
At the end of the day, there’s nostalgia in Irish Wish, and I suppose the film rides on this feeling. Fortunately, it’s not quite boring, and I’m surprised it wasn’t released during Valentine’s Week because it would’ve definitely been an instant hit for Netflix. I suppose at the end of the day, if you’re a fan of Lindsay Lohan and you just like her presence on screen, this movie will be entertaining to you. If you’re not, don’t bother watching it. For those of us who like decent rom-coms, this isn’t Anyone But You (yeah, I did quite enjoy that one, actually), but it’s a cute PG-13 film about a woman who needs to find her voice and stand up for herself in Ireland. Make this your weekend watch if you’re coming back from a week of hard work and just want to relax and predict what’s coming next. If you can make it movie night with your pals, that’s even better. Also, I’d say a marathon with Just My Luck might make it especially fun. I’d give Irish Wish 2.5 out of 5 stars.
