The Big Picture

Ed Speleers is a show-stealer with great chemistry alongside Lindsay Lohan.
The costumes and set design in
Irish Wish
are exceptional and visually captivating.
Odd plot choices, under-utilization of Jane Seymour, and minimal Irish representation are notable drawbacks.

With the help of Netflix and a jaw-droppingly gorgeous wardrobe, Lindsay Lohan has been slowly working her way back into the mainstream. At least, in terms of made-for-streaming rom-coms. After her charming return to romance, Falling For Christmas, which debuted to mixed reviews in 2022, Lohan is back with another holiday-themed delight right in time for St. Patrick’s Day.

Irish Wish When the love of Maddie’s life gets engaged to her best friend, she puts her feelings aside to be a bridesmaid at their wedding in Ireland.Release Date March 15, 2024 Director Janeen Damian Runtime 93 Minutes

In the best ways, Irish Wish feels like a grown-up Disney Channel Original Movie, complete with outlandish magical elements, cookie-cutter perfection, and an utterly tame romance. If Netflix wants to become the home of made-for-television romances with all the nostalgia and comfort of seasonally themed DCOMs, then Lohan has found her forever home with the streamer. She’s the perpetual girl-next-door, who gets the guy, and the killer wardrobe. I’m not going to stop mentioning how gorgeous this movie’s wardrobe is, so buckle up.

What Is ‘The Irish Wish’ About?

For regular purveyors of the romance genre, Irish Wish’s plotline is fairly familiar. A hot-shot book editor named Maddie Kelly (Lohan) finds herself pinning after Paul Kennedy (Alexander Vlahos), the best-selling author whose book she basically ghostwrote. When Paul falls head-over-heels for her best friend Emma (Elizabeth Tan), Maddie has to tamp down her feelings and play the happy bridesmaid at their destination wedding in Ireland. But Ireland has different plans in mind for Maddie. An ill-fated wish turns everything on its head, and Maddie finds herself in Emma’s shoes as Paul Kennedy’s soon-to-be bride, and it’s not nearly as magical as Maddie hoped it would be. Along the way, Maddie discovers that she didn’t actually need St. Brigid to intercede to help her find her actual true love, though the errant wish did help seal the deal.

Ed Speleers Is ‘Irish Wish’s Lucky Charm
Image via Netflix 

While Glen Powell’s Texan charm has turned him into America’s rom-com poster boy, Ed Speleers’ swoon-worthy performance in Irish Wish guarantees his spot as a rom-com sweetheart across the pond. Apologies to all the wannabe Hugh Grants out there, but Speleers is head of class now. Lindsay Lohan may be the star power behind Irish Wish, but Ed Speleers is the film’s lucky charm, through and through. He enters the picture at the tail end of the first act, as Maddie arrives in Ireland and mistakenly claims James Thomas’ (Speleers) suitcase as her own. It’s a meet-cute, torn straight from the pages of every sugar-sweet paperback and Hallmark romance, and the chemistry is there right from the start. From there, they enjoy a long bus ride into town where they dance around their reasons for being in Ireland and playfully judge each other. Even though you know, right from the start, that Maddie and James are going to end up together, Irish Wish gives you more than enough reasons to stick around to see how it all plays out.

Related This Lindsay Lohan Rom-Com Is an Underrated Gem This mid-2000s film deserves to be revisited before ‘Irish Wish’ hits Netflix.

If Speleers won you over with Jack Crusher’s roguish charms and tragic backstory in the final season of Star Trek: Picard, you’re in luck because James Thomas comes with his own emotional baggage. As with almost every romance these days, one-half of this ship is striking out on their own. While Maddie has her mother (played by the beloved Jane Seymour) on speed dial, James has no one and nowhere to call home. They say “home is where the heart is” and luckily, he finds both in Maddie. There’s a real spark between the two of them that keeps you fully invested in where their relationship might go if Maddie realizes the error of her wish in time.

Image via Netflix

No one expects rom-coms to reinvent the wheel. It’s a genre built on formulaic storytelling and guaranteed happy endings that you can anticipate before you hit play. In that regard, Irish Wish is a bit like every other “be careful what you wish for” movie that came before it. Like 13 Going on 30, and about two-dozen Christmas wish movies on Hallmark, Irish Wish is all about chasing after what the heart wants, only to discover that what it wants isn’t what it needs.

Even though audiences can see just how much of a bad fit Maddie and Paul are, Maddie falls headfirst into the fantasy of getting “the one who got away,” even though it’s an ill-gotten wish fulfillment. Even within the magic of her wish-won engagement, it’s painfully obvious that Paul still has feelings for her best friend—because some things are just fate. Yet, unlike some movies that rely too heavily on fremdschämen to convey what a terrible mistake the lead is making, Irish Wish never veers too far into the realm of discomfort.

Irish Wish may not be Notting Hill or 27 Dresses, but it is a far cry better than most of the rom-com fare today—and yes, I am looking at Anyone But You, and all of the romantic dramas masquerading as rom-coms (like One Day) and comedies (like Upgraded) pretending to be rom-coms. There is a certain degree of comfort in sitting down to watch a film starring Lindsay Lohan, considering she’s been making people laugh and audiences fall in love with her for the better part of twenty-five years. And while she isn’t the bright-eyed ingénue she once was, she is still very much the LiLo we’ve always known. As long as you keep your expectations in check, you’re bound to have a good time with Irish Wish.

‘Irish Wish’s Costumes and Set Design Are a Dream Come True

Regardless of whether a rom-com is a big-budget blockbuster or a quietly released streaming hit, their costumes are rarely the main talking point for audiences. Irish Wish, however, is not one of those films. The film’s costume designer, Tim Aslam, put an incredible amount of thought into each and every garment worn in this film. From Maddie’s adorable tweed Maje Renizam dress and sensible Burberry shirtdress; to Paul’s dapper and perfectly tailored plaid wedding suit; and James’ effortlessly cool wardrobe, Aslam had fashion—and the story in mind. A subtle aspect that might go unnoticed by the casual observer is that, from the very start, everything Maddie and James wear goes together. Even when they’re not dressed in the exact same color palette, Aslam has carefully constructed ensembles that are in the same warm tones and color families, ensuring that Maddie and James never clash.

The rolling green hills of County Wicklow and the brightly painted row houses make for the perfect backdrop to the film’s fashion choices, yet it’s the set designs that often steal the show. Maddie and Paul’s wedding is a garish delight of colors, while even the airport Maddie flies into in Ireland is vibrant and alive. We are rapidly losing color in the world, so it is a breath of fresh air when a movie like Irish Wish embraces color, unlike most modern cinema, which often feels devoid of color and light. Together, Aslam and the film’s production designer Grant Montgomery have created a real visual treat that’s almost as sweet as the romance.

‘Irish Wish’ Makes a Few Odd Choices
Image via Netflix

It’s unclear why Jane Seymour is vastly under-used in the film, outside of perhaps only wanting to have a single day of shooting, but her involvement in the plot is odd to say the least. She ultimately serves as the one person Maddie can talk to about her situation with Paul, both before and after the wish (though Maddie is the only one aware of the wish the entire time). But then, in the midst of Maddie’s existential crisis and impending nuptials, Rosemary (Seymour) sleeps through her alarm clock in a rather comical fashion and then breaks her leg and hits her head. None of this has any real impact on what’s happening in Ireland, outside of her missing her daughter’s wedding. Perhaps they’re trying to underscore the idea that bad things will happen to the people Maddie loves if she goes through with marrying Paul, but that point is never really addressed enough to make sense.

By my count, Irish Wish has all of two actual Irishmen in its main cast. Matty McCabe and Maurice Byrne play Paul Kennedy’s brother and father, respectively, and they don’t have very many lines between them. Fortunately, Vlahos’ Welsh accent passes for Irish to the untrained ear, so there shouldn’t be too many angry Irish folks this time around.

Outside of this ill-conceived plot point, Irish Wish is essentially a stereotypical romantic comedy. If you’re anything like me, it’ll have you blushing, cheesing, and kicking your feet like a schoolgirl. It’s a fun romantic romp, filled to the brim with gorgeous scenery, gorgeous clothing, and beautiful people. Revel in the simplicity of the formulaic simplicity of yet another magically contrived rom-com, and rejoice that Leap Year has been dethroned (during a leap year, no less) as the best rom-com set in Ireland.

Irish Wish When the love of Maddie’s life gets engaged to her best friend, she puts her feelings aside to be a bridesmaid at their wedding in Ireland.ProsEd Speleers is an absolute show-stealer.Lindsay Lohan and Speleers have excellent chemistry.The costumes and set design are next-level. ConsThe subplot given to Jane Seymour is more nonsensical than St. Brigid’s wish granting.There are basically only two Irishmen in this entire film (Matty McCabe & Maurice Byrne) and they have all of two lines between them.

Irish Wish is now streaming on Netflix in the U.S.

Watch on Netflix