Irish Wish
Starring: Lindsay Lohan, Ed Speelers, Alexander Vhalos, Ayesha Curry
Directed By: Janeen Damian
There comes a time in March when you desperately need to watch a Lindsay Lohan St. Patrick’s Day-themed movie. Think a little bit Just My Luck meets Leap Year. You know in your heart this movie is not going to be that good. But it’s going to keep you entertained with its bad cliches and predictable storyline and sometimes that’s what’s needed.
The movie in question is Irish Wish. This is the second movie of the LLNCU (Lindsay Lohan Netflix Cinematic Universe) something that I am an avid fan of. The first movie, of course, was Falling For Christmas. You do not have to watch Falling For Christmas to understand Irish Wish but I am hopeful Lindsay puts out a Netflix movie for every holiday (Potential ideas include Flag Day Fakeout) and it’s revealed all of the movies are intricately connected, kind of like Avengers: Endgame.
Irish Wish follows the journey of Madeline, a talented book editor who’s in love with writer Paul Kennedy. We know his last name is Kennedy because he is always referred to as Paul Kennedy, never just Paul. Madeline spends her time editing Paul Kennedy’s work when she could be writing books of her own. Chaos ensues when Madeline’s best friend, Emma (Elizabeth Tan), begins dating Paul Kennedy. Before you know it, the two are engaged to be married at Paul Kennedy’s family estate in Ireland. Madeline is picked as one of the bridesmaids but miserable about the whole thing. What a dilemma! If only she could make some kind of…Irish Wish? You’ll never believe this. Madeline is visited by St. Bridgette (a saint with an affinity for patterned coats) and wishes that she was the one marrying Paul Kennedy. She wakes up to realize her wish was granted. Is Paul Kennedy the man of her dreams? Could it all be that easy? This is a Netflix romcom, so it things are a little more tricky.
If you are familiar with Hallmark holiday movies, this treads extremely similar territory. The plotline is so predictable. (As predictable as a plotline can be with an Irish saint granting wishes.) Woman thinks she’s in love with one man only to get swept off her feet by a snarky stranger she meets abroad! We can’t blame the writers though. This is a common scenario. We all have to deal with getting stuck in love triangles in beautiful foreign countries. So in a way, Irish Wish is a very relatable movie.
In true Netflix rom-com fashion, you can guess what the characters are going to say and do before the scene takes place. There are ridiculous slapstick moments that don’t land (how many times can we watch Lindsay Lohan trip?) and eye-roll-inducing dialogue. But it truly kept me entertained, so I can’t complain too much
First off, I want to say that it’s great to see Lindsay Lohan looking so happy acting again. This movie is a win for that alone. She is the best part of the movie as Madeline. Lohan has always had star power and carries the lead role wonderfully.
Ed Speelers is a decent romantic co-lead as James, the photographer (in town for a Sheep Shearing competition!) whom she never expected to get along with. The two have the typical “snarky misunderstanding that leads to deep feelings” dynamic. You know the thing that never happens in real life but happens in every Hallmark/Netflix movie!
Alexander Vlahos is a little irritating as Paul Kennedy. I know, it’s blasphemy to speak ill of THE Paul Kennedy of the Irish Wish Kennedy dynasty but the character was rather grating. That’s the whole point though (Irish Wish fans, know.)
I have to talk about the costumes in this movie. What is everyone wearing? Why do the characters look like they stepped out of a 1980s Easter catalog? It is genuinely distracting how bad some of these clothes look. Aside from Lindsay Lohan’s outfits, the patterns and fit of the clothes are shocking.
Irish Wish is exactly what it looks like, a rom-com that plays up the cliches of the genre. It’s predictable, formulaic, and corny but you will be entertained. Lindsay Lohan is expanding the holiday romance catalog and for that, we can thank her.
My Rating: 5/10 (but still worth watching for all fans of the LLNCU)