You know this is pure fantasy when the Cliffs of Moher are made to look like secluded and not swarming with thousands of tourists.
What it's about
Literary editor Maddie makes a wish to marry the successful writer she edits for, with whom she's secretly in love, and wakes up to find herself living that fantasy.
The take
As far as destination romantic comedies go, Irish Wish is at least self-aware enough to commit to its corniness without making its characters too insufferable to follow. For once avoidable misunderstandings don't drive the conflict, as the story progresses as one extended "be careful what you wish for" journey of self-discovery. Still, one can't help but feel like this exact same message could have been told even without the central fantasy plot device—and it probably would have earned its resolutions much more this way. Every move the film makes is predictable, but it definitely still possesses the energy of a group of filmmakers who probably enjoyed their time making it.
What stands out
There's always a chance that Ireland and Irish people might be reduced into quaint stereotypes by an American production, but that thankfully doesn't happen here. The film doesn't exactly showcase Irish culture in a very prominent way either, but it does get to show off the beauty of various Irish landscapes (and one particularly lavish estate). As a movie that's been designed for happy couples' comfort viewing, it does its job in transporting its target audience away from their living rooms for an hour and a half—and sometimes that's all one needs in a movie for an evening.
Comments
UP NEXT
UP NEXT
UP NEXT
More like this in
Problemista (2024)
Dark, weird, poignant, and funny, this debut feature by Los Espookys star Julio Torres is a modern parable of the American Dream
8.6
Comrades, Almost a Love Story (1996)
Almost Hong Kong natives become almost lovers in this heart stirring romance drama
8.2
River (2023)
A delightful and ultimately life-affirming Japanese time loop comedy clearly made with love
8.8
Forgotten Love (2023)
The stunning third take of the classic Polish pre-war melodrama
7.7
Falling in Love Like in Movies (2023)
A contemplative Indonesian romance film that rewrites and re-examines the genre’s conventions
8.4
Pathfinder (1987)
The sole survivor of a family massacre saves his entire tribe in the first ever film depicting the Sámi people
7.0
The Antisocial Network: Memes to Mayhem (2024)
A bleak but amusing look at how ironic memes became the headline news
7.0
Incendies (2011)
Part melodrama, part war thriller, Incendies is gorgeous and heartbreaking from the first scene
9.9
Last Call for Istanbul (2023)
A seemingly generic Turkish romance travel film, until it gets into its second half
7.0
The Farewell (2019)
Awkwafina shines in this complex culture clash comedy.