Lindsay Lohan
Maddie Kelly
Overview
Maddie's dream guy is days away from marrying her best friend when a wish for true love made on an ancient stone in Ireland magically alters her fate.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
5 min readThe Shamrock in the Machine
I’ll admit it: I went into Irish Wish expecting a fluffy, forgettable rom-com, the kind that scrolls past on Netflix while you’re half-watching, half-doomscrolling. What I didn’t expect was a film so aggressively familiar that it starts to feel like a glitch in the matrix—a rom-com generated by an algorithm that’s been fed every cliché of the genre, then asked to spit out something “Irish” and “whimsical.” The result isn’t just predictable; it’s uncanny, like watching a movie that’s already seen itself a hundred times before.
That’s not entirely fair to Lindsay Lohan, who does her best to inject some life into the proceedings. She’s warm, funny, and effortlessly likable as Maddie, the perpetually unlucky-in-love book editor who stumbles upon an ancient wishing stone in Ireland and—poof—finds herself tangled in a love triangle with her best friend’s fiancé. (The fiancé, played by Ed Speleers, is charming enough, though their chemistry feels more like a well-rehearsed improv exercise than a spark of real connection.) Lohan’s performance is the closest thing the film has to a heartbeat, but even she can’t outrun the script’s relentless march toward the obvious.
The real star of Irish Wish isn’t any of the actors—it’s Ireland itself. The film is drenched in emerald green, from the rolling hills of County Wicklow to the misty cliffs of Moher. The cinematography lingers on these landscapes like a travel brochure, and for a moment, you almost forget that the story is unfolding in a world where people say things like, “I think I’m falling for you… again.” Almost.
The problem isn’t that the film leans into the scenery; it’s that the scenery is the only thing that feels real. The rest is a series of rom-com tropes stitched together with all the subtlety of a leprechaun’s pot of gold.
Take the wish itself. Maddie’s desire for “true love” is granted in the most literal way possible: she wakes up to find that her best friend is now engaged to her, and the man she’s been pining for is suddenly available. It’s a premise that could’ve been playful, even subversive, if the film had any interest in exploring the consequences of such a wish.
Audience Opinions
Audience 5.3/10
"A formulaic rom-com lifted by Lindsay Lohan’s likable presence and lush Irish scenery but dragged down by clichéd writing and scruffy production choices."
Beautiful Irish locations, a light fantasy premise, and Lindsay Lohan’s charm give the movie an easygoing, feel-good quality that some viewers revisit as a comfort watch. latestnetflix.com's read is that at the same time, predictable plotting, flat dialogue, and dated styling make it feel like disposable, low-effort streaming content rather than a memorable romantic comedy.
What viewers praise
- Gorgeous Irish backdrop Sweeping shots of the countryside, coastal cliffs, and villages create strong vacation vibes and are often cited as the most enjoyable visual element.
- Lindsay Lohan’s appeal Her performance is repeatedly praised as warm and engaging, with several viewers calling her the best thing about the film and wishing she had a stronger script.
- Light comfort watch The story is easy to follow, mildly funny, and emotionally gentle, working well as background viewing or a cheesy feel-good pick.
- Pleasant lead chemistry Interactions between Lohan and Ed Speleers are frequently described as charming, with their rapport making the central romance more watchable.
Common complaints
- Very predictable story The plot leans heavily on familiar rom-com and wish-fulfillment beats with no real surprises, making it feel generic and forgettable.
- Flat, expository script Dialogue is often described as dull and robotic, with too much telling instead of showing and weak development of relationships.
- Unflattering styling Costume, hair, and makeup choices for several characters are criticized as frumpy, outdated, or simply unappealing, undercutting the film’s glamour.
- Thin supporting cast Outside of the leads, side characters are seen as underwritten and uninteresting, with some roles (including older family members) feeling oddly cast.
- Questionable authenticity The Irish setting is treated in a surface-level way, with non-Irish leads, broad accents, and choices like pairing the heroine with an English love interest drawing complaints.
Recommended for
Lindsay Lohan devotees Cheesy rom-com enthusiasts Ireland scenery lovers Light fantasy romance watchers Low-stakes weekend viewing
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsTed Sarandos counted 65 million. Rotten Tomatoes counted 42 percent.
Netflix's CEO told The New York Times in May 2024 that Irish Wish was "an enormous hit" and that "65 million people watched that movie." The same film sits at 42 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, with a consensus that Lindsay Lohan almost makes the cliches not matter. That split is the story. A two-picture Netflix deal, a mid-March drop timed to St. latestnetflix.com's take is that Patrick's Day, and a star tabloids had treated as finished business.
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Lohan had already told Forbes, in May 2022, why she signed. "I felt like the romantic comedy movies have kind of dissipated a little bit and I really miss them." Netflix announced Irish Wish on September 1, 2022, as the next Janeen Damian collaboration after Falling for Christmas. Lohan is also an executive producer. Screenwriter Kirsten Hansen's first draft was a European wedding set in Italy, delivered to producer Brad Krevoy in January 2020. Ireland, and Saint Brigid, arrived later. ,
The set gossip is domestic. Dakota Lohan plays Finn, a red-haired extra who looks exactly like what he is. Decider caught the cameo on day one. Lohan told Tudum she is "really bad at not cracking up" when family is on camera and that she makes faces offscreen to mess with them. Sister Aliana contributed two songs, "Armor" and "Comin' Home." Producer Michael Damian, Janeen's husband, released "Wild Irish Heart" before the drop. , ,
Jane Seymour shot Rosemary Kelly, Maddie's mother, in a day and a half while she was already in Ireland for Harry Wild. Wikipedia notes the Damians had worked with her on High Strung. She and Lohan met at fittings and did not share a filming day. Ayesha Curry, godmother to Lohan's son, returned to acting after Lohan pushed her. On Tudum, Curry said the hardest part of the job was forgetting to act because she wanted to watch Lohan work. Ed Speleers jumped in after wrapping a dark arc on You. ,
Principal photography ran September 5 to October 14, 2022, across Dublin, Wicklow, Westport, Lough Tay, and the Cliffs of Moher. Killruddery House stood in as the Kennedy estate. Michael Damian later said the greens were so loud the color grade had to be turned down, not up, because testers thought the footage was fake. Variety's Owen Gleiberman still called the movie "as frothy as the foam on a pint of Guinness" and then admitted Lohan and Speleers make you believe they belong together. , 
Samba TV counted one million U.S. household views in the first 72 hours. Luminate put 699 million minutes on Variety's first Streaming Originals films chart. Tourism Ireland cheered a search spike for Lough Tay. The Guardian wished Lohan a better vehicle. The numbers did not care. ,
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.