The Third Wish

I love a really good Cinderella type love story and so I thought I was going to be delighted with this one.  Instead it turned out to be one of the worst movies I have ever seen.

The Third Wish had the potential to be a really good movie, but it has so many holes in the script it that not even Betty White's endearing character could save it.  

The Third Wish stars Jenna Mattison as Maggie Malone, Sean Maguire as Brandon, Betty White as Lettie, James Avery as George and Armand Assante as the Benefactor.  The movie was directed by Shelley Jenson, writen by Jenna Mattison and released on April 22, 2005.

Jenna Mattison plays Maggie Malone

The first thing that is wrong with this movie is Jenna Mattison's hair.  First, let me say that Jenna has beautiful thick long and wavy hair.  To me, there is no question that Jenna's hair is simply gorgeous, healthy, all that and a bag of chips.  The problem is that all throughout the movie Jenna's hair is constantly in her face.  It is parted very low on one side so that it flows over the other side of her head and into her face.  Yes, it is a very pretty style, but it was annoying watching the actress constantly moving so that her hair would take center stage of the screen.  This is not a movie about hair.  In one scene when Maggie is shown her new apartment by Brandon the lawyer, Maggie takes her hair out of the ponytail and then deliberately finger combs her hair to that one side so that her hair would again take center stage.  I think that if you have gorgeous hair, go ahead and flaunt it, but when you are in a movie, no one wants to sit and watch your hair for an hour and a half.  There are many beautiful hair styles away from the face that would have still showcased Jenna's beautiful locks without being annoying.

Another thing that did not jive is that Maggie was constantly grinning, even when it made no sense.   For the first 10 to 15 minutes you see Maggie constantly smiling no matter what.  I actually think it is lovely that Maggie smiles a lot.  Maggie even smiled as she takes herself to work each day on her bicycle.  I can get with that because when I am happy I smile too, no matter what I am doing.  You get the immediate impression that Maggie is a very good natured person who does not get upset very easily, but instead can always find something in the world to appreciate.  The problem is when Brandon walks into the book store that Maggie works in for the first time and she is rude to him for no reason.  That did not jive with what the character was presenting to the audience before that point.  Not only was Maggie rude, but she was doing it while on the job.  Your customers are your meal ticket.

  

 

Betty White's character Lettie is a sweatheart who is also very wise.

Maggie Malone is a struggling and aspiring writer who works in a bookstore to make ends meet.  One day she finds a rare edition of Great Expectations in the bookstore and it seems to wield magic.  Maggie's first two wishes come true immediately.  This is a great and magical element to this movie that was not executed well. 

  

  Handsome Sean Maguire plays Brandon

A lawyer with a British accent walks into the store looking for Maggie to inform her that she has a benefactor who has certain gifts for her.  The benefactor however, wants to remain anonymous, and Brandon is sworn to keep the identity secret.  

The first thing that Brandon does is take Maggie to the bank and opens an account in her name, depositing 5 million dollars into it on behalf of her benefactor.   Maggie is not particularly thankful though, and that begins to turn me off from the character.  It is indeed better to remain grounded when these things happen, but Maggie could have shown some appreciation for the gifts bestowed upon her by her anonymous benefactor.  

Another gift that Maggie receives is a beautiful apartment overlooking the city.  The apartment is in a building that is very much like a hotel, so it has concierge services.  Maggie at first whines about how she cannot live there.  I sat there watching this and said to myself are you freaking kidding me?  It was a gorgeous apartment reflecting the tastes and colors that Maggie loves so much.   It was not as if it was an outlandishly styled apartment for the rich and famous.  It was a huge step up, but the benefactor made sure it was also a good fit for Maggie and that she could be comfortable in it.

Brandon and Maggie spend a lot of time together and end up falling in love.  I was not surprised by that.  As a matter of fact as soon as Brandon's character first makes his appearance in the movie I guessed as much.  Brandon is a very handsome and proper Englishman who is slightly uptight, but Maggie manages to thaw him out a bit. 

One day Brandon tells Maggie that her benefactor is having her book published.  This infuriates Maggie.  I can understand that Maggie wanted to earn publication of her writing on her own, but to me, her reaction was still way over the top.  The look that came over her face and the way she stormed out of the apartment you would think she had been cursed out and slapped instead of bestowed such wonderful gifts.  

Later on Brandon confesses his love for Maggie. Maggie sits there looking at him as if he has two heads.  The next thing I know she is demanding that Brandon tell her who the benefactor is.  Brandon explains again that he cannot tell her because his client made it a condition.  Maggie gets upset and tells Brandon that she cannot trust him.  WHAT?,,,,she cannot trust him?  Is Maggie kidding me?  This is a man who is a lawyer and chooses to respect his client confidentiality agreement.  If you can't trust a man like that who can you trust?   Brandon showed honor and integrity, but instead Maggie threw that to the wind and behaved as if keeping your word was some sort of failing.  I was through with Maggie after that.  I wanted Brandon to go and find another girl to fall in love with.  Someone who was not so darned selfish, cynical and ungrateful.  

I don't recommend this movie at all, but you know me.  If you want to know how it ends you will have to suffer through it yourself.  If it becomes too taxing to watch all the way through you can always fast forward to the end.

 

Armand Assante, the Benefactor.  Exactly who is he?

 Jenna Mattison and husband Richard Gunn