The Wishing Well (2009 TV Movie) User Reviews

Not involving

[phd_travel · 5/10 · 6 October 2018]

Jordan Ladd and Jason London lead this uninvolving Hallmark romance. She is a big magazine writer who comes to a small town to do a story on a wishing well. She's rude and unlikeable but after a wish things change. The wish fulfilment isn't that interesting although she learns a couple of lessons on the way. He is a bit morose so there isn't that much romance apart from a little kiss.

Not a must watch despite a nice looking cast.

There's A Wishing Well. Old Song Better than this Film **1/2

[edwagreen · 5/10 · 16 January 2010]

Our heroine adapts too quickly to her new situation after she is demoted from her job and goes to write for another magazine.

Her making a wish in the town wishing well transports her to a totally different life. She meets very plain, ordinary people and is easily able to identify with them quickly. Though an excellent reporter, she takes criticism too easily from the editor of the tank town in Illinois that she is writing for. Of course, he is a widower with a young daughter and we know that romance will blossom.

When she wakes up from reality, she gives up the opportunity of a lifetime to return to the small town and bond with the editor. The ending was absolutely benign.

Ernest Borgnine co-stars as a motel owner and Sally Kellerman, a waitress, if you can believe that one as Ms. Kellerman is now 72 years of age.

What was her original wish when she cast the coins in the wishing well. Her editor didn't believe in the well and how right he was.

See my comment below

[DonandLiG · 6/10 · 2 May 2020]

The female lead is so annoying that you'd do yourself a favor if you start at the 37min time-mark.

Now THIS is what I expect from a Hallmark movie

[HallmarkMovieBuff · 29 May 2010]

Of the three Hallmark movies watched on a sequestered Saturday night of a holiday weekend, this, as expected, was the best of the lot.

Cynthia Tamerline (Jordan Ladd), a highfalutin hot-shot reporter for a Manhattan celebrity mag, is sent by her editor to the midlands of America to write a feature for a sister publication about a small-town wishing well, to spark her up and teach her a lesson. Upon arrival, she finds that nobody there has heard of her prestigious calling card, but they all love the down-home tips in the homemakers' magazine she's actually there to report for.

Cynthia rushes through her assignment in order to get back to her privileged life in New York, but makes a wish at the well before she leaves. (How to be happy?) She falls asleep on the plane, and wakes up in an alternate universe, back in the town she just left, penniless, and dependent upon a job at the town's tiny newspaper. The rest of the movie deals with Cynthia's transition into humanity.

This movie is well-executed all around, except that one must agree with an earlier reviewer that our heroine makes the transition from grumpy city girl to breezy small-town lass much too quickly, i.e., just after her very first newspaper assignment, which is to cover a funeral that is so sparsely attended that she is recruited as a pallbearer.

Fun, feel-good fantasy

[herrcarter-92161 · 7/10 · 22 October 2023]

This was a fun, enjoyable movie. It was a Hallmark movie from the days before Hallmark became so formulaic and cookie-cutter. Actually, the plot of the big city girl going to a small town and finding herself changed by it is pretty common. But this one was a little different and fresh, because it also had the fantasy element of the girl waking up in an alternate reality because of making a wish in the wishing well.

I really enjoyed Jordan Ladd's performance as Cynthia, our cynical reporter in need of a shift in life priorities. She's cute and spunky and genuinely likable. Every time she flashes her winning smile, it's pure magic. Honestly, she seemed so nice through most of the movie that her initial moments of being a jerk hardly rang true. Jason London as newspaper owner Mark did an adequate job, though there was nothing overly special about him. The supporting cast were great, especially since they included such screen luminaries as Ernest Borgnine and Sally Kellerman. Was there chemistry between Cynthia and Mark? Not as much as I would have liked, unfortunately, They seemed kind of awkward around each other, especially when they kissed.

The script was fairly good, but it did have a few rough spots. One thing I didn't like was that we didn't have enough acknowledgement by Cynthia that she was, in fact, in an alternate reality. After eventually realizing that she has no money, she settles down way too easily into her new life and job as a small-town newspaper reporter, using her talents for such earth-shattering stories as a local man's cigarette lighter collection. It needed to be more like Nicholas Cage's reaction to his alternate reality in "The Family Man", where he truly freaks out, tries to change his situation, and eventually, grudgingly, accepts his new reality and embraces it. As it was, I found it hard to believe that Cynthia would accept her new lot in life so docilely, or that she would rush back to the small town so willingly at the end, leaving behind her career in NYC that she had worked so hard to achieve.

In the end, in spite of a few flaws, this movie was a sweet, feel-good, family-friendly movie that only a true cynic would not find heartwarming. Definitely worth a watch.

Cute but acting outshines the movie itself

[dpeddle-214-514582 · 2/10 · 16 January 2015]

This was tough to watch. The acting is actually better than the movie itself. I was curious as to why they did so many close-ups of Jordan Ladd--all you can focus on is the packed make-up (I cannot imagine she needs that much!). the dream sequence made me laugh out loud. Borgnine was great- -good to see him again in such a sweet role. There are many little things that were just odd. Why would she jump out of bed and race to see her driver's license? Was it all just a dream--or did the wishing well make it happen then thrust her back into her real life again?...but it was cute. I guess it's a movie made for TV, so expectations are low, but I would think if you are taking the time, effort, and money to put out a movie you would want it to be the best it can be. I am off to look for more films by Ladd in hopes of finding something where she can show her true skills.

Watching the best of actors

[MEEdmo42 · 10/10 · 14 February 2010]

Wishing Well is not outstanding in story material but very enjoyable nonetheless. One of the really good things about it is the appearance of Ernest Borgnine, who at 92, is an believable person. An excellent actor (I loved him in Marty) who has been in many movies and on TV, and here he is again with a good role, not just a quick scene. It is also nice to see Tempestt Bledsoe, who has matured well in her looks and talent from the Cosby Show. It was such a pleasure to see her in this. I think many of us would like to do this, at least we feel it sometime in our life. To get out of the life we live and into someplace simple and loving and caring. I think both lead characters are written well. Even some of the music help the story along. I wouldn't advise anyone to watch it if you like reality heavy and deep subjects that tear at the heart and mind. This is just one to sit back and enjoy.

It was great.

[cmflash · 10/10 · 10 January 2010]

The first reviewer was a bit wrong I think. I believe they must have meant Jason London, rather than Jason Young? The 2nd reviewer was more correct and I agree with them that the movie is not necessarily a Oscar contender, but then, many Oscar contenders are total piles of garbage. I don't remember another movie that Jason London was in with Ernest Borgnine. But it was Jason rather than his brother Jeremy who was in a movie with Ed Asner. It was called Out of the Woods and it too was a fantastic movie and a lot of fun to watch, just like Wishing Well was.

This movie was great and it was refreshing to see a movie with no violence or profanity or gratuitous sex scenes. Jason London was terrific as always. It was a pleasure to see him in this movie.

Worth the watch--I actually liked it

[alimarie1331 · 10/10 · 9 January 2010]

Despite the '10' I gave it, no, it's not an Oscar contender. Yes, it's predictable and follows the'Movie of the Week' formula. This said, I enjoyed it. As far as the made-for-TV-corny-romance-movie-of-the-week genre goes, I think it earns the 10. I've never reviewed a movie on here before, but after reading the only review decided to throw in my two cents. Maybe it's because I'm a small-town girl who moved to the 'big city'...maybe it's because sometimes I just enjoy a corny Hallmark movie on a Saturday night. Over the holidays I caught several movies with Jason London & Ernest Borgnine and am becoming rather fond of them...or was it Jeremy London & Ed Asner...maybe that's it. Anyway, whatever the case, I'd watch it again!

...slick chick quits Big City for hick in sticks...................................

[ianlouisiana · 10 December 2009]

"Wishing Well" should have been the kind of frothy comedy Miss Doris Day and Mr Rock Hudson thrived on 50 years ago but unfortunately no one told Mr Jason Young who plays the widowed owner of a small town newspaper as if he was Willie Loman.Miss Ladd as the ace reporter from the Big City on a "punishment assignment" to Wishing Well,Illinois,to write a story about the,er,wishing well,takes her role slightly less seriously,but,sadly,is no more believable. Add a cute kid and a cute oldster (Mr Borgnine)and the splendid Miss Kellerman and you ought to get at least a fairly diverting movie,but "Wishing Well" fails to told the attention because just when the tempo starts looking up,along comes Mr Shaughnessy to drive us all into the slough of despond. Having been assigned to Wishing Well,Miss Ladd wakes up one morning,and,due to the machinations of the wishing well,finds that she is not the hot reporter from the Big City but a recent hire for the ailing paper that is about to be sold to a multi - conglomerate. She soon comes under the spell of the small town and - there's a surprise - the newspaper owner himself and his cute daughter. Due to the further machinations of Wishing Well's wishing well she returns home in triumph,gets made editor of the celebrity magazine she works for,but,there's a lesson here,beware of what you wish for,because in the midst of the concrete canyons she pines for the whiteboard houses and picket fences.And the newspaper owner - obviously. That it all ends happily should surprise nobody,but it seems to take an awfully long time to get there. "Wishing Well" is not really a bad movie,more a "so what?" movie that might find it hard to claim a niche in an overcrowded market.But if you like "magic" stories about the superiority of small town values and the opportunity of starting afresh,it may well appeal.

Wishing Well

[freestarlings · 10/10 · 28 July 2014]

I just adored this movie, it was a feel good type of movie. Had happiness, assess, hope, and a great ending. I just love the movies that Jordan is in, she is a great actress in every movie she has been in, the movie did remind me of Ground Hog Day a little, but this one was much much better.this movie is one anyone can watch if they are having a bad day, it will fix your day making it better. I highly recommend Wishing Well to any one who hasn't seen it especially, but also even if you have seen it, it is definitely worth seeing it again and again. Another comment about Wishing Well is young children can watch it,there was no profanity in it at all. My compliments to the actors also.

Very entertaining, charming, heartfelt movie, highly recommend

[magicofnimue · 8/10 · 28 July 2012]

I love this movie and wish they would release on DVD. So instead I have to wait until Hallmark decides to air when they choose to. I keep checking online periodically to see if it's ever been released. Tell them to release on DVD! It is a charming, sweet, heartfelt movie with every day people who connect and are the better for it. I highly recommend this movie for anyone who wants a breath of fresh air. It has magic, love, charm and so much more. You should take a chance and watch it the next time Hallmark airs it. I think the actors did a good job expressing their emotions. It is very entertaining with likable actors who have great personalities. Great movie!