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Would you want a prince magically appearing at our doorstep? Wishful Thinking questions whether we should be careful with what we wish for or simply trust fate to handle our requirements..

Boyfriend breaks up with his Lola. She is naturally sad, but at the same time she sees it as an opportunity to find herself the perfect man. So she resorts to a sorcery. Soon enough, a handsome, muscular and blue-eyed man knocks on her door. Her mum Kaisa opens it. The man perfectly fits Lola’s description. The mother is instantly dazzled. Muscles and a killer smile overrule rational thinking, it seems. A rivalry between mother and daughter soon surfaces.

Wishful Thinking is a simple and straightforward movie, and this precisely where its magic lies. It focuses on female longing. The idea of the one-size-fits-all stereotypical male is cringeworthy. You are guaranteed to squint and smile uncomfortably. The conversations are unnatural and forced, adding fuel to the feeling of awkwardness. The actors make these extremely naive characters seem credible. And this is why Wishful Thinking works. The movie tacitly raises the inconvenient question: are women really this shallow, or are these representations wildly exaggerated? Are a beautiful face and body all it takes, or do women have something more profound to offer?

This is a movie about the huge gap between the superficial depiction of women and profound connection they seek. Ultimately, Wishful Thinking suggests that – while women may fantasise about perfection – the real connection comes from inside. A magically conjured partner might look right, but that doesn’t mean he is right. Just trust nature. While not particularly innovative, Wishful Thinking is the perfect nighttime watch, packed with just the right amount of annoying stereotypes. It will entertain you, irritate you and make you think.

Wishful Thinking shows in the PÖFF Shorts section of the 29th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. This review was written as part of the Film Review Workshop conducted on November 9th, 2025.