This movie made me laugh almost all the way through--which I don't think was the desired response. It's so famously bad that the people I saw it with still make references to "Genie Dogs." If you like a good manipulator movie you'll enjoy this movie. If you don't like a good manipulator movie, you enjoy this movie because you'll laugh all the way through at the silly and trite things going on that are supposed to force you to feel for these characters. It's right up there with Xanadu on my list of dumb, sappy and yet entertainingly bad movies. Of course with Patrick Swayze, the king of Velveeta processed cheese food, in the leading role what do you expect?

This movie is better than the rating suggests. Patrick Swayze displays some tremendous acting skills as the ever blue Jack McCloud, a tramp and thorough loner. He is sincere and pervasive, as is Joseph Mazzello as Tom. The evolving relationship between the two of them is one of the three major themes of the movie. It is a relationship propelled by Tom's dear wish to have some male person around he can relate to and rely on, as his father is apparently absent. Jack, who joins the family as a stranger, develops a kind of deep and caring commitment towards the three family members. He doesn't push for it, it just happens. The second theme focuses around M.E. Mastrantonio's brilliant performance as Jeanne Holman, Tom's and Gunny's mom. Her despair mingled with hope and confidence makes her the archetype of the single parent of the Mid-50s, the era which is so superbly revived as the movie's setting. The third theme centers around Gunny, Tom's little brother, his belief in magic and fairies as well as his fears. This is the movie's underlying main theme, as the title itself suggests. The end, which makes you feel good and renews faith in what we have and ought to preserve and care for, reveals the message of the title and grants this movie an inspiring and deeply human message. Magic is out there - in everything we do and everything we dream of. It is the little things, the little signs of love and affection, of hope and endurance. Tom himself, as an adult, receives reassurance in his faith and his values by what Jack has done to his family when he was a young boy. The message is brilliant and makes this movie a solid 8/10. "Be yourself", Jack advises Tom. "And be happy with what you have" he adds much later in the movie. Hope and love will endure against all odds, if we allow magic into our lives. The same magic we believed in as kids. It is still there. You just have to admit it.

I picked this up at Walgreens for $4.00 *. I was taken! Again we have a movie with lots of talented people but, with a disappointing story. The climax (and we're looking for the final revealing moment)or coup de grace was probably the biggest or dumbest ending to a movie. If The young son realized this wish and the mother realized her wish, why could'nt the oldest son realize his wish (I know he did'nt wish anything, and that it was wished for him)? I mean the wish should have been self evident. And was Jack (Swayze)the White Sox pitcher or not and what was the story behind the last revelation about Jack supposed to mean? Maybe I was sleeping (Zzzzzz)and not the movie? Long, boring with a story not fully realized.

I actually read a review that Siskel and Ebert gave this movie in my local newspaper. They both said this movie was horrible and gave it a few more bad reviews. Can't remember what it was, but when I saw the movie, I loved every minute of it. This movie basically shows how a simple act of kindness can bring a family closer together in times of desperation. I enjoyed how much thought went into producing such a heart-warming tale and so many times when I watch it, it makes me understand what the family goes through and sympathize with them. For people who want a movie that can truly bring a family together and show that even the most difficult things that occur in life can have a way of working out, this movie will definitely show you that.

I love this film! I give 10/10! This film is suitable for all family members entertainment, but I think adults will love it more than kids, because of the story. There's a drama, comedy, sadness, loss, hopes, all in this film, completed sweet wonderful melodrama with a little fantasy scenes. The cinematography, the musics, and the acting of all actors are excellent, I can't forget it from my mind. Joseph Mazzello's acting is very incredible for a child actor, he made his character (Little Tom) so real with all those touching emotions. Also, Little Tom character reminds me of my childhood, that's why I love this film even more.

After reading nothing but negative reviews for Three Wishes all my expectations were crushed, but I watched it anyway. It was an excellent, perfectly acted (in most cases), well directed film with beautiful camera work. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio plays a single mother of two whose husband supposedly died in Korea (it takes place in the fifties). She invites a mysterious stranger who she hit with her car (causing a broken leg) to stay with them until his cast is taken off, with no idea on how he will change their lives forever. In his movies, Patrick Swayze is either good or horrendous. In this one he is both. At some points it looks like he'll get an Oscar, at others, a Golden Raspberry. The underrated Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio (The Abyss, Limbo) is very good in her role, but the best performance belongs to Joseph Mazzello, who plays her oldest son, Tom. Despite being third billed, Mazzello probably has the most screen time, and should've got some kind of award for his performance (though he wasn't as good her as he was in The Cure). The other two leads were good. In his first film Seth Mumy plays Mastrantonio's youngest son, and is given very few scenes with the rest of the family, spending most of his time with Swayze's dog, who I'll go to now. The dog is completely adorable and happens to be a very good actor, even though he/she is a dog. Without revealing anything, I'll say that the ending was completely unexpected, in a bad way. It was stupid, full of holes, unnecessary and made the director look like she (I think) had run out of ideas. Michael O'Keefe plays Tom in 1995. He is so unbelievably awful, he almost bring the whole picture down with him. It would've been better if the narration had been left out. Sadly, Three Wishes was one of the box office disasters that destroyed Rysher Entertainment. (Who had my favorite logo for a production company. Bad reason) + (GOOD THINGS) 1.) Camera work 2.) The promising cast 3.) The adorableness (is that a real word?) of the dog 4.) Joseph Mazzello's performance 5.) Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio's performance 6.) Direction 7.) The script (BAD THINGS) 1.) The ending 2.) Flashback narration Total: 8.5/10

If you like seemingly bottomless plot holes and unexplained characters and occurrences and merciless twanging of the sentimental heartstrings, "Three Wishes" is surely for you. From start to finish it has more questions than it has answers and it suddenly and rather desperately runs like mad to the finish line trying to tie things up in a neat little bow but fails miserably. Patrick Swayze is once again a ghost (unless of course he is an angel, this is NOT made at all clear). The neighbor kids all inexplicably dislike and bully the older brother. The younger brother is a scared and weird little boy with no reasons given for his behavior. There is a totally meaningless opening sequence with the rest of the film being a flashback. Mom is attractive. Her wanna-be beau is a bit of a creep. The drifter is first verbally abused (for no reason) by the local cop and then released from the hospital to sleep on a park bench. It's ALL a mystery. Was the drifter a professional baseball player ? Is he now an exhibitionist ? Do we care ? Will mom fall for the creep ? Will mom fall for the drifter ? Again, do we care ? What's with the little brother and the dreams, visions, nightmares ? Do we care ? Answer to all three is a resounding NO ! No complaints about the acting as it is done as well as can be expected in this manipulative, confusing mess. Most appealing character is the dog ! A Real cutie !

for message, for performance, for Patrick Swayze and for the young Joseph Mazzello. sentimental, nice, seductive. soup for soul. one of films for romantics, useful, again and again, for remind the role of miracles. and for enjoy. sure, a film for a kind of public. no surprise. but, in same measure, one of films who, without be great or unique, is a good escape from reality and comfortable way to discover the life on a different angle. a film about a meeting. and about love. about magic. and about hope. about trust. almost a fairy tale in American spirit.interesting for a form of self definition. because, like every magic, it is more than a show.

I managed to find this movie on Amazon streaming. It is a nice movie about family values and ultimately, finding happiness in what you get in life rather than wishing your life were different. There are a few very harsh IMDb reviews, I don't understand that, this is a really well-made movie of a very nice story. It starts in about 1985, it is Memorial Day, the start of summer vacation, and the family of four head out for a short trip. The dad, Tom, almost runs over a man and his dog, that incident flashes him back to 1955 when he was about 10 or 11 years old. His father had not returned from the Korean War and was presumed deceased. Young Tom had a lot of anger in his heart. It was back then that Tom's mom almost ran over a man, Patrick Swayze as Jack, who also had a shaggy dog as a companion. Jack's foot was in a cast, as he heads away Tom's mom feels sorry for him and convinces him to stay with them until his cast is off. Jack has a very positive impact on young Tom. In most appearances Jack comes across as a real man, but as he interacts with the Little League baseball team in a zen-like manner, and a few other things, we come to believe that he is more like Bagger Vance. Someone who may not be real but who comes into a life at a critical point. Young Tom needed to get his mojo back, to figure out what life is really about. When Tom as an adult encounters the same Jack and his dog in the cemetery, we know the answer. Good movie with a message for everyone.

When my 5 year old and I entered the theater for this film, all I knew was that it was not R rated. To my great pleasure and surprise I found a gem of a movie I continually recommend to all my friends. After my brother and I watched it a few years ago you could have called us the "blubber brothers" as we both were overcome by the its generous wish for us all.