Wishful Thinking_
"TRUE LOVE...Is Just A Wish Away!"
A story told from three angles. Max meets Elizabeth; they live together, but when she talks of marriage, he balks. He becomes extremely jealous, probably without cause, and thinks she's taken up with a friend of his, Jack. Elizabeth, stung by Max's refusal to marry, catches Jack's eye, but the friendship seems innocent. Lena, who works with Max, likes him and realizes she can manipulate his jealousy and maybe engineer his split from Elizabeth. When she's sure Elizabeth is with a man, she calls Max at work, sending him home to confront the lovers. Then, Lena feels guilty and takes off for Max's apartment. What's really going on? Who's with Elizabeth?
Starring
Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Beals, Desiree Casado
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
DROPTHE_ GOSSIP
Year context
Wishful Thinking was released 27 years ago in 1999.
Overview
A story told from three angles. Max meets Elizabeth; they live together, but when she talks of marriage, he balks. He becomes extremely jealous, probably wit...
Wishful Thinking is a Comedy, Romance film with a runtime of 1h 31m.
CAST (15)
Drew Barrymore
Lena
Jennifer Beals
Elizabeth
Desiree Casado
Donita
Isabel Gillies
Susan - Roommate
Mel Gorham
Lourdes
James LeGros
Max
JM
Joseph Mosso
Waiter
LP
Lázaro Pérez
Ramon
Frank Senger
Man with Cane
Jon Stewart
Henry
Eric Thal
Jack
JL
Jennifer Lila
Partygoer (uncredited)
AM
Andrew Marks
Partygoer (uncredited)
RS
Robert Sean Miller
Partygoer (uncredited)
AR
Andy Redmond
Veterinarian (uncredited)
DETAILS
Release
Status
Released
Runtime
91 min (1h 31m)
Country
Rating
5.0/10 (22 votes)
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Wishful Thinking about?
A story told from three angles. Max meets Elizabeth; they live together, but when she talks of marriage, he balks. He becomes extremely jealous, probably without cause, and thinks she's taken up with a friend of his, Jack. Elizabeth, stung by Max's refusal to marry, catches Jack's eye, but the friendship seems innocent. Lena, who works with Max, likes him and realizes she can manipulate his jealousy and maybe engineer his split from Elizabeth. When she's sure Elizabeth is with a man, she calls Max at work, sending him home to confront the lovers. Then, Lena feels guilty and takes off for Max's apartment. What's really going on? Who's with Elizabeth?
How long is Wishful Thinking?
Wishful Thinking has a runtime of 91 minutes (1h 31m).
Who stars in Wishful Thinking?
The cast of Wishful Thinking includes Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Beals, Desiree Casado, Isabel Gillies, Mel Gorham.
What is the rating of Wishful Thinking?
Wishful Thinking has a rating of 5.0 out of 10 based on 22 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (2)
Comedy
Romance