Even though I had seen the trailer, I was completely surprised by The Wrong Paris. This Netflix rom-com premiered on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, and as a fan of Miranda Cosgrove since her roles in School of Rock and iCarly, I was looking forward to this new movie. But while it includes many of the usual romance tropes, parts of The Wrong Paris were totally unexpected.
If you love small town girl vibes and hot cowboys, and also get a kick out of the absurdity of reality TV dating shows, The Wrong Paris has everything you'll want in a romance. Just remember that this film is not just a romance, but a comedy too.
What is The Wrong Paris about?
Dawn (Miranda Cosgrove) has lived in a small Texas town her entire life. When her parents passed away in her childhood, her grandmother raised Dawn and her two sisters. Taking after her mother's passion for art, Dawn creates metal art pieces in their barn. Her dream has always been to go to art school in Paris, and she receives her acceptance letter at the beginning of the film. But her financial aid request was denied.
Dawn's sisters come up with a plan to get her to Paris when they learn that the newest season of their favorite reality show, The Honey Pot, is filming in Paris. Dawn auditions and is invited onto the show, with the plan of getting rejected early on and then going to her art school. Things get complicated when the creators of the show reveal that they tricked the contestants and they're actually filming in Paris, Texas. Dawn still tries to compete to win cash prizes, but finds herself actually falling for Trey (Pierson Fodé), "the honey" of The Honey Pot.
The Wrong Paris review
I knew going in that this film was about a reality dating show where the female lead is "not like the other girls." I just didn't realize how heavily they would lean into jokes about reality TV and the stereotypes portrayed therein. From the time we meet the rest of the contestants until most are eliminated, I cringed while watching.
I understand the commentary they were trying to make: how reality TV is fake and people often act as outlandishly as possible to get more views. It just felt overdone, and I found myself wondering why Trey would agree to this show if he was so obviously uncomfortable. Luckily, his dream "down-to-earth" girl is one of the contestants, but he doesn't know that Dawn isn't there for love. So, the inevitable cliché misunderstanding happens when Dawn tries to tell him the truth, but can't before another contestant reveals it, and Trey is crushed.
There were cute moments between Dawn and Trey, but they were eclipsed by the stunts and antics the rest of the cast were all doing. I actually wish that we would have gotten more of the love story and backgrounds of the B story romance between Dawn's roommate and fellow contestant, Jasmine (Christin Park) and one of the film crew. Their story felt more compelling than the main couple's.
The ending was sweet, and Dawn and Trey got their happily ever after while Dawn still pursued her art dreams. I just wish there had been more of those genuine moments and fewer of the comic relief scenes. Miranda Cosgrove and Pierson Fodé had great chemistry, and they both carry the film with their acting talents.
In the end, though, I felt I never had enough time to get over the absurdity played for laughs before I was supposed to swoon or tear up. It just didn't have the right balance necessary for a successful romantic comedy. But don't let my views stop you from watching! Try it out for yourself if you're looking for a fluffy, funny rom-com.
The Wrong Paris is streaming now on Netflix.
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