“Bewitched” (Columbia Pictures)
This is certainly the summer of movies based on TV shows. We have already had “The Honeymooners,” now comes “Bewitched,” and soon to come is “The Dukes of Hazzard.” “The Honeymooners” has already flopped, and Jessica Simpson as “Daisy Duke” can be great or bad depending on how strong her comedic acting talents are. We all know she will look good, especially in her “daisy dukes.” That leaves us with “Bewitched” and I am here to tell you it is a fun film.
With “Bewitched” the moviemakers did a smart thing. They did not just redo it as a literal copying of the old TV series. They made it a movie about a TV series being redone based on the old TV series. In the movie Jack Wyatt (Will Ferrell) is an actor who has been cast as Darrin in a new TV series based on the old TV series “Bewitched.” Since he has a fragile ego he convinces the producers to go with a complete unknown as Samantha.
One day he spots Isabel Bigelow (Nicole Kidman) wrinkling her nose in the library. He immediately thinks of her as Samantha, and the fact she is not an actress is a big plus. That means less competition for him. The problem is that although she is not an actress, she is a witch. She rides a broomstick and everything. But she wants to reform and leave the witchy world behind her.
So the TV series starts filming, and even has legendary actress Iris Smythson (Shirley MacLaine) as Endora. When the audience reactions are tallied Jack is way below Isabel in popularity, and this means Jack has a problem. He doesn’t want to suffer the same fate as the original Darrin who was replaced in the show and nobody noticed. If anyone is going it is going to be Isabel – but maybe not. She might just put a spell on him and cool him down.
The magic of the movie is in the introduction of new characters while paying tribute to the original ones. “The Honeymooners” should have thought of this. Of course it helps this movie too to have Nicole Kidman at her prettiest and freshest, along with Will Ferrell at his most manic and funniest. These two stars have genuine chemistry together.
The film is rated PG-13 but it is a mild movie as far as language and situations go.
Michael Caine is wonderful as Isabel’s father, and Kristin Chenoweth is a bright spot as Isabel’s pushy neighbor. Also be aware that Steve Carell is amazing as “Uncle Arthur” and Carole Shelley has “Aunt Clara” down to perfection. Shirley MacLaine looks old and acts tired as Iris.
There are some slow moments in the movie but overall it is a bright romantic comedy that audiences should enjoy. I know my wife and I did. Ferrell is a talented funnyman but it is Nicole who is the main reason the movie is so delightful. She can twitch her nose at me any time she wants.
I scored “Bewitched” an entranced 7 out of 10.
