Bewitched Movie Review:


Ok, I admit it.

I do remember a time when I used to love watching reruns of the goofy 60s sitcom, “Bewitched”. And for all you fans of the show out there, I am an original Darrin kind of guy. Dick York was Darrin, hands down. That is why it pains me to tell all you fans out there, stay away from the movie.

When I first heard that they were remaking the classic sitcom with Jim Carrey and Nicole Kidman. I was excited. Since I think Carrey would have been a great Darrin.

Then I heard that the film itself was not actually a remake but a sort of behind the scenes sort of movie about the series. I thought it was an intriguing idea of how to find a new way to make a remake.

The film itself finds Isabelle (Nicole Kidman) as a lonely witch who yearns for a normal life and to do normal things. Her innocence and her uncanny ability to twitch her nose perfectly brings her to the attention of arrogant movie star, Jack Wyatt (played now by Will Ferrell) who has just been cast as Darrin in a new television series based on the classic TV series, “Bewitched”. Jack wants her cast as Samantha, his wife, on the show with him.

Isabelle is reluctant at first and her father (Michael Caine) dislikes the idea completely. But Isabelle is persistent in trying to have a normal life.

Things get even more complicated when Isabelle seems to develop feelings for her on-screen husband. How will Isabelle deal with her new life? Will Jack accept Isabelle as a witch?

If this was an animated film, I would be comparing Nicole Kidman’s character to some of the Disney heroines of old. A lot of the Disney heroines always want to just have a normal life and marry a normal prince, oh wait, I mean guy. Kidman’s innocent and adjusting to our world scenes are quite cute and funny. I also really liked the actress in this role but it wasn’t her that was the problem.

The problem comes when the movie forgets a lot about what inspired it to be made in the first place. Like, the series.

There are lots clips of the show in the film with the actors laugh-tracking along. There are jokes about the series and there are even clones of some of the more memorable characters. Like Paul Lynde’s Uncle Arthur is now played by Steve Carell, who plays the role with a really awful impersonation.

I also really got annoyed by Will Ferrell really soon in this film. His always over the top persona and his character’s ego by making the show about him had no place in this film. I know these are all key story elements but it’s more harmful than funny. It’s like his character was created during one of those brainstorming writing sessions in a studio boardroom. Even original cast member, Jim Carrey wouldn’t have been good in this role. There was just something wrong with the whole concept of Jack Wyatt playing Darrin. They should have stuck to the show.

I can see how the concept would have been so clever and the casting of Nicole Kidman but other than that “Bewitched” is a pale memorial or remake of a classic TV sitcom. What’s next “Friends” the movie? Oh sorry, they are talking about doing that.

So Says the Soothsayer.



Dean Kish

This big-screen romp based on the beloved 1960s TV series starts promisingly, with an ingenious premise, an engaging cast and a bouncy tone. Then the filmmakers abandon the set-up and subplots to turn it into an especially slushy Ephron rom-com.

Isabel (Kidman) is a witch trying to live a normal life, although it's not easy to give up magic. When vain actor Jack (Ferrell) notices her nose-wiggling talent, he plucks her from obscurity, Hollywood-style, and casts her as Samantha in his retooled Bewitched TV series, which is his last-ditch career rescue attempt. But Isabel's father (Caine) doubts she can be a witch pretending to be mortal playing a witch pretending to be mortal. Got that?

Ephron gets this clever premise in motion with energy and charm. Kidman is delightful--Isabel is breathy and too naive, but with a knowingly warped undercurrent and an ability to learn very quickly. Ferrell struggles with his schizophrenic character. He's good; it's not his fault the character is so badly plotted, wildly swinging from flailing has-been to sweet leading man. The fine supporting cast try to make their underwritten roles work, but the script continually leaves them hanging. Worst of all is the ill-conceived sequence with Uncle Arthur, which isn't helped by Carrell's appalling Paul Lynde impersonation.

The original series is such a time-honoured classic that we really want to like this film, and the sharply written opening third is thoroughly enjoyable. But it's like the solid script was simply shredded on page 50, replaced by a lazily rehashed version of You've Got Mail with a bit of witchcraft thrown in. None of the intriguing ideas has a pay-off, and the two appealing romances (between Caine and MacLaine and goofy agent Schwartzman and sparky neighbour Chenoweth) simply vanish. It's sad watching the film fall to pieces, especially since Kidman and Ferrell give it their all while the plot collapses and is replaced with romantic schmaltz. Even with likeable chemistry, their love story is the film's weakest element. And it kills off what should have been a sharp skewering of showbiz combined with knowing nostalgia.

Rich Cline

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