Review of Bewitched (1981) by Ummay B — 22 Dec 2010

I'm readying myself for a new thumbs-down record, but against my better judgment I actually enjoyed this co-called turkey.

I don't know if it was the campy humour, the accomplished cast that includes veteran greats like Shirley MacLaine and Michael Caine, or the fact that it requires zero intellectual investment from its audience, but something about Bewitched just worked for me. Yes, Will Ferrell is very hit and miss with his Carrey-esque comedy routine, and no, Nicole Kidman did absolutely nothing to help her flailing career by starring in this. But, and it's a big but, Bewitched has its charms, and really doesn't deserve the terrible response it suffered upon initial release.

I'll admit that the original series is more of a blur to me from the reruns shown during my childhood, rather than the memorable and beloved TV show it is for many others, but I can't see much here that could offend fans of the original. The film is faithful in its looks and exhibits family friendly fun throughout. The laughs are perhaps a little sparse at times, but I did find myself chuckling aloud on a number of occasions.

The cast are generally good. Kidman is suitably ditzy in the Samantha role, while supporting performances from the likes of Jason Schwartzman, Kristin Chenoweth and Steve Carell are all fun in their way. Caine and MacLaine bring a little class to proceedings and make an quick buck in the process, while Ferrell does his usual thing, which if you're a fan of it normally then it shouldn't cause the level of displeasure that it seemed to for many critics.

Naturally the film has a number of flaws. The most obvious being the romantic subplot which I found lacking in crucial chemistry. If Ephron had chosen to make this a straight comedy I can't help but feel it would have been all the better for it. However owing to her history in the rom-com arena (When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless In Seattle) it obviously felt natural to take the film in that direction. Additionally the film's attempts to poke-fun at Hollywood are so gentle they barely register, rendering them largely pointless.

If lightweight, silly comedy is your thing (and every now and then I think it's everyone's thing) then forget what you've heard and give Bewitched a try, you might just find you like it.