Bewitched - Film Review

Nora Ephron doesn't exactly return to her peak form with Bewitched but the film does cast a light and enjoyable spell for its running time. You may not remember a thing about it after you leave the theater but don't be too surprised if you're entranced while you're sitting in your seat.

The most amazing thing about Bewitched has to be that it's not nearly as bad as you think it would be. After months of bad buzz and the ghost of the horrendous The Stepford Wives hanging in my mind, I went into Bewitched almost expecting to hate it. I didn't at all. Ephron wisely avoids the typical straight-up remake and basically just makes one of her classic romantic comedies set in the world of witches and Hollywood. Ephron takes the classic TV show and recasts it in Hollywood, going meta on the whole thing, making a movie about remaking the show. Kidman plays Isabel, the actual witch pretending to be a fake witch, to play Samantha in the TV remake. Will Ferrell plays the conceited star who falls for her.

The main reason Bewitched works, besides the effortless charm of Nicole Kidman, is that it doesn't feel overworked, at least not until the strained final act. For at least an hour, it rides along on its broomstick, unconcerned about being a commentary on Hollywood, television, remakes, or anything else. Ephron knows that, with the right cast (and this ensemble is undeniably enjoyable to watch), she doesn't have to push any of the jokes too hard or strain to be clever. Too many comedies, and almost all TV-to-film remakes, feel forced at all times, nudging you in the side to get the reference to the original. In the end, when she's forced to wrap things up romantically, Ephron ends up pushing the jokes and the romance a bit too hard just to have some sort of climax, but that's still two acts less than most summer comedy writers.

In a dull summer, full of CGI and pretty people blowing shit up, Bewitched may feel better than it actually is just because it's light on its feet. In other words, low expectations can be a wonderful thing. And, so far, we've been having a year in film that creates very low expectations. Even in the best years, finding a comedy that, for at least two thirds of its running time, just makes you smile, without pummeling you with jokes or setups, is rare. It's like a summer breeze, completely forgettable, but damn enjoyable while you're suffering through the dog days of the season.