Bewitched

• Title:  Bewitched
• Director:  Nora Ephron
• Date:  2005
• Studio:  Columbia
• Genre:  Romantic Comedy
• Cast:  Nicole Kidman, Will Ferrell, Michael Caine, Shirley MacLaine, Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert
• Format:  Color, Widescreen
• DVD Format:  R1, NTSC

"I'm about to be killed by a fictional character!" -- Jack  Wyatt

"I can't be normal because I'm a witch; I can't be a witch because I really want to be normal."  -- Isabel Bigalow

Since I reviewed this movie when I saw it in 2005 at the theater and when I finally picked up and watched the DVD in March 2010, I figured I would save a little work.  Below is my original review.  New comments at bottom.

Bewitched was a surprisingly fun, cute movie.  Unlike many movie remakes of television shows which are often very poorly done, Bewitched travels quite happily down a slightly different path.  In the film, Will Farrell plays Jack, a down on his luck actor, unable to get starring film roles after his last film tanked at the box office.  Nicole Kidman plays Isabel, a witch, who like Samantha in the original television program wants to give up witchcraft and lead a normal life.  And like any romantic comedy, Jack meets Isabel, the audience knows they are meant for each other, and after a few trials and tribulations, Jack and Isabel do get together, cut to end credits.

However, what makes Bewitched, incredibly fun to watch is the "B" plot, the making of a new --remake-- television show called, Bewitched. Farrell's character, Jack, meets Isabel (Kidman) in a bookshop.  He offers her the part of  Samantha on his new show.  However, once casting her, he realises she is up-staging him right and left, and decides to make Bewitched his show.  He overacts, steals scenes, has the shows writers cut Isabel's lines, insists on delivering all the punch lines, and in short makes every mistake both a bad actor and a remake (television or film) could possibly make.  When the focus group blue cards come back, Isabel is tremendously popular (99 points) but Jack isn't (32 points; the dog did better).  Farrell throws a tantrum.

Isabel, meanwhile, is having problems of  her own.  She figures out how poorly Jack's been treating her and decides to quit, but before she can do that, her Aunt Clara experimentally places a hex on Jack turning him into the perfect, and horribly fake, movie-like romantic man hopelessly in love with Isabel.  Isabel, to her credit, sees this as a fake, and un-dos the hex, starting over again.  She then blows up at Jack, calling him out on the carpet for being selfish and self-centered (she's right).

Jack, seeing the error of his ways, more or less tells Isabel she's right, and the two begin working on their new television show as partners instead of as competitors.  The resulting montage sequence of the creation of a new hit TV show is well done.  But Isabel's and Jack's problems aren't quite over-- Isabel still has to tell Farrell she's a witch, a real witch.  The next sequence in the film, consists of Isabel revealing the truth to Jack.  A truth that he at first does not believe, and once she proves it to him, causes him to reject her -- in true romantic movie fashion.  It takes Uncle Arthur, a character that Jack (a fan of the original program), imagines -- to get Jack to realise the error of his ways, and that he really loves Isabel, which brings the two together.

The entire film, however, full of television in-jokes, manages to parody television, without, necessarily, parodying the show the film is based on.  The film breaks the reality/screen wall over and over again, to full audience acceptance, in truly excellent style.  For example, in one sequence where Jack courts Isabel, the two chase each other around various sets and partial set-pieces in the television studio where both work -- in a sequence extremely reminiscent of Gene Kelly's courtship of Debbie Reynolds in Singin' in the Rain.  (A film referenced earlier in the movie when Isabel, runs into the rain, joyfully, after arguing with her father about whether or not she can give up being a witch).  In another sequence, Jack and Isabel chat on what appears to be a romantic balcony, until two stage hands move the background away while they talk.  Those sequences, and the parodies of television and film conventions are what make the film Bewitched truly magical.

Update:  Yes, Bewitched is still a very fun romantic comedy with a twist.  It's enjoyable to watch, even when one knows where it is going (which let's face it - is the case for all romantic comedies).  The playing with the "Fourth Wall" still works, even when it's no longer a surprise.  Steve Carell plays "Uncle Arthur", as a really, really good impersonation of Paul Lynde (even to the point of being a little swish) - but because his character is one that Will Farrell dreams-up, the dead-on impersonation works.  Shirley MacLaine is Endora - in the new TV series remake of Bewitched, playing the part in flamboyant style and with the best wardrobe in the film (except for possibly Isabel's).  She also gets her own subplot, in that the actress, Iris, falls for Isabel's father, Nigel, played by Michael Caine.  In fact, that older romance - between Caine and MacLaine - who have fantastic on-screen chemistry, adds to the feel and enjoyment factor of the film.  Will Farrell is a bit over-the-top at times, but in a sense, he's meant to be playing an over-the-top actor/drama queen (drama king?) and it works.

Oh, and by the way, - the soundtrack / music is terrific in this movie.

Recommendation:  See it!

Rating:  4 of 5 Stars

Next Film:  Billy Elliot