Practically Sh*te! (Practical Magic (DVD))

Member Name: karenuk

Product:	Practical Magic (DVD)
Date:	25/02/03 (84 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Nicole, Sandra, Stockard

Disadvantages: Plenty

Continuing my quest to watch all my best friend’s DVDs <grin> I borrowed Practical Magic. I often decide to watch films because of the cast and this was probably the main reason for picking this one, as I have enjoyed both Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock’s performances in other movies – plus there was the added bonus of Stockard Channing (Rizzo in Grease).

I was planning to review the whole DVD, as I did with Erin Brockovich, but after enduring 100 minutes of the film (in three sittings!), I really didn’t want to put myself through any more! So if you want to know what’s on the DVD, buy it yourself. I’m just reviewing the film.

The basic plot of Practical Magic is that there is a family of witches called the Owens. There is a curse which kills the man that an Owens woman falls in love with. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman play the two younger witches, who are sisters Sally and Gillian, while their Aunts (also witches, of course) are played by Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest.

There isn’t much more to the story than that really. Will they find true love? Will they be able to overcome the curse and live happily ever after? Well, if you’re like me, you really won’t care.

The characters are vapid and it is hard to get emotionally attached to them or to care what happens in their lives. I ended up spending most of the film envying Nicole Kidman’s beautiful auburn hair and wishing mine were like hers. Not once did the co-stars become Sally and Gillian to me, they were always Sandra and Nicole.

The film doesn’t seem to know where it’s going or who it’s aimed at. The pacing is unbelievably slow – and it’s not even a long film. You can excuse a rather slow start as there is a lot of background information to impart, but it never really seemed to become fast-paced or exciting at all. The whole film was dull and my mind started wand

ering onto more interesting topics several times. I even sorted out the washing during a couple of scenes.

The film is rated a 12, so is it aimed at an adult audience? Well, nothing really happened to warrant my attention, so I am pretty sure it wasn’t aimed at me. My twelve year old daughter was similarly unimpressed and unenthusiastic, describing it as a children’s horror film - said in that ‘looking down your nose’ superior tone that twelve year olds use when talking about anyone under eleven! However, I wouldn’t let my nine and six year olds watch it, as there are a few spooky special effects that might scare them.

Talking of special effects, you would expect lots of impressive ones in a film about magic, wouldn’t you? Well, you’d be disappointed then. There were more magical effects in Mary Poppins (and the music was better). Apart from lots of toads and one hairy spider, the best part was the spoon that stirred all by itself.

Some of the film was interesting. I liked the way the relationship between the sisters developed, until they had an almost telepathic connection. However, this was not given enough time to make it more than a passing consideration.

Aidan Quinn and Goran Visnjic provided the eye candy for the straight women watching, so that was disappointing too. Aidan was much sexier opposite Madonna in Desperately Seeking Susan (and then he only just scraped past average) and although Goran began in quite a sultry East European floppy hair fashion, the glowing evil eyes just didn’t do it for me. After that, he went completely Bela Lugosi - to the point of resembling an out of work actor desperately trying to get a part by being as cliched as possible.

Meanwhile, Dianne Wiest tried to put some elegance into her role and ended up fading into the background, being totally outclassed by Stockard Channing. Admittedly, Channing occasionally strayed into panto
mode,
but at least she seemed to be having genuine fun with it. Hey, at least someone enjoyed it!

As for Sandra and Nicole – well, I think they were as baffled as the rest of us. Was it a comedy or a drama or a horror? Well, a bit of each really and not enough of anything. Nicole spent the last section of the film writhing around on the floor – because, as every film viewer knows, anyone who is possessed has to sound like they’re having an orgasm. Sandra had a permanently confused expression on her face and I don’t think it was acting.

So overall, I wasn’t keen – as you might have guessed. A great cast being let down by a film which can only be described as dull. Still, worth watching though, just to see Nicole’s hair.

Summary: