Kim Gentes

First off, let me say that I enjoyed this movie as just a good time of laughing. The problem was, I kept looking for a good plot, or deeper character portrayal, and that somewhat derailed me for just kicking back and taking it as a simply comedy. The jokes are shallow, but very funny, and thankfully not in ill-taste. In fact, I found this a very refreshing script, in terms of its cleanliness from sex induced humor. That isn't to say they don't have any sexual references, but there is no Saturday Night Live dialog here, and it serves the TV going audience an appropriate meal of humor they would expect.

Ferrell does a very good job with his lines, especially delivering the surprised and dumb-founded moments in the film. He hasn't been this funny since Elf. It works well and you enjoy it.

But the film has drawbacks. The plot, while clever (a movie about a real witch who gets involved with a remake of Bewitched, a TV program about a witch in suburban america). It sounds more confusing than it is, and the idea has some good traction. But the reuse of characters gets old and the lack of devotion to a clear plot leaves you feeling like they had no story to hang these good jokes and two good perfomances on.

While Ferrell and Kidman do very good jobs with their characters, remaining casting is fair to bleak. Michael Caine plays the warlock father of Kidman, and while he never misplays his roll, he isn't given much to work with but evil fatherly advice. Shirley McClain plays the mother of Kidman's TV character and she does just about everything she can to ruin the movie including dispassionate delivery of her lines and ruthless grandstanding, which is actually written into the script. McClain should have been shown out on audition of this film as she ruins every scene she tries to be a part of including an advice session with Kidman. Beyond that, the supporting cast goes from bad to worse with the assistants and stage hands of the "Bewitched" studio set being one horribly cast stereotype after another.

The movie was funny, but without Kidman and Ferrell it would have never even reached the theatres. More duet scenes with just them would have been just fine. The film wasn't the "magic" the studios would like it to be, but it is worth seeing, at least on rental if not on the screen.