If showbiz was baseball, Nicole Kidman would be precariously close to striking out.
Bewitched (2005)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:179
Fresh:44
Rotten:135
Average Rating:4.6/10
Consensus: Bewitched is haunted by scattered laughs and a lack of direction.
Rated: PG [See Full Rating] for some language, including sex and drug references, and partial nudity
Runtime: 1 hr 42 mins
Genre: Comedies
Theatrical Release:19-08-2005
Synopsis: In Columbia Pictures' beguiling romantic comedy, Bewitched, an all-star cast led by Nicole Kidman, Will Ferrell, Shirley MacLaine and Michael Caine cast their spell on the movie version of one of... In Columbia Pictures' beguiling romantic comedy, Bewitched, an all-star cast led by Nicole Kidman, Will Ferrell, Shirley MacLaine and Michael Caine cast their spell on the movie version of one of TV's most memorable and beloved shows under the direction of Nora Ephron, who co-wrote the screenplay with Delia Ephron for producers Douglas Wick, Lucy Fisher, Penny Marshall and Nora Ephron. Out in California's San Fernando Valley, Isabel (Nicole Kidman), is trying to reinvent herself. A naive, good-natured witch, she is determined to disavow her supernatural powers and lead a "normal" life. At the same time, across town, Jack Wyatt (Will Ferrell) a tall, charming actor is trying to get his career back on track. He sets his sights on an updated version of the beloved 1960's situation comedy "Bewitched," reconceived as a starring vehicle for himself in the role of the mere-mortal Darrin. Fate steps in when Jack accidentally runs into Isabel. He is immediately attracted to her and her nose, which bears an uncanny resemblance to the nose of Elizabeth Montgomery, who played Samantha in the original TV version of "Bewitched." He becomes convinced she could play the witch Samantha in his new series. Isabel is also taken with Jack, seeing him as the quintessential mortal man with whom she can settle down and lead the normal life she so desires. It turns out they're both right - but in ways neither of them ever imagined. Columbia Pictures Presents A Lucy Fisher and Douglas Wich/Penny Marshall Production Bewitched starring Nicole Kidman, Will Ferrell, Shirley MacLaine and Michael Caine. The film also stars Jason Schwartzman, Kristin Chenoweth, Heather Burns, Jim Turner, Stephen Colbert, David Alan Grier and Steve Carell. The director is Nora Ephron. Written by Nora Ephron & Delia Ephron. The producers are Douglas Wick, Lucy Fisher, Penny Marshall and Nora Ephron. The executive producers are James W. Skotchdopole, Steven H. Berman and Bobby Cohen. The production designer is Neil Spisak. The editor is Tia Nolan. The costume designer is Mary Zophres. The music is by George Fenton. -- © Columbia Pictures [More]
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Will Ferrell, Shirley MacLaine, Michael Caine
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Will Ferrell, Shirley MacLaine, Michael Caine, Jason Schwartzman, Kristin Chenoweth, Steve Carell
Director: Nora Ephron
Director: Nora Ephron
Screenwriter: Delia Ephron, Nora Ephron
Producer: Douglas Wick, Lucy Fisher, Penny Marshall, Nora Ephron
Composer: George Fenton
Studio: Columbia Pictures
Reviews for Bewitched
[The TV Bewitched is] a heck of a lot better and much more entertaining than this new “reinvention”
After Kidman and Ferrell have hit all the expected marks (meet cute, encounter obstacles, fall in love, encounter fatal setback, fall back in love), the movie winds up being hoist on its own petard, becoming the butt of one of its own inside jokes.
For one thing, it looks every bit as drab as the average 1966 sitcom did: overlit, flat, studiobound and phony. For another, it's just as unfunny as the original.
Once the multilayered real-vs.-reel high jinks wear out their welcome, the absence of magic is sadly evident.
The fluffiest surprise of the summer. When it comes to the race for giggles, it's Nicole by a nose.
Kidman is enchanting, true, and Caine, MacLaine and Chenoweth work hard, but even with the few good gags sprinkled throughout, you don't leave the theater smiling. The spell fades. The magic just isn't there.
Though there are funny bits here and there, the script just isn't funny enough.
Ephron casts a spell full of romantic-comedy charm even as it goes about the post-modern business of toying with our fondness for pop-cultural baubles like Bewitched. Consider the sparkling mood Ephron maintains as irreverent reverence.
If it were an outright train wreck, you could dismiss Bewitched as simply another failed small-screen-to-big-screen adaptation. But its mediocrity suggests that all it would have taken is some more work to make a decent movie.
Bewitched is respectful of its origin, and it's brave enough to go beyond the obvious. Unfortunately, it goes beyond in a somewhat wrong direction. As a result, this broom stick doesn't really fly, it just glides along.
Admittedly, there's a certain fascination in watching Kidman deliver these lines. You can see her struggling to make acting decisions with a character who requires none.
Ms. Kidman goes through it all as if impersonating an adorable trick-or-treater.
I was bewitched by the first third of Nora Ephron's new film, bothered by some unnecessary flab in the middle, then bewildered by a finale in which a guy who exists only in a character's mind drives an auto around Los Angeles.
The "love story" is so anemic and cloying that you just want to wave a wand and make it disappear.
The flaw that endangers Jack's TV series is the same one that derails the movie: an over-emphasis on Will Ferrell's character that kills the chemistry between Isabel and Jack.
Latest News for Bewitched
March 29, 2007:
Box Office Guru Preview: Will Ferrell Goes for the Gold
Two promising new comedies target different age groups and look to close off a red hot March box office with strong opening weekend sales. More...
August 07, 2006:
Box Office Wrapup: Will Ferrell Scores His First #1 Opening with Talladega Nights
Comedy superstar Will Ferrell scored his first-ever number one opening in a lead role with the stronger-than-expected debut of his latest hit Talladega Nights: The Ballad of... More...
March 06, 2006:
Razzie Winners (?) Announced
Fans of bad movies have The Stinkers and The Razzies to look forward to every year, and now that the latter organization has announced their winners, we can put this issue to... More...
February 13, 2006:
Trailer Bulletin: Talladega Nights
For those of us who loved "Anchorman" and semi-suffered through "Kicking & Screaming," "Bewitched," and "The Producers" while waiting... More...
More DVDs
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 14% 14% | The Ugly Truth |
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
| 45% 45% | Ice Age: Dawn of the D… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 45% 45% | Shorts |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Fresh Links
Featured

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.





