Practical Magic, 1998

Practical Magic, 1998
Director: Griffin Dunne
Cast: NIcole Kidman, Sandra Bullock, Stockard Channing


Practical Magic in Short: Sally and Gillian Owens have always known they were different. Raised by their aunts after their parents' death, the sisters grew up in a household that was anything but typical--their aunts fed them chocolate cake for breakfast and taught them the uses of practical magic. But the invocation of the Owens' sorcery also carries a price--some call it a curse: the men they fall in love with are doomed to an untimely death. Now adult women with very different personalities, the quiet Sally and the fiery Gillian must use all of their powers to fight the family curse and a swarm of supernatural forces that threatens the lives of all the Owens women.


Stage: Home TV selection

Preps: I think I have seen this in the theatres, but didn't like it a lot. Now, as I don't have anything constructive to do and I am a fan of Kidman and Bullock, let's see if I was wrong.


Reality: Well, sometimes you are correct in the first time you decide for something. This is a good example of not really brilliantly thought-through scenario and furthermore, a weak story. Practical magic should offer something more than the series Bewitched, in this sense or in this case it is not so. It is just a filmed version up to some extent, of the named series from 80'ies. Bullock and Kidman are picted as naive, the cast is weak. The fooling around with some magic is somehow cute or romantic in some moments, but nothing more. The curse they are trying to break, is weak and without any real background, therefore I don't buy it.

Apart from this, no really positive feelings. I get bored and despite the fact, that I love watching both ladies, in one hour I get bored to death and switch the channel. Not enough to stimulate my brais at all. So, I don't recommend it.


My personal rating: 2,0 (some cute moments and some practical ideas how to make some things more interesting - or try to pull out some magic).
Practical Magic on IMDB