Bewitched

MPAA Rating: PG-13

Entertainment: +3

Content: -2

In this romantic comedy, actor Jack Wyatt (Will Ferrell) is in desperate search for an actress to play the part of Samantha in a remake of the TV series Bewitched and discovers Isabel Bigelow (Nicole Kidman) at a caf. She cant act, but she can wiggle her nose and also is outstanding at improvising lines that would come from the mind of a witch. Thats because she is a witch. Desiring to give up witchcraft, Isabel chooses to keep her family heritage a secret. The struggle to give up her old ways, such as getting her hearts desire with the snap of a finger, tortures Isabel. She wavers between the convenience and pleasure of making things happen supernaturally and living a more normal life without such control over outcomes. Isabels father (Michael Caine) is a womanizer, and his girlfriend is a fellow witch (Shirley MacLaine). This film should appeal to those who liked the TV series.

After spending an exciting and romantic evening with Jack, Isabel solidifies an important lesson when she says, Something magical happened all by itself. The delight of falling in love without manipulating the outcome elates Isabel. Though she realizes the value of choosing a harder lifestyle, following through is beyond her capability. Her true desire is to not receive whatever she wants. In her struggle, Isabel manipulates events and people through her magic, which is presented as fantasy, very much like it was on the TV series. She realizes the severity of a few of her actions, such as causing a chandelier to fall on someone, and retracts her hex. However, the hexes that are for good in the eyes of Isabel and, it appears, the film writers are performed and portrayed with approval. Due to manipulative witchcraft, bad language and a nude scene, Preview does not recommend this one.

Preview Reviewer: Peggy Misura
Distributor:
Columbia Pictures

Summary
The following categories contain objective listings of film content which contribute to the subjective numeric Content ratings posted to the left and on the Home page.

Crude Language: Few (2) times mild (hell 1); strong (-ss 1)

Obscene Language: Many (11) times moderate (scr-w 2); strong (d-ck 1, p-ssy 8 times in a row for emphasis)

Profanity: Few (3) times moderate (MG 2, thank G 1)

Violence: Few times mild (man slaps another man to show him how to push people around, woman mischievously suggests throwing a man to the sharks, woman burns a cappuccino machine, woman drops a chandelier on another woman, woman yells at a man)

Sex: Few times mild (man and woman kiss, man and woman in bed kissing while wearing pajamas)

Nudity: Few times mild (woman wears a low-cut blouse, shirtless male models briefly shown); moderate (man is hexed to appear on TV naked while his genitals are photographically covered)

Sexual Dialogue/Gesture: Many times mild (a father suggests to his daughter that she sleep around and when you dont love him anymore, thats it; while yelling at a man, a woman is reprimanded, Go to your trailer and take a Midol); moderate (a man says to a woman, Lets make love in a hot-air balloon; lyrics of a song are If you like making love to me tonight; a man and woman wiggle their hips when getting ready to dance; a woman says, Hey there I have hepatitis C; a man says, Lets have sex on an elliptical machine)

Drugs: Several times mild (a man and woman drink champagne over dinner, a few parties involve a crowd consuming alcohol); moderate (a man becomes drunk, a woman becomes drunk)

Other: Witchcraft is portrayed in the following ways: a woman snaps her fingers and produces a For Rent sign, a clean house, a TV repair, etc.; a woman manipulates actions of others by her wishes; a man manipulates actions of others by his wishes; a woman drops in via the chimney; a woman flies off on her broom)

Running Time: 90 minutes
Intended Audience: Adults


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