"We're...different..."
PRACTICAL MAGIC (PG-13) 
Reviewed October 19, 1998 - Check out the Practical Magic Website.
On the one hand, it's easy to pan Practical Magic as one jumble of a mess. With subplots layered upon subplots, it's a story that touches lightly on so many issues that it fails to focus on any of them. The film centers around the lives of two sisters, Sally (Sandra Bullock) and Gillian (Nicole Kidman) Owens, who are witches by birth and are haunted by a family curse which prematurely ends the life of any man who falls in love with them. Sally, the practical sister, refuses to use her powers and only wishes to lead a "normal" life. Gillian, the wild sister, flaunts her charms as she lives a life of excess. The two are polar opposites, but they are bonded by a sisterhood which always pulls them back together. One day, when Gillian finds herself near the end of a bad relationship, she calls Sally for help, leading to a sequence of events that concludes with one very dead ex-boyfriend on the sisters' hands.
Directed by Griffin Dunne (Addicted to Love), Practical Magic is a film that is one part black comedy and one part romantic drama. Dominated by a strong female ensemble case (including Stockard Channing and Dianne Weist as the sisters' doting aunts), it is also a film that manages to be very disorganized while being extremely fun to watch. It's hard to explain this phenomenon, except perhaps to credit Bullock, Kidman, Channing, and Weist for having such great on-screen charisma in this film. The result is a movie that could (and will) be considered weak in many cinematic respects, but one that I personally found fairly entertaining and watchable. As with many films of this type, suspension of disbelief is critical, but if you can do that then the film floats along in a light, quirky, and pleasant manner that should make its 105 minute runtime fly right by...
Responses from cyberspace--thanks for writing!
spsupply@esi.co.nz
gives this movie stars: "It
was a really awesome movie and I'd really reccamend it." (3/19/99)
mariusd@bol.co.za
gives this movie stars: "I
know that we are very spoilt in regards to special effects and movies in
the 20th century but this movie had poor acting, the characters were shallow
and an absolutely weak story. . My girlfriend enjoyed it and said, "it
is a happy chemical movie". Ja, right." (1/28/99)
Angel gives this movie stars: "this
movie has only made money because it has two big star names representing
it. Nicole and Sandra play their typical roles never venturing out in this
film to make you feel that they were unwanted by the villagers. The plot
is so full of turns that there is reall no TRUE plot. The magic trics are
amiture at best, and the ending makes you wonder- no full understanding
at the end. I mean does the guy die like all the other husbands or what???
By far this movie could be reworked, and probably turn out a lot better." (11/29/98)
anonymous entry gives this movie stars: "Great
movie!! Sandra and Nicloe did great, but boy can Nicole act. She deserved
5 stars herself!!!! Great possesion scene. The soundtracks rocks, too!!!!" (11/22/98)
nickblaskowski@hotmail.com
gives this movie stars: "I
saw this movie,when I didn't want to.I went to I still Know what you did
last summer and then after I wanted to see Meet Joe Black,but that was
three hours long.And everything else I had seen already.So I went into
this when I didn't want to see it.But I actually liked it!I Still Know
kind of had my adrenaline rushing,and Jennifer Love Hewitt had my heart
throbbing,I thought about going to see that again.But Practical Magic was
pretty cool!" (11/18/98)
sakaibear@yahoo.com
gives this movie stars: "I
LOVE this movie............especially Nicole Kidman.....I've always adored
her.........man i love her...........i can say i'm her biggest fan....thumbs
up!!!The movie's great especially the surrooundings.....looks peaceful.....I've
got only one thing to say...NICOLE KIDMAN FOREVER!!!" (11/15/98)
Vicky gives this movie stars:
"It was a wonderful movie I really enjoyed it." (11/13/98)
Cynthia Breaux gives this movie stars.
(11/11/98)
srex424429@aol.com
gives this movie stars: "I
love going to movie theaters...and since I am deaf, I cannot hear what
they are saying...so it is very important to me that the imagery is captivating
enough for me to overlook the dialogue and allows me to make up my own
dialogue throughout the movie. If the movie is well put together, normally
my dialogue and the movie matches well up to the end. I have not read the
book because it is always checked out at the local library....so back to
imagery, "Practical Magic" had many beautiful elements such as
the house, the rose petals, etc...I really love it so much that I watched
it twice and that normally does not happen. Usually I wait for the second
viewing on videotape because of close-captioning. A really beautiful movie." (11/9/98)
juliefontes@hotmail.com
gives this movie stars:
"Even my dad liked it." (10/31/98)
