Jack Wyatt, portrayed by Will Ferrell, is a Hollywood actor attempting to revive his career after experiencing box office failures, and he's persuaded to star in a reimagining of the classic 1964 television series, Bewitched. Eager to restore his popularity, he insists on selecting an unfamiliar actress for the role of Samantha so that he won’t be eclipsed. When he discovers Isabel, she appears ideal for the part. Unbeknownst to him, Isabel is actually a witch. I hadn't seen this film since its theatrical release in 2005, so my memory of it was hazy. Directed and written by Nora Ephron, there’s an inherent level of anticipation that comes with watching her films. After all, she wrote When Harry Met Sally and You’ve Got Mail. Sadly, Bewitched doesn't quite reach those standards, despite possessing some promise. Nicole Kidman seems like a natural choice to step into the role of Samantha, originally played by Elizabeth Montgomery. Isabel wants to leave her magical abilities behind, pursue an ordinary life, and find romance. She appears somewhat inexperienced with the world but quickly becomes infatuated with Jack and agrees to play the Samantha in his Darren’s life. Kidman's performance is wide-eyed and breathy, and Will Ferrell is at the height of his comedic abilities. They function well together onscreen, however, any sense of romantic connection is almost completely absent. Bewitched seems to lack that characteristic Ephron touch that made her previous romantic comedies so charming. Perhaps it’s due to casting Will Ferrell or the predictable storyline. The film never fully embraces the idea that the love story between Isabel and Jack is a true remake of Bewitched, instead leaning on special effects and some minor, silly instances of spellcasting to try and make it work. Michael Caine's talent goes completely unused, and Steve Carrell, whom I generally enjoy watching, appears briefly as the irritating Uncle Arthur… and he fully commits to playing that character. That said, there were moments in the movie that I found enjoyable. Shirley MacLaine makes the most of her underdeveloped role as Iris/Endora, and some of the visual jokes are amusing. As is typical with Ephron’s films, the soundtrack evokes a sense of comfortable nostalgia, but it's simply not enough to make Bewitched worthy of its source material. I don’t regret revisiting it, but I doubt I’ll watch it again anytime soon.

Source on TMDB