BB.5
(out of 5)
Here’s an unfortunate waste: gifted actors, a great germ of an idea for a story (New England witches and their personal problems), all undone by a hackneyed script and juvenile direction by Griffin Dunne that emphasizes silly comedy over meaningful wit. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman are modern-day sorceresses living with their equally mystical aunts (Stockard Channing, Dianne Wiest, whose scenes are the best). The girls get themselves into a whole mess of trouble when they do away with Kidman’s abusive boyfriend (Goran Visnjic) and he comes back to haunt them. Brimming over with too many plot elements (Bullock’s love interest with police investigator Aidan Quinn, the girls’ family history, the town’s superstitions against them) the film is messy and silly.
DiNovi Pictures, Fortis Films, Stargate Studios, Village Roadshow Pictures, Warner Bros.
Directed by Griffin Dunne
Screenplay by Robin Swicord, Akiva Goldsman, Adam Brooks, based on the novel by Alice Hoffman
Cinematography by Andrew Dunn
Produced by Denise Di Novi
Music by Alan Silvestri
Production Design by Robin Standefer
Costume Design by Judianna Makovsky
Film Editing by Elizabeth Kling
