Review: Bedazzled

By Jack on 2000-10-21 18:04:04

Bedazzled is the story of Elliot Richards (Brendan Fraser) is, for lack of a better term, a computer nerd. Relegated to the most dreaded of worker hells - tech support - he is a social pariah. Mocked by his colleagues, he spends his time trying to be cool and is hopelessly in love with one of his co-workers who doesn't even know that he exists. While lamenting his lot in life he casually mentions that he would give anything to have his beloved Allison (Frances O' Conner).

Enter the Princess of Darkness (Elizabeth Hurley), stage left.

After brief persuasion of her identity (the devil) and humorous explanation of the contract, which states that he would sell his soul in exchange for 7 wishes, he is at first skeptical, but ultimately folds. Good thing, too. Otherwise, the movie would be just 10 minutes long and signs.

With a wish for wealth and power Elliot does the all too common movie/TV mistake of not being specific with a wish which results in hilarious consequences. Our main character gets turned into a number of personalities including a Columbian drug lord, NBA basketball player and the president of America. With the recurring characters of his mocking co-workers, (one of which is Orlando Jones... the 7up Guy)

The casting was close to perfect. Brendan Fraser has a relatively close to "everyday" look which was easily molded to suit his characters. Hurley as the seductive "Princess of Darkness" was obviously enjoying her role which made her performance that much more impressive.

Bedazzled has all the elements a film needs to "bedazzle" the viewers, but yet in the fashion of so many movies these days (see Fight Club), the quality faded.

The opening credits practicably got more laughs than the entire movie and was very well done and entertaining. But as the film continued on it became less and less funny and interesting and turned into a what might be perceived as a badly scripted drama.

Perhaps I enjoyed this movie more than some one who has seen the original 1967 British film starring Peter Cook and Dudley Moore on which it was based. But even without the background of the original film, I can't help but feel that "Bedazzled" is a compromised comedy, fitfully amusing but vacuous.

Closing credits offer "special thanks" to Stanley Donen. But Peter Cook and Dudley Moore are acknowledged in a more stealthy fashion. It would spoil the gag to say more than this: Pay close attention during a scene in which Hurley appears with a pair of ferocious pets.

Conclusion: We learned that Satan has a great and erotic wardrobe (Nurse's outfit, Police woman, angel etc..) and what could have been a great and entertaining film becomes a compromised comedy with a bad ending.

In rating this movie I wish I could split the scoring between first half and the second, but I won't. I give this move a 6.5/10

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