Practical Magic

Starring:  Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Stockard Channing, Dianne Wiest, Aidan Quinn

Year: 1998

Running Time:  104 minutes

It had been years since I watched Practical Magic, probably when it was originally released back in 1998.  Spotting this DVD during a recent sale, I immediately knew I'd found the perfect cinematic companion for a cozy, chilly fall evening—and it didn’t disappoint!

The film, based on Alice Hoffman’s book with the same title, opens with a narrator telling us the history of the Owens women, who are always blamed for things that go wrong in their communities.  Maria is about to be hanged for her gift, magic, which saved her from her fate.  She then casts a spell to prevent her from ever falling in love again after her lover abandons her, a spell which, because of the bitterness that accompanied it, becomes a curse for generations of Owens women.

We then cut to a scene where two Owens sisters are sent to live with their eccentric aunts (played by Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest), who allow chocolate cake for breakfast and value spells over homework.  We leap forward to the present day, where Sally (Sandra Bullock) and Gillian (Nicole Kidman) have matured into strikingly distinct personalities - Sally longs for a normal life while Gillian is free-spirited and longs for adventure.

Sally falls in love with a dreamy Michael (helped along by a spell from the aunts) - they get married and have two daughters.  Meanwhile, Gillian is hanging out with a hoard of hotties.  One in particular, Jimmy Angelov, who has a “dracula cowboy thing” going, catches her eye.  Unfortunately he turns out to be an abusive asshole.  

Sally’s picture perfect life is about to come crashing down around her.  She hears a beetle, which, according to family lore, heralds the death of a loved one - in this case, poor Michael, who is hit by a truck.  The aunts then confess their meddling and Sally gives them a stern warning that her children will never practice magic.

Following a panicked plea for help from Gillian, Sally manages to locate her. But their reunion is anything but safe: Jimmy appears, trapping both sisters in a dangerous situation. Desperate to save them both, Sally administers a fatal overdose of belladonna to him.  Gillian comes up with a plan to resurrect him, despite the warning that he would come back as something “dark and unnatural”.  This is followed by a hilarious spell casting sequence involving whipped cream.  But things don’t go according to plan and they kill him again, this time burying him in the garden.

They must now contend with the fallout of their actions while under the intense scrutiny of an already suspicious community. Throw in a handsome investigating officer (Aidan Quinn) and an evil possession and they have their work cut out for them.

The ensemble casting is nothing short of superb, anchored by the irresistible chemistry between Bullock and Kidman. Their work is complemented by excellent, nuanced performances from Channing and Wiest.  The film also boasts an enjoyable soundtrack including highlights such as:  If You Ever Did Believe and Crystal by Stevie Nicks (how could you have a film about witches and not include music by Stevie Nicks?), This Kiss by Faith Hill, A Case Of You by Joni Mitchell and Coconut by Harry Nilsson (played during a scene where the aunts and sisters get drunk on some wicked tequila).  

I’m not the only one who still enjoyed the film’s balance of comedy and darkness decades after its release.  According to The Guardian’s Donnalyn Xu, Practical Magic’s “alchemy, comedy and darkness” along with its “witchy aesthetics and cottagecore inspiration” has resonated with generations of women – “so much so that more than 25 years after its release, Sandra Bullock and Kidman are lined up to reprise their roles in an upcoming sequel”.