By Cynthia W. Gentry, © 2000 by Cynthia W. Gentry, published on Dailygossip.com, November 2000; www.dailygossip.com.
I may not be the best person to review the new Harold Ramis comedy, “Bedazzled,” because frankly, Brendan Fraser could read the phone book on camera for two hours, and I’d still nominate him for an Oscar. In my opinion, Brendan’s presence was the only thing that saved “The Mummy” getting my vote for the worst movie of the 1990s; unfortunately, he didn’t take his shirt off once, so I had to vote it second-worst.
Brendan also saves “Bedazzled,” a surprisingly un-bedazzling comedy from the director of one of my favorite movies, “Analyze This.” As nerdy Elliott Richards, who sells his soul to the Devil (Elizabeth Hurley) in exchange for seven wishes and a chance with pretty co-worker Allison (Frances O’Connor), Brendan shows that he’s more than just a very pretty face: he’s got a wonderful sense of comedic timing. He’s also got the most crucial attribute if you want to be successful in comedy: a willingness to make a fool of oneself.
Not so Hugh Grant’s significant other. With her lithe body (damn her!) and vampish smirk, Elizabeth Hurley must have seemed like the perfect choice to play the Devil. God knows (no pun intended) that she wears her fabulous costumes like she was born in them. But something about her performance falls flat. She’s great to look at, of course, but she lacks that dark, crazy side that would have made the part truly interesting-and funny.
Let’s face it, Hurley was a fine straight woman to Mike Myers in the Austin Powers movies, but she’s just not a great comedic actress. Hurley plays the part on one note-that not-particularly threatening vampish smirk again-and after a while, it grows old. We never for a moment think there’s much at stake. Think of De Niro’s character in “Analyze This”-very funny but also very scary. Just as De Niro riffed on his previous gangster roles, imagine if you’d had Sharon Stone doing a take-off of her “Basic Instinct” part, and you’ll get an idea of what this movie could have been.
The script could be part of the problem. “Bedazzled” is a remake of a 1967 film of the same name. It must have seemed like a good idea to update the central concept to our times. And you would think with writers like Ramis, Larry Gelbart (“Tootsie”) and Peter Tolan, it would be hilarious. Instead, it never really takes off.
The movie gets off to a rousing start; even the opening credits are clever. Brendan gets the funniest lines; his wishes play out the aphorism “Be careful what you wish for” in a truly creative ways, and Brendan throws himself into each hilarious situation with abandon. Part of the fun of “Bedazzled”-and there is fun to be had, despite what you might have read-is seeing just how poor Elliott’s wishes are going to get screwed up. The problem is, they just go on a little too long.
If you want a light, enjoyable evening, go see “Bedazzled” for Brendan’s performance. (Just don’t go see it at the Century Park 12 in Redwood City if you want to have any chance of hearing the dialogue over the din of the idiot patrons, who seem to think they’re in their own living room. If I were to sell my soul for seven wishes, one of them would be that people who talk during movies would go straight to the Fiery Place.) Just imagine someone else as the Devil, and you’ll be fine.