Bedazzled

Ever since GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE I've been convinced that BRENDAN FRASER is one of the brightest new talents to come along in ages. He gets a chance to show how clever he is at concealing his real self in BEDAZZLED, starting as a nerdy office worker and going through a series of changes in an effort to make a pact with The Devil (Elizabeth Hurley). None of his wishes are successful because each one has a hitch devised by the cunning Hurley to backfire.

I never saw the original with Dudley Moore, but here I can see that the script stands in the way of delivering a solid comedy despite Brendan's flair for this sort of thing. He reaches the peak of his comic talent with his impersonation of a Latin millionaire, guaranteed to draw laughs.

But much of the story is too episodic for the results to be anything more than reasonably satisfying. Hurley goes about her role with a sexy seductiveness that is almost as overwhelming for the viewer as it is for Fraser's character.

Summing up: Fraser's fans will enjoy his multi-faceted romp.

"Bedazzled" tells of a tech support geek (need I say more?) who sells his soul to the devil (Hurley) for seven wishes which he attempts to use to get close to a girl at work (O'Connor). The flick is a situational comedy which takes the audience on a fun ride as Fraser's wishes turn him into one exaggerated comic-book-type caricature after another. A cute flick sans slapstick, pratfalls, and jokes, "Bedazzled" offers lots of outrageous situations, some sentimental moments, and a whiff of philosophy. A fun watch with a cute ending, lots of eye candy for the guys, and Fraser doing what he does best playing a big, naive, smiling guy.

The 1967 original, starring Dudley Moor and Peter Cook and directed by Stanley Donen was a droll dark comedy that bombed when it was first released to theatres but has developed a very strong cult following over the years. This 2000 version, directed by Harold Ramis is not so much a remake as a latter-day re-imagining of the story. Aside from the basic premise, the two films share little else in common. This new version is a wacky, fast-paced farce that makes up in some giddily amusing moments what it lacks in true wickedness.

Brendan Fraser is perfectly cast as the hapless computer tech who makes a deal with Satan; granted seven wishes in exchange for eventual possession of his soul, we witness each wish he makes as his life becomes a series of colorful and very funny misadventures. Some first-rate make-up and special effects transform Fraser and his world every time he changes wishes. Elizabeth Hurley is extremely fetching and quite likable as the embodiment of Satan, although I wish she'd showed a bit more evilness than glee in her characterization.

All in all, a very entertaining movie that, of course, leaves the door open for a sequel. Bring it on!

Here's a fun film with a number of good laughs. It is stupid? Yeah, in parts. Is the theology sound? Hardly, but there was more truth than fiction uttered in this film, believe it or not. Is the Devil made to look attractive? Well, yeah, I'd say Elizabeth Hurley is pretty attractive!

The beginning is the best part of the film, and the end - with a dumb New Age message - is the worst. Along the way, the dumb Brendan Fraser's "Elliott Richards" learns some valuable lessons in his battle with the Devil. For selling his soul, so to speak, he gets seven wishes and we witness how he handles, or mishandles, these wishes. Much of it is pretty funny. Fraser is not a bad. He can play these goofy roles (i.e. "George Of The Jungle" and he can get serious and be effective, too, as in "The Quiet American.")

Overall, it's good lightweight entertainment. Don't expect much, and you'll be pleasantly surprised. At least, that's the way I found it.

No, this isn't the best or funniest comedy in the world, but I certainly enjoyed it. There is a fair amount of really good comedy in the film to keep you entertained. ...And of course there's Elizabeth Hurley...need I say more?

The story is a fun one and quite the fantasy, but nonetheless, it's entertaining. While not being anything terribly profound, this film definitely has a point to make, be happy with yourself and only you can make things happen, don't rely on others for your happiness.

The acting in this film is very good. Brendan Fraser struts his acting talent in this film quite nicely, playing virtually 5 or 6 characters throughout the film. Brendan really is a talented actor and should get some notice for his role in this film. Orlando Jones, Paul Adelstein, and Toby Huss also deserve a great deal of notice for their work in this film, all three of them play various types of characters in the film and do it quite nicely. Elizabeth Hurley and her ever-changing wardrobe should be reason enough for any guy to watch this film. She looks nothing short of fantastic in every scene. Frances O'Connor was a nice choice for the part of Alison / Nicole (also playing more than one role very nicely).

All in all, this is a fun, cute movie with some really good comedy. I would recommend this film to anyone that likes those types of film, or is just a fan of one of the actors or director Harold Ramis. I hope you enjoy the film, thanks for reading,

-Chris