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.

Wealth. Power. Admiration. They all sound pretty enticing. Indeed many people spend their life in pursuit of these or similar goals and are willing to sacrifice anything and everything in the process. But what if there was an easy way to do it, say, selling your soul? You're not really using it anyways .As the saying goes, the day I decided to do it there'd probably be a glut on the market.

Elliot Richards is, for lack of a better word, a dork. 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. Enter the Princess of Darkness, stage left.

Although the basics between this movie and the 1967 classic of the same name are similar, there are so many differences (styles of humor, characters, plot, etc) that comparisons are pointless. So I won't even try. Bedazzled offers something so few comedies do these days - laughs, and lots or them, without relying on endless juvenile scatological gags. I thoroughly enjoyed the physical transformations that Elliot, Allison, and his cohorts undergo (several of which are amazing) each time he makes a wish. The spins on the wishes are especially amusing: for example, when Elliot wishes for power and wealth, he fails to take consider the how, and wakes up as a cuckolded Colombian drug lord whose kingdom is quickly collapsing around him. Elliot soon discovers that when dealing with the devil - surprise, surprise - nothing is, as it seems.

I have liked Brendan Fraser since his role in "Encino Man". Since then, he has proven himself capable of doing both schtick ("The Mummy") and serious roles ("Gods and Monsters"). With this part he shows just how versatile he is: rather than one role, he takes on seven, and does so admirably (I particularly enjoyed sensitive guy - I was laughing so hard my side hurt). Elizabeth Hurley is deliciously wicked in a role that she was born to play (if reports about her are true.) and it appears that she enjoyed herself. Her spin on the ultimate temptress is hilarious and personally, I'll take leather-clad vixens over slimy snakes any day. Francis O'Connor, brings the same verve and versatility to Allison that she displayed in "Mansfield Park", although here she is less subdued. The supporting cast provides the finishing touch rounding out the film nicely.

Although it didn't dazzle me, I was greatly amused.

I originally saw this movie because it stars Brendan Fraser, an actor who can't seem to make a bad movie, and often makes great movies, such as "Blast From the Past".

The big surprise was Elizabeth Hurley. As certain as Vivien Leigh was meant to play Scarlett O'Hara, no one could have done a better job playing The Devil...in this case a sly, brilliantly cunning, sexy devil who playfully torments Brendan by dooming each of his wishes with unintended, nasty surprises. She effortlessly leads him along like a puppy dog on a leash.

Besides her comedic wit, (and some clever writing) I would be remiss not to mention that Elizabeth Hurley looks perfect, absolutely perfect, in every scene. Her clipped, refined British accent is the aural equivalent of a film shot on Kodachrome.

Bedazzled exudes a positive, good-natured warmth, and is proof that comedy doesn't have to depend on silly sophomoric antics, pratfalls, or foul language.

ADDENDUM January 10, 2008. After two years, I have no idea if anyone has ever read this review. Even if you don't like it, please give me a thumbs up or thumbs down, just to let me know someone read it.

Bedazzled is one of those simple fun comedy movies I still like to put on my plate no matter that I watched them a couple of times already. Elizabeth Hurley is for sure one of the hottest devils ever and Brendan Fraser as simple guy with a big heart in big trouble just charming. No doubt, this mix of romance and comedy is no Oscar material but funny as hell and entertaining: Bedazzled, like Groundhog Day, The Devil Wears Prada, Easy A or 10 Things I Hate About You never bore me - no matter how many times I put them on my screen already, and no matter that my hair begins to turn gray - if I'm in the mood for some light romancing comedy, those are still good ones.

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