Practical Magic (1998)

Sally and Gillian Owens have always known they were different. Raised by their aunts after their parents' death, the sisters grew up in a household that was anything but typical--their ... See full summary »

Director:

Griffin Dunne

Writers:

Alice Hoffman (novel), Robin Swicord (screenplay),

Stars:

Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Stockard Channing

1 win & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sandra Bullock	...	Sally Owens
Nicole Kidman	...	Gillian Owens
Stockard Channing	...	Aunt Frances
Dianne Wiest	...	Aunt Jet
Goran Visnjic	...	Jimmy Angelov
Aidan Quinn	...	Gary Hallet
Evan Rachel Wood	...	Kylie
Alexandra Artrip	...	Antonia
Mark Feuerstein	...	Michael
Caprice Benedetti	...	Maria Owens
Annabella Price	...	Lovelorn Lady
Camilla Belle	...	Sally @ Age 11
Lora Anne Criswell	...	Gillian @ Age 10
Margo Martindale	...	Linda Bennett
Chloe Webb	...	Carla

Storyline

Sally and Gillian Owens have always known they were different. Raised by their aunts after their parents' death, the sisters grew up in a household that was anything but typical--their aunts fed them chocolate cake for breakfast and taught them the uses of practical magic. But the invocation of the Owens' sorcery also carries a price--some call it a curse: the men they fall in love with are doomed to an untimely death. Now adult women with very different personalities, the quiet Sally and the fiery Gillian must use all of their powers to fight the family curse and a swarm of supernatural forces that threatens the lives of all the Owens women.

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Plot Keywords:

love | curse | magic | family curse | aunt niece relationship | 

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Taglines:

For two sisters from a family of witches, falling in love is the trickiest spell of all.

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Genres:

Comedy | Fantasy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for some violence, intense thematic elements and sensuality

Details

Official Sites:

Warner Bros.

Country:

USA Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 October 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hechizo de amor

Filming Locations:

Coupeville, Whidbey Island, Washington, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$75,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£1,001,536 (UK) (22 January 1999)

Gross:

£2,987,705 (UK) (19 February 1999)

Company Credits

Production Co:

DiNovi Pictures, Fortis Films, Village Roadshow Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS DTS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Aidan Quinn's character, Officer Hallet, has something called Heterochromia Iridium. Heterochromia Iridium is an eye condition in which one iris is a partial or completely different color then the other iris. Although it is unusual in humans, there are some celebrities with this condition. Kate Bosworth and Jane Seymour to name two.

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Goofs

When Gillian first leaves, right before she and Sally cut their hands, she asks for her boyfriend's pocket knife. He clearly reaches for his pocket before she mentions what she needs.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Aunt Frances Owens: For more than 200 years we Owens women have been blamed by everything that's ever gone wrong in this town.

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Connections

Referenced in Siskel & Ebert: Episode dated 24 October 1998 (1998)

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Soundtracks

"Always On My Mind"
Written by Wayne Carson Thompson (as Wayne Thompson), Johnny Christopher and Francis Zambon
Performed by Elvis Presley
Courtesy of The RCA Records Lavel of BMG Entertainment

User Reviews

Loved it

Normally I don't care for chick flicks, but I can't seem to stop watching this one over and over again. I was surprised that so many others didn't care for it. I just loved the sets, the costumes, the women and their relationships, the real magic in the film, the special effects, the child actresses. This was stuff that women could relate to better than men. Aidan Quinn was the only boring part of the movie. I wished they'd chosen an actor who was more into the role. He seemed bored and made his part in the film more boring. (Also, he mumbles. Someone should give him elocution lessons.)

This movie wasn't meant to be heavy. It was meant to be light, fun fluff, and that it is. The characters weren't meant to be deep, but I felt the relationship between the two sisters was deeper and well performed by two skilled actresses. In spite of the fluffiness of it, I enjoyed the two scenes in which we got to sit and relax to the sound of Stevie Nicks' "Crystal." So what if cars weren't crashing and guns weren't shooting. They weren't supposed to be. I felt the camaraderie of the moment as the two sisters and their aunts got drunk on "midnight margaritas" while dancing to Harry Nilsson's "Lime in the Coconut." It was just plain light fun. Also, women can enjoy the vicarious satisfaction of watching these women destroy the evil, bullying man who tries to destroy them.

The end of the film was rather Disney-kiddie-flick-like. Another ending might have worked better, but it was tolerable because it reminded the audience that the film was all in fun, and not to be taken seriously.

I usually prefer deeper films, but I thoroughly enjoyed this piece of fluff. Sure it was silly and campy, but it was fun. A film doesn't have to take itself seriously to be fun. Bullock, Kidman, Channing, and Wiest are beautiful, charming and wonderful to watch in this flick, and I love watching the four of them over and over again.