A Simple Wish (1997) User Reviews

Pretty good, but starts way too slow for a family film.

[Geeky Randy · 5/10 · 10 May 2014]

8-year-old Wilson (still as sweet as when we saw her in MRS. DOUBTFIRE) wishes for her cabbie father Pastorelli to win the leading role in a Broadway adaptation of Dickens' A TALE OF TWO CITIES, and Short (still called a "fairy godmother" despite being a male) arrives to (attempt to) grant it to her. Fans of Short's comedy will get it, and even if you're not a fan of his work there are still some worthy moments; however, the story takes way too long to get going for a movie targeted at children. Capra's character also slows the movie down as Wilson's stereotypical punk older brother who's protective of his younger sister but is too cool to show it. The musical numbers in the theatre scenes are a nice touch, but it's difficult to give the movie brownie-points for it since the film itself is not a musical. Jaro Dick's set decoration and Luke Reichle's costume design is terrific. Hey! one of the Fairy Godmother's (Bunty Webb) was the 'Ay Caramba' Lady in TOMMY BOY!

** (out of four)

It's only down side is... what?!?

[miller-movies · 6/10 · 14 June 2000]

I am sick and tired of people criticizing films just because they happen to be family movies, or G-rated, such as SCTV Fan did in the front page User Comments to this movie. I am well into my 50's, and just happen to enjoy well made family movies! This one is well made. I've seen others recently, such as Bicentennial Man, Dinosaur, My Favorite Martian, The Straight Story, Disney's Tarzan and Fantasia 2000. My simple wish is, hopefully, that this is a trend away from the profanity and gore that makes up 75% of today's films. These movie producers are making such movies because: 1: they are allowed to, 2: the public is gullible to buy tickets to see them, 3: they can't take the time to make an intelligent film with language the whole family can listen to and understand, and action that is within limits of decency.

My Simple Wish is not quite up to the quality of the movies I've listed above, but I thank the producers for making it, and thanks to IMDb for letting me have my soapbox.

SIMPLY Not Good Enough...

[anxietyresister · 4/10 · 15 September 2006]

Anabel (Mara Wilson) will be forced to move away from home unless her dad wins the lead role in a new theatre production of Two Cities. Teased by her older brother for her love of fantasy books like Cinderella, she is overjoyed to discover she has a fairy godmother. Unfortunately, it turns out to be a rather camp Martin Short... who didn't even manage to pass the exam. After a few wasted wishes cause her dad to be transformed into a statue by our feckless fairy, she discovers the only way to return him to his former self is to help the Head Fairy save the world from an evil witch (played by Kathleen Turner) and her canine-turned-human accomplice called Boots (Amanda Plumming) who seeks to steal all the fairy's magic for herself by nicking everybody's wands. Also, they only have until midnight the same day to retrieve them. Can they succeed in their mission or will Daddy remain a target for pigeons and fanatical Japanese tourists for the rest of his life?

I'd been looking forward to seeing this film for quite a while. The plot sounded kinda interesting and Mara Wilson was so good in 'Miracle on 34th Street' that how could possibly fail? Well, guess what... it did. Let's start the analysis with the plot, which has no clear direction and despite the meagre 86 minutes running time, takes too many aimless detours (Like the little trip to Pawhuska, for instance) The special effects are fine, even the computer generated frogs and birds which are obvious fakes have a kind of charm to them. However, I could have done without the 'comedy stylings' of Martin Short at his hyperactive worst, or Amanda Plumming who chews one too many shoes for my liking in this role.

If you're babysitting one night and you find yourself shoved in front of the box with this playing, I'm afraid the only consolation is some good one-liners from Turner and a few mildly diverting magic spells. Otherwise, prepare of a bit of a long haul. Needing far more work at the screenplay stage and a bit of restraint in the performances too, I rank this forgettable, strictly-for-the-kids production a 4 out of 10.

Basic but enjoyable little family film

[bob the moo · 19 April 2005]

Anabel's father is a New York horse-drawn carriage driver but hopes to become a Broadway star. With his next audition he is ready to throw it all in and go work in his cousin's rendering plant on Nebraska. Anabel wishes for her fairy godmother to help them but, because the majority of them are tied up at the annual conference she has to make do with the failing trainee Murray. She quickly finds that Murray is not quite as good as he has told her and most of their time is spent trying to correct his mistakes. Things are more complicated when they are pursued by witch Claudia, who has trapped all the other godmothers and only needs Murray's wand to finalise her attempts at total power.

Although I taped this film in error thinking it was something else, I still ended up watching it as it was a bonus family film to act as distraction. Normally I wouldn't bother with such a thing but on this occasion I did and the end product was a basic but quite entertaining film that had enough to stop it being boring for me and enough silliness and energy to make it enjoyable for children. The narrative is a bit messy, for a while it is about Murray's weakness as a Fairy Godmother but then it becomes a big finish around a plot by Claudia to get all the power for herself. The two strands don't sit well together at all, and the latter just feels like it has been added to bulk the former out and give it more impact as a dramatic finish. However, it is quite amusing along the way and children will enjoy the mix of silliness, effects and magic.

The cast are OK and are a good part of this working. Short is a bit irritating but he does overplay the silliness well enough to provide distraction. Turner seems to enjoy herself even if her role is a bit smaller than I'm sure she expected; meanwhile Plummer does her usual "slightly unhinged" thing but this time as a dog. Pastorelli has little to do but Wilson and Capra are both engaging without being like the very sickly All-American kids that US family films can be dripping with.

Overall this is a family film and therefore not the sort of thing any adult would really chose to watch alone because there isn't much just for them, even if it isn't bad as such. The energy, silliness and pace of the film will make it a winner for children and it serves well as a distraction if hardly a great film for the ages.

A simple wish? Can I wish to watch something else?

[Kamurai25 · 4/10 · 20 April 2020]

Decent watch, can't say I'll watch it again, and can't recommend.

It feels like everyone involved did very well with the script they were handed. Martin Short and Mara Wilson pretty much carry the movie, despite the thousand distractions that kept occurring, to include entirely unnecessary scenes.

Kathleen Turner did her best with a lazily written villain, her story being the b story, and her hench dog being a more interesting character. Come to think of it, I don't think they developed her at all, she was just a bad person.

While it's fun to see how Martin Short kept busy from time to time, I can't say there is a lot to see here unless you were just a big fan of Matilda (better movie), and its hard to blame you for wanting to see what was next for Mara Wilson.

NOT SAFE FOR CHILDREN

[gfarasheva · 4/10 · 17 August 2022]

So a creepy guy appears in a little girl's bedroom while she sleeps, and she's not even scared when she sees him!? What does that tell our children! Definitely don't let your children watch this and teach them not to trust strange people they don't know!!

Stupid Magic

[DJ_Shilo · 2/10 · 28 March 2024]

"A Simple Wish" is a family-friendly comedy about a young girl, Annabel (Mara Wilson,) who wishes for a Fairy Godmother to help her father, Oliver (Robert Pastroelli,) a New York City Carriage driver, win the lead role in a broadway musical "The Tales of Two Cities." Robert is wonderful in the movie for the little time he is on screen before he becomes a bronze statue in Central Park. How does this happen? Martin Short plays an incompetent Male Fairy Godmother named Murray, who answers Annabel's wish, and acts like a bumbling idiot attempting to make kids laugh, including causing the statue debacle, and none of it is funny.

Annabel tries to convince her brother, Charlie (Francis Capra,) fairy godmothers exist, but he is a dismissive jerk to his sister until the plot needs him to save the day. Capra was the kid from last year's horrid "Kazaam." the movie about Shaq as a rapping genie. If you don't remember, that's a good thing, but Capra plays the same character in this movie, right down to the same clothes, and he has a few scenes, but none of it matters.

Murray is treated with overlook because he is a male in a female-dominated world, and the film lays subtle hints at this but never fully embraces the concept because it's too busy with Murray spewing cheesy magic everything. When Murray casts a spell, he waves his arms around like an idiot, and kids won't find this funny. When he crashes into a wall or becomes flat as a pancake due to his stupidity, they might, but I doubt it because Short can't keep the role together for three-quarters of the movie. Only towards the end does the character have some seriousness, but it's beyond the point.

Murray leaves his wand behind when he appears behind a closet door in Annabel's bedroom because her wish has come true and, she attempts to get it back to him, but not before her brother breaks it, and she fuses it back together with popsicle sticks. What kid wouldn't? Annabel asks Murray to grant her a wish, and the broken wand winds them up in Nebraska when he tries to cast a travel spell. To fix the statue ordeal, he has to ask the head of the Fairy Godmother Association, Hortence (Ruby Dee,) for help.

Is Murray a Fairy Godmother? The movie can't make up its mind because he seems to have no idea what he is doing, and given the shenanigans at the beginning of the movie, it would make sense, but that aspect is gone near the end because he seems to have no problem with magic, and it feels contrived.

Annabel must break Murray's spell by midnight, or Oliver will be a statue forever, and the film villain arrives on cue. Claudia (Kathleen Turner) in a thankless role, and her assistant Boots (Amanda Plummer) crawling on the floor and acting like a dog. Claudia is trying to acquire every wand. She is a witch or something, who was cast out of the organization, not because she is evil, but because she is an idiot with a narrow-minded plot device whose subplot is out-of-place.

What I can't wrap my head around is that the film doesn't focus on the plot, which is the Broadway play Annabel wants her dad to be a part of. "A Simple Wish" is a kid's movie on autopilot, and you can figure out the ending because we need that happy one. It's the contrived nature of the film, that feels like nobody cared, and was thrown together for a few dollars with Short being a moron throughout, It's a shame when the lead role is Mara Wilson, and she is adorable but let down by a cheesy magic, bad VFX-infused movie that kids won't remember the next day.

2/10.

An amusing little tale

[kergillian · 7/10 · 21 February 2001]

This was a fun film, and part of what made the film amusing was that the actors/actresses really seemed to be enjoying themselves. The story is cute, about a bumbling male fairy godmother (Martin Short) who screws up a wish to the first child under his care and has to help set things straight by rescuing magic wands from a former fairy godmother turned witch (Kathleen Turner) and her dog turned human, Boots (the great Amanda Plummer). It's a very original idea, which is rare amongst family films these days which all seem to be remakes or rehashed films. The only real downside to this film (keeping in mind, of course, that it is aimed towards kids) is that some of the dialogue is *really* cheezy and unbelievable (The 10 year-old I was watching over while watching this film kept said 'gimme a break' and 'yeah, right' at a couple of points in the film...and it's one of her favs;) The effects were fun, Martin Short was funny (most of the time...he tends to overdo it at certain moments) and Amanda Plummer really shines..all in all, a good film to watch with one's children. 7/10.

A Simple Wish Would Be the Extermination of This Film.

[anaconda-40658 · 4/10 · 29 July 2015]

A Simple Wish (1997): Dir: Michael Ritchie / Cast: Martin Short, Mara Wilson, Kathleen Turner, Amanda Plummer, Robert Pastorelli: Simple film much like many of its kind but it contains glorious visual images that are amongst its few praises. The title symbolizes complications. It stars Martin Short as a fairy godmother who accidentally turns Mara Wilson's father into a statue. They must retrieve the wand from an evil witch by midnight. Simple plot with numerous happenings that showcase massive production values. Unfortunately it doesn't present screenplay value. Children may not relate to Broadway musicals and auditions. Then again, what element of this film can a kid possible relate too? Director Michael Ritchie has fun with the magical elements. This is somewhat similar to one of his earlier films, The Golden Child. Short is basically the bunt of a bad joke looking ridiculous, and Wilson provides the ever familiar wholesome innocence. Kathleen Turner is a superb actress but playing this witch is so beneath her talent. Amanda Plummer plays her sidekick who belongs on a dog leash and marched around central park. Robert Pastorelli plays Wilson's father who more or less should be a statue considering the role. Are adults suppose to sit through this with their children and suffer along with the talent involved? Satire of fairy tales that had potential yet one might wish for a better screenplay. Score: 4 / 10

Yes it's a family movie and a good one!

[clicchi · 7/10 · 10 January 2002]

This movie made my daughter (7) laugh so much .. it made me laugh too just through her at first. Later I found myself remembering some of the scenes and laughing to myself. The slapstick and silliness appeal to the child in everyone. Yes, I grew up loving the Three Stooges shorts and Short uses their antics in no short supply. From the opening scenes Murrey shows us what kind on stooge he really is and it just develops from there as the film moves through it's plot. It's not a bad plot as family movies go. Kathleen Turner puts in a wicked performance as a villainous witch. The special effects are good and used in a way that compliments the funniness of the scenes and aren't just there to dazzle or put there arbitrarily. I saw a comment on another Short movie that fits the bill here too. I'm going to change it while keeping the spirit of it intact. If you don't get the meaning of slapstick humor then (there's nothing to get just ...let it happen) go rent a George Carlin standup video instead. There's some very funny scenes here and a decent plot so I'll rate this family comedy for what it is at a solid 7 stars.

disappointing

[blanche-2 · 5/10 · 29 May 1999]

This film about a little girl's wish for her dad starred Kathleen Turner, Mara Wilson, Amanda Plummer, Ruby Dee, Robert Pastorelli and Martin Short -- a good cast but only fair execution. Unfortunately, the filmmakers waited until the end of the movie for most of the witchcraft/special effects so the film seemed long.

There were some good performances, however, and the best scenes actually took place in the theater. Frankly,the Tale of Two Cities music, written by Lucy Simon, sounded glorious and better than what's on Broadway, and was excellently sung. Actually the music was the best thing about "A Simple Wish." More theater scenes, spread out the witchcraft, and they may have had a film.

I liked it. So sue me.

[Crowbot-2 · 9/10 · 11 March 2000]

Why does everyone insist on dissing this movie. Its way cool, and a great way to entertain the savage kids while you take a break. Short is funny, Wilson is fun, and Turner is a riot, in fact the best reason to see the movie is because of Turner. So go ahead see it, no one will tell.

Simple, nice and amusing family film, with a charming performance from Mara Wilson

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 20 January 2010]

A Simple Wish isn't a perfect family film, but it is a nice, simple and amusing one. Of course the story is a tad messy and predictable, it's all a bit basic and the script on the weak and cheesy side. But kids will definitely like it, and adults might too. The special effects are decent, there is some nice photography and costumes and the pacing is good, nice and skippy as I like it. Plus there are some fun moments, one of the funniest ones was the frog-in-your-throat scene, gross but quite amusing.

The acting wasn't that bad either. Martin Short does overact a bit, but he is clearly having fun as Murray. Mara Wilson, who I really like, gives a typically charming performance. Robert Pastorelli is giving little to do though, but Ruby Dee and Francis Capra give entertaining performances. But for me, it was Kathaleen Turner who stole the show, as her performance is delightfully wicked and so captivating as the villainess of the piece. I must also say the music was surprisingly excellent. All in all, this is a nice underrated film. 7/10 Bethany Cox

A Simple Wish

[studioAT · 2/10 · 13 January 2022]

Child star Mara Wilson comes unstuck a little with a film that's spoilt entirely by a ridiculously over the top performance by Martin Short that desperately needed reigning in by the director.

Not great.

A Fun And Smart Kids Movie!

[movies2u · 24 August 2003]

> This is a very good kids movie, that is fun and entertaining. Martin Short makes a hilarious Fairy Godmother, or should I say "Fairy Godfather" to Mara Wilson, who only wants her dad to be in a broadway show, but gets mixed up and must stop an evil witch played by Kathleen Turner, or her dad will become a statue! This movie was smart and fun, and the "frog in your throat" scene was gross-out funny! I give it 10/10.

Fun for the kids

[greenheart · 7/10 · 24 February 2021]

Okay, 20 years on and a few of the special effects look a little clunky, but overall this is a well produced and good looking movie. You have to remind yourself that this is a children's film and forgive it a few things. Kathleen Turner is great value although underused, Martin short for me pushes his character just a little too far, you can kind of understand it, the idea of having a male fairy godmother is a good one. This certainly made me chuckle a few times and the Nebraska scene is hilarious. All in all, a very solid children's movie.

Martin Short is this movie.

[Sirus_the_Virus · 7/10 · 28 November 2009]

Sometimes, in a film like A simple wish, it takes one celeb to make a movie work. That was kind of the case with Pirates of the Caribbean. It wouldn't have been the same if Christopher Walken would've played Captain Jack. I similar sort of thing goes for A simple wish. Martin Short is great, as usual. And probably couldn't have made the film better. He is mostly why I enjoyed the film.

The film is kind of silly. Though it has a good cast. Kathleen Turner as the villain. And a somewhat silly performance by Amanda Plummer from Pulp fiction as her assistant. Though i'll admit it is kind of silly, it is still fun.

A Simple wish:***/****

This was a fun film, and part of what made the film amusing was that the actors/actresses really seemed to be having fun.

[husnain_05 · 9/10 · 17 October 2005]

This was a fun film, and part of what made the film amusing was that the actors/actresses really seemed to be having fun.

(Mara Wilson)Anabel's Dad,(Robert Pastorelli)Oliver is a horse carriage rider and takes auditions to become a singer and Anabel meets a male fairy godmother,(Martin Short)Murray and Anabel's wish is for her father to actually become a singer. When the wish is granted it all changes.Anabel's father turns into a statue because Murray casts the spell wrong because he has not had that much training.A witch,(KLathleen Turner)Claudia wants Murray's wand because it is the most powerful.Join in the fun and watch how Anabel's father is turned back.

A Fun Little Movie

[peter-1894 · 7/10 · 8 June 2006]

Martin Short(Muarry) was pretty funny in this film. And he always acts as if he has done magic so many times before, but always screws up. Mara Wilson was really cute in this film, just a little girl who believed in magic and the tooth fairy as we all did as children. And then Francis Capra(Charlie) is the typical older brother.

Overall, I did enjoy this movie. Made me laugh a few times(like when he just sneezes so loud and acts up during the test). And then the part with Dwayne, and his shirt and the way Muarry(Martin Short) tries to stand up to him. ^-^ Yes, good family movie too, and the tiny tykes will really enjoy it.

Fun little episode

[neophoenix · 17 August 2001]

Okay, while the plot may not be Shakespeare, its simplicity is refreshing. Martin Short is very funny, as always, and Mara Wilson is a wonderful child actress whose acting caliber could compare to many adult actors/actresses. Kathleen Turner is delicious to watch as a bad apple witch, who's bent on revenge. Her deep yet sultry voice and beautiful looks present the perfect image of a goody-goody witch gone bad. For a simple yet smart comedy, rent this film.

Matilda Returns in her true form

[ThunderKing6 · 10/10 · 3 May 2022]

Forget Jesus Camp but if you and your children are into Witches and Warlocks, dark magic and Wizard films then you and your children will like this dark-light-haarted movie made for children.

It stars the Matilda girl who seemed to be role casted to play another magical witch again.

Overall, I like this movie because they were able to mesh together dark magic and family fun together and it worked very well. The acting was obviously forced, still it was a fun movie to be relaxtained.

Well worth renting: kids will LOVE,& adults can enjoy acting

[andriamba · 29 June 2001]

This is really worthwhile; the Kids I showed it to (Boy,8 & girl,5) LOVED it, even to the extent of asking me to rewind/reshow certain parts. I really enjoyed the acting---lots of famous talent--the score---and the "inside" theatre stuff. Also it kept to its "G" rating without any of the violence or language found in SOOOO many purportedly "kids flix" lately. I've watched it without kids and loved it, too!

Original

[SCTV Fan · 10/10 · 10 February 1999]

Very Interesting. Good story and acting. It's only down side is that it's a family movie. 4/5 stars.

One of the smartest recent movies for kids

[Lorrana · 20 January 2000]

I am a big fan of kids flicks, but I know when I see a flop. That's not the case. "A Simple Wish" is one of best children movie I've ever seen, alongside Miracle on 34th Street (the original), A Bug's Life and a few others. It's really easy to screw up when making a film for kids. They don't expect much and amuse themselves with a little dosis of real humour and no story at all. But when the movie is really well done, it can become a classic.

The movie is about the male fairy-godmother Murray(Martin Short at his best), who's having a little trouble making Anabel's (Mara Wilson) dream come true because of his little experience in "godmothering". And above all that, they have to fight the evil ex-fairy-godmother Claudia (Kathleen Turner), who wants to rule above all her ex-mates.

The plot sounds a little common? It might even be, but here it has been so well structured that we are carried to Anabel's life and we feel the helplessness of Murray, who's trying so hard to save the day, even though he don't have the skill to do it. He has a good heart and that's all that it takes.

The characters are lovable. Amanda Plummer is especially funny, as Claudia's sidekick. The dialogues are clever yet simple, perfect for kids and for grown ups who enjoy real pure fantasy and delightment.

A fun, imaginative, and magical modern-day fairy tale for the whole family!

[msecaur · 10/10 · 28 September 2023]

I've loved "A Simple Wish" since first watching it as a kid in the 90s, and even 25 years later, I continue to find it just as funny, inventive, and entertaining as ever. For anyone who's ever wanted a fairy godmother or believed in the magic of a wish, "A Simple Wish" hearkens back to the best of the classic fairy tales but with an imaginative twist for the 20th (and 21st) centuries.

In a nutshell, the story concerns Anabel (Mara Wilson), who wishes for a fairy godmother to help her father Oliver (Robert Pastorelli) land an audition for a new Broadway musical at the Palace Theatre in New York City. But as she soon learns from her well-meaning but comically inept fairy godfather Murray (Martin Short), wishes are anything but simple, not all fairy godmothers have good intentions, and magic can come from even the most unlikely of places.

While "A Simple Wish" has plenty of slapstick humor and action for kids to enjoy, mostly courtesy of the incomparable Martin Short, it steers clear of the wildly inappropriate 'humor' that so many supposed family films feature nowadays. In the tradition of the best Disney films, the script neither talks down to nor panders to children, with enough wit to make it an enjoyable watch for those of us who are rather children at heart (i.e., adults) as well. Take, for example, the conceit of the original in-movie musical "Two Cities," based on Dickens' "A Tale of Two Cities," with wonderful songs composed by Lucy Simon (sister of Carly Simon) and lyrics by "A Simple Wish" director Michael Ritchie. Composed in the film by Lord Richard (a thinly-veiled spoof of Andrew Lloyd Webber), it takes off on the explosion in the 80s of the British mega-musicals based on works of classic and perhaps overly-dramatic literature, making it a nice little in-joke for Broadway buffs and fans of literature alike.

I've never quite understood why this film wasn't more of a hit, as it truly has everything: a fun yet moving script, an inventive story that turns the traditional fairy-tale tropes on its head, an all-star cast, great acting performances, a gorgeous musical score, excellent production design, and fabulous location shoot in New York City. If you love Martin Short and Mara Wilson as I do, you're virtually guaranteed to love this film. If you like movies that subvert the traditional fairytale genre while still staying family-friendly, you're probably going to like it, too.