First of all I am a great fan of the original British version . This Hollywood modern remake is an enjoyable comedy with quite a few laughs . Without any reasonable doubt `Bedazzled' (2000) is inferior than the Dudley Moore film but this doesn't mean it should be left unnoticed. I am sure that most of the fans of the original will hate it and here's the reasons why . A) The remake has an entirely straightforward plot which focuses exclusively on the wishes the leading character makes . The 60's version included some great philosophical and existential insights , like when Moore moodily wondered `Why can't we choose our parents?' . It also contained some great satirical touches concerning the perennial battle between God and the Devil (like when Peter Cook recited the reasons which made him turn against God and ending up a fallen angel) . All these elements are absent here and the film suffers , but fortunately not severely . B) An abrupt ending . As aforementioned the plot rotates only around the wishes and as soon as the wishes end , so does the story . The 60's film had more story going on for it . There were specific reasons concerning the importance of Moore's soul for the Devil and why he was so special . We even got to see Heaven and hear God's voice !! The film lacks these things and just stops . Well I guess for the uninitiated the film will be more fun . As for me , I enjoyed the 2000 version despite these flaws . It is a professionally made comedy by the talented Harold Ramis and I believe it is slightly better than `Groundhog Day' (1993) where the script ran out of steam after the second half and the film just dragged on . Bedazzled (2000) is not boring for a single second and can be enjoyed immensely.
PLOT SYNOPSIS : The film opens with some scenes reminiscent of `The Mask' with Jim Carrey . Elliot Richards (Brendan Fraser) is a lonely guy who works in a big company . His colleagues deliberately ignore him or even avoid him in their social gatherings . Elliot is cute with a robust body and quite educated , but he belongs in the sad category of social misfits . As much as he tries , he can't make new friends . Every night he ends up in his small apartment , microwaves a `fast' dinner and watches TV until he falls to sleep . He is secretly in love with Alison (Frances O' Connor) a beautiful girl who works in the same company with him , but hardly knows he exists . After subsequent rejections Elliot is disappointed very much . Shortly thereafter he meets an ultra-gorgeous fascinating woman with a mysterious British accent who claims to be the Devil HERSELF (played by none other by Elizabeth Hurley) . The Devil offers Elliot a pact to make his life happier . She offers him a huge pile of paperwork , calling it a `contract' (which of course no one is going to bother to read) . The Devil tempts and eventually convinces Elliot to sign and sell his soul . The grant is 7 wishes where Elliot can literally have anything he wants . Of course as it always happens in movies with genies , things don't go exactly as planned . It is universally known that a deal with the Devil never pays off . Elliot 's wishes always turn sour and he has no other option but to return to the mundane reality . The Devil only wants his soul and always finds tricks to make the wishes go awry .
This is the story of the film and despite the weakness of the script , the movie has two things going on for it . Firstly the performance of Brendan Fraser shows his great acting skills and his enormous comical talents . Fraser pulls off one successful metamorphosis after another , to the point he is barely recognizable ! Aside that , Fraser succeeds in the dramatic aspects of the character . Despite his height and broad shoulders which make him appear like a goon , he achieves being a likeable `everyday' guy with nice behavior whom you root for (something he succeeded in `School Ties' as well) . Elizabeth Hurley is also great in her role . She is a drop-dead charming , irresistibly beautiful woman . She is HOT ! (he he he). Hurley is convincing as a modern siren , the incarnation of a dangerous temptation whom you should never trust . Simultaneously she is likeable enough herself : she really can't harm you if you have strong will . The second asset of the film are the wishes . Most of them are well executed and offer some great laughs . The make-up is PERFECT and Fraser changes persona with great agility . Not since the `Nutty Professor' with Eddie Murphy have I seen so exceptional work in the styling department . My favorite wish was the first one , where Elliot becomes a Latin millionaire . Of course the wishes wouldn't be complete without the great talent of Fraser who unambiguously is a gifted actor and changes voices and looks utterly convincingly , like when he speaks Spanish . Now there is the little worm of doubt which bugs me and tells me that the dialogue could have been voiced-over , but even in this case I will have to give my deepest congratulations to the director and the editors for some perfect work of dubbing .
It is a great flaw that after the wishes the film ends up with a patchy cop-out and with a clichéd way . I was expecting more plot or at least more characterization on Elliot . I also found pointless the cameo of God (or was it an angel?) in the middle of the film and it should be explored more . Well , I guess we shouldn't be expecting much . `Bedazzled' (2000) is not innovative and will not be a classic . It is however an entertaining film and I recommend it for a boring evening with the video . If you want a good comedy with a decent script , some great laughs , good performances , some remarkable SFX and a few satirical hints (the homework that the Devil gives to the students is the proof of `Fermat 's Last Theorem' , a very difficult mathematical problem which puzzled people for centuries and there are legends about mathematicians in the Middle Ages wanting to sell their souls to the Devil to solve it) then do not hesitate and see it . Although far from groundbreaking (this honor should go to the 60's film) `Bedazzled' (2000) is one of the best comedies from the 90 's.
BEDAZZLED (2000) 8 / 10
PLOT SYNOPSIS : The film opens with some scenes reminiscent of `The Mask' with Jim Carrey . Elliot Richards (Brendan Fraser) is a lonely guy who works in a big company . His colleagues deliberately ignore him or even avoid him in their social gatherings . Elliot is cute with a robust body and quite educated , but he belongs in the sad category of social misfits . As much as he tries , he can't make new friends . Every night he ends up in his small apartment , microwaves a `fast' dinner and watches TV until he falls to sleep . He is secretly in love with Alison (Frances O' Connor) a beautiful girl who works in the same company with him , but hardly knows he exists . After subsequent rejections Elliot is disappointed very much . Shortly thereafter he meets an ultra-gorgeous fascinating woman with a mysterious British accent who claims to be the Devil HERSELF (played by none other by Elizabeth Hurley) . The Devil offers Elliot a pact to make his life happier . She offers him a huge pile of paperwork , calling it a `contract' (which of course no one is going to bother to read) . The Devil tempts and eventually convinces Elliot to sign and sell his soul . The grant is 7 wishes where Elliot can literally have anything he wants . Of course as it always happens in movies with genies , things don't go exactly as planned . It is universally known that a deal with the Devil never pays off . Elliot 's wishes always turn sour and he has no other option but to return to the mundane reality . The Devil only wants his soul and always finds tricks to make the wishes go awry .
This is the story of the film and despite the weakness of the script , the movie has two things going on for it . Firstly the performance of Brendan Fraser shows his great acting skills and his enormous comical talents . Fraser pulls off one successful metamorphosis after another , to the point he is barely recognizable ! Aside that , Fraser succeeds in the dramatic aspects of the character . Despite his height and broad shoulders which make him appear like a goon , he achieves being a likeable `everyday' guy with nice behavior whom you root for (something he succeeded in `School Ties' as well) . Elizabeth Hurley is also great in her role . She is a drop-dead charming , irresistibly beautiful woman . She is HOT ! (he he he). Hurley is convincing as a modern siren , the incarnation of a dangerous temptation whom you should never trust . Simultaneously she is likeable enough herself : she really can't harm you if you have strong will . The second asset of the film are the wishes . Most of them are well executed and offer some great laughs . The make-up is PERFECT and Fraser changes persona with great agility . Not since the `Nutty Professor' with Eddie Murphy have I seen so exceptional work in the styling department . My favorite wish was the first one , where Elliot becomes a Latin millionaire . Of course the wishes wouldn't be complete without the great talent of Fraser who unambiguously is a gifted actor and changes voices and looks utterly convincingly , like when he speaks Spanish . Now there is the little worm of doubt which bugs me and tells me that the dialogue could have been voiced-over , but even in this case I will have to give my deepest congratulations to the director and the editors for some perfect work of dubbing .
It is a great flaw that after the wishes the film ends up with a patchy cop-out and with a clichéd way . I was expecting more plot or at least more characterization on Elliot . I also found pointless the cameo of God (or was it an angel?) in the middle of the film and it should be explored more . Well , I guess we shouldn't be expecting much . `Bedazzled' (2000) is not innovative and will not be a classic . It is however an entertaining film and I recommend it for a boring evening with the video . If you want a good comedy with a decent script , some great laughs , good performances , some remarkable SFX and a few satirical hints (the homework that the Devil gives to the students is the proof of `Fermat 's Last Theorem' , a very difficult mathematical problem which puzzled people for centuries and there are legends about mathematicians in the Middle Ages wanting to sell their souls to the Devil to solve it) then do not hesitate and see it . Although far from groundbreaking (this honor should go to the 60's film) `Bedazzled' (2000) is one of the best comedies from the 90 's.
BEDAZZLED (2000) 8 / 10