Jenna Walter
The film may be flawed, but its message is not.
Fleur
Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.
Scarlet
The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.
Python Hyena
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
anxietyresister
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.
bob the moo
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.
jc131966
I thought that this was a very enjoyable family movie and my young neice was quite captivated.From a personal standpoint, I thought that the music was excellent! I know that the musical of "Two Cities" was fictitious but very much liked the song "Far Far Better" (?)Would anybody know if this song is available on sheet music and if so where I can get it from? I am a singer and would love to add it to my repertoire.Thanks
