Bedazzled

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Starring: Elizabeth Hurley, Brendan Fraser, and Frances O'Conner.
Directed By: Harold Ramis

Well, it's a Brendan Fraser movie - what do you expect? It's pure fluff. He's the Meg Ryan of men. The boy next door who's quirky cute. Then, when he shaves and throws on an Armani, you'd sell your soul for a single serving portion of the man steak sub below the BVDs.

Elizabeth Hurley is an ultra-cool chick babe. What doesn't this mega force get into? Her production company (a vehicle for winky Hugh Grant), her fashion side job, and of course her acting. I like her. She seems like she's stashing huge gobs of bubble gum in her cheeks when she speaks, sure, but her delivery is still fantastic and she's the sexiest Devil since Al Pacino in The Devil's Advocate.

Bedazzled story goes...Elliot Richards (Brendan "King of Male Movie Fluff" Fraser) is a geek. He's unnoticed and perpetually awkward with the ladies (Yes, Brendan Fraser is a tall, handsome chap who'd be jumped wherever he
strolled - it's a movie - go with it).

He's got a great big loaf of French bread swelling in his khakis forAllison (Frances O'Conner), his aloof co-worker. After being blown off, again, by the object of his Earthly desires, he mutters those oh so famous Devil conjuring words " I'd give anything to have Allison." Poof. Satan, Lucifer, er, Lucille at your service. The Dev (Hurley Burley) is a knock out - he hasn't got a chance. She bedazzles poor Elliot into signing away his soul for a mere seven wishes. Why seven? She explains that it just
sounded good - and would bring the movie in under two hours for producers, I'm guessing.

Anywho, Elliot wishes and the fun begins. She is the Devil you know. If there's a loop hole she'll find it. Proving lawyers really are Mephistophelian , no?

The lives Elliot wishes for make up the laughter in Bedazzled. I really bellowed a few times. Fraser's a great comedic actor - very facial.

Ultimately, a fun family night at the movie. If your date or you like the Meg Ryan-Tom Hanks-quazi reality-Capra(esque)- why, even the Devil couldn't get us down-happy dappy endings - you'll love Bedazzled.

The history of the film is very cool. Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, once very popular "out there" British comedians responsible for the Beyond the Fringe troupe (like Monty Python, but they never got the same recognition here in the US) were the original proprietors of this story. Dudley Moore, then playing the poor soul enchanted with a woman's beauty so deeply that he'd spend eternity in hell. Definition of hell? Think a thousand wide screen televisions turned up full volume, with Salma Hayek reciting Edgar
Allen Poe's The Raven over and over...

It's an enjoyable, cute remake. You know, the audience of mostly pubescent males gawking at Elizabeth Hurley's Austin Powers' wardrobe rejects mainly comprised of bright red, skin tight cat suits, did too.

Snack recommendation: Big Mac and a Coke