Practical Magic 2

by Philip Price

Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures

Director: Susanne Bier
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman & Lee Pace
Rated: PG-13 (some violent content, suggestive material and language)
Runtime: 2 hours & 10 minutes

 
Like its predecessor, “Practical Magic 2” is a perfectly competent and comfortable Hallmark Halloween movie. Sandra Bullock’s Sally narrates as if she’s catching up with old friends via an annual Christmas card … and that’s undoubtedly exactly what the target audience wants. Oversimplified and conveniently plotted, the dynamic between Sally and Nicole Kidman’s Gillian hasn’t changed much over the undetermined amount of time that has passed in the world of the Owens sisters, even though it’s been 28 years since the first film's release. Sally doesn’t embrace who she is in a frustrating fashion, while Gillian is an incessant flower child, and though director Susanne Bier (who has worked with both Bullock and Kidman on separate projects in the past) treads much of the same ground as Griffin Dunne‘s original (yes, that Griffin Dunne), this new film is at least more focused in its narrative objective. 

​We could talk about how Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing are underutilized or how only one of Sally’s daughters - now played by Joey King and Maisie Williams - is utilized appropriately while the others are relegated to babysitting Blue Beetle (ironic, huh?), we could talk about how bland the digital photography looks despite being shot by Simon Duggan, or we could even talk about how Solly McLeod seems to be doing his best Chris Hemsworth impression, but again - none of that really factors into the reason for the film’s existence. This sequel exists because Bullock is one of the last remaining stars who can still garner worthwhile box office results, no disrespect to Kidman. Pair genuine star power with a known IP, and it’s a little surprising this is only the second ‘Practical Magic’ film that’s been made.

That said, there is a moment that occurs when Bullock’s Sally is meant to follow Lee Pace’s mysterious Ian Wright out of a gate, with him directing her which way to follow as he leads. Rather than play this simple interaction straight, Bullock has Sally follow her instincts in the opposite direction before realizing she’s going the wrong way, looping back around as she comically clarifies her confusion. It’s a small moment, but it’s the kind that continues to endear Bullock to audiences all these 30 years later, and if you can get a handful of those kinds of moments in your Sandra Bullock movie, you have everything you need. This happens again when Sally goes to jump over a fallen tree trunk and immediately fails, only to quickly crawl underneath. It happens again when Pace is sandwiched in between Bullock and Kidman, and even he can’t seem to fight back a laugh at just how winning Sandy, and therefore Sally, truly is - each of these moments conjuring just enough magic to maintain that familiar and soothing feeling of catching up with an old friend.