The seeds for Big Little Lies were planted nearly 20 years earlier with Practical Magic. Admittedly much goofier than the prestige HBO miniseries, Practical Magic is an unequivocal crowd pleaser stuffed with delightful characters, cozy fall vibes and wicked pleasures. This is thanks to the strange, yet wonderful pairing of Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock...
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It’s funny to compare and contrast Bullock and Kidman at this time. Both were great talents who were ascending to the A-list at the same time. Yet, Sandra was a relatable rom-com Queen who was quickly becoming America’s Sweetheart. Meanwhile, Nicole Kidman had a different persona - the ice queen beauty who was seen more often in dramas, horrors and blockbusters. One would never mistake these two actresses for sisters, but their differences add to the fun as the two play loving witchy sisters who have each other’s back despite their opposing life outlooks. Sandy gets to be the sweet, lovelorn sister while Nicole is the wandering free spirit who finds love in all the wrong places.
First, one has to understand the mystery behind the Owens family, which all started during the Salem Witch Trials. Set to hang for being a witch, Maria Owens escapes due to her dark magic, only to wind up banished for surviving. When her lover fails to find her, Maria curses herself to never fall in love again. Unfortunately, this curse reverberates throughout every generation of Owens women. Any time they fall in love with a man, a beetle will sound and the man will die suddenly. Raised by their spinster Aunts (the utterly delightful Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest), sisters Sally (Bullock) and Gillian (Kidman) grew up with very different responses to their curse. Sally vows to never fall in love, wishing for a dream man that would never exist. On the other hand, Gillian can’t wait to fall in love, choosing to run away following man after man.
It’s hard to describe the plot of Practical Magic, not because it is dense but because it frequently changes and re-pilots. The stacking subplots become part of the film’s charm, rather than a deterrent. Sally stays in her hometown and meets the man of her dreams. They have two kids and live happily ever after… until one day the fateful beetle chirps, signaling her husband’s end. Across the country in Tucson, Gillian finds herself in an abusive relationship with scumbag Jimmy (Goran Visnjic). Sally snaps out her grief to save Gillian, who has begun to poison Jimmy. Jimmy succumbs to the poison (which was just supposed to incapacitate him) and dies. Fearing murder charges, the sisters bring Jimmy back home to perform a spell to bring him back to life. Almost immediately, this proves to be a bad idea as Jimmy attacks Gillian again. Sally retaliates and kills him, leaving the sisters to bury Jimmy in the backyard. However, messing with magic leads to serious consequences, as Jimmy begins to wreak havoc on the Owens women in his state between life and death.
What I wouldn't give to be part of this Midnight Margarita party!Believe it or not, that was a quick synopsis. The movie also features drama over who will wind up at the top of a school’s phone tree, a romance with a detective (Aidan Quinn) and the most jolly girl power exorcism committed to the screen. Yes, Margo Martindale is in attendance at the exorcism, but you should’ve already spiritually felt that in your bones. Even with all this plot, the movie stops everything for ten minutes for the four lead characters to have midnight margaritas and roast each other. What joyous gifts Practical Magic gives us!
But yes, Nicole! Like with all her roles, she gives Practical Magic her all. Her devilish grin helps Sandra’s Sally loosen up, as she wears the badge of witch, slut and outsider with glee. There’s a mania behind Gillian’s fun, like something dangerous that can’t be contained. It’s so interesting to watch the scenes between Sally and Gillian and their Aunts. The four actresses have such a strange, yet lived in familial bond that’s a delight to watch. Nicole finds interesting notes in this relationship as the Prodigal Daughter. She knows she’ll be welcomed back in open arms, but there’s a tinge of sadness and shame to their first reunion. Why did she spend so much time away from her family all in service of this amorphous love she desired?
Just because Nicole is having fun doesn’t mean she’s not fully committed to the given circumstances of this bonkers film. Take for example her third act possession, as her body is taken over by Jimmy’s ghost. There’s a lot of fun body comedy (of course this Gilmore Girls core film doesn’t want to go full horror) and Nicole knows how to contort herself for laughs, rather than screams.
Many more of the films I’m covering this season speak to Nicole the comedian. This is not because it’s her greatest gift, but because I find it to be one of the most undersung gifts of her as a performer. There’s something daring about her comedy, because you feel herself stretching as an actor to a genre and skill that might not come as naturally to her. Here Kidman perfectly understands the assignment, creating a comfort food movie that’s utterly delectable.
Previously in the Nicole Kidman TFE Tribute:
- Introduction + Early Australian Films
- Billy Bathgate (1991) – her first Golden Globe nomination!
- Malice (1993) - when Kidman met Sorkin
- To Die For (1995) - her first Golden Globe win!
While our The Portrait of a Lady write-up is a bit delayed, we'll be moving on to Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut soon enough. Be on the lookout for that and a future flashback to 1996.