I Still Want Justice For The 24% Rotten Tomatoes Score On This Sandra Bullock & Nicole Kidman Movie

Summary

• Despite its low critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, Practical Magic has a loyal audience who appreciate its charm and core message.
• Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman’s chemistry shines in the movie, adding depth to their characters.
• Practical Magic 2 is proof of the original movie’s underrated status and lasting impact on fans.

While some movies earn their low critics scores on Rotten Tomatoes, there’s one Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman movie that I still want to get the justice it deserves. As a so-called “spooky child”, there’s a special place in my heart for any movies that fall into the categories of horror and spooky, and there’s something extra-special about movies about witches. Although I admittedly arrived late to the greatness of movies like Hocus Pocus and Practical Magic, the latter immediately became one of my favorite movies about witches.

Directed by Griffin Dunne, and based on Alice Hoffman’s 1995 novel of the same name, Practical Magic introduced the Owens family, whose ancestor, Maria, cast a spell on herself that developed into a curse upon her descendants: any man loved by an Owens woman would die. In the present, sisters Sally (Bullock) and Gillian (Kidman) join forces after Sally’s husband dies as a result of the curse and Gillian’s abusive boyfriend returns as an evil, vengeful spirit. Practical Magic has everything that can be asked for in a movie about magic and witches, yet it didn’t get the recognition it deserves.

Why Practical Magic’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Is So Low

Practical Magic’s Critics & Audience Scores Are Very Different

Practical Magic
has a 24% critics score on
Rotten Tomatoes
, with critics mostly pointing out its tonal shifts and “offbeat” story as main flaws.

Despite being released in a decade that saw a variety of movies about magic and witches – from kid-friendly movies like Double, Double, Toil and Trouble to teen movies like The Craft –, Practical Magic didn’t find success with critics. Practical Magic has a 24% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics mostly pointing out its tonal shifts and “offbeat” story as main flaws. Practical Magic was even compared to The Witches of Eastwick but without the latter’s humor, and some critics felt it lacked “emotional consistency”, while others went as far as to say it lacked chemistry.

However, what most critics seemed to agree on, both those who gave it positive reviews and those who destroyed it in theirs, is that Bullock and Kidman are the best things in Practical Magic, praising their charm, chemistry, and charisma. Despite not being the critics’ favorite, Practical Magic has rightfully become a cult classic, and like many other movies with low critics’ scores on Rotten Tomatoes, these shouldn’t be the definitive word on their quality and impact.

Practical Magic
’s audience score on Rotten Tomatoes offers an interesting contrast, as while critics led to it being labeled “rotten”, the audience granted it a “fresh” certificate with a 73% score.

While it’s true that Practical Magic has different tones with drama, suspense, and comedy all in one movie, that’s exactly where a big part of its charm lies. Despite having fantasy elements, Practical Magic deals with serious themes, and just like in life, there’s drama and comedy in it, which ultimately bring balance to what otherwise would be a bleak story of grief, loss, and magic.

Sandra Bullock & Nicole Kidman Show Powerful Range In Practical Magic

Bullock & Kidman’s Chemistry Was Key To Practical Magic’s Charm

Although they might seem like an odd pair, especially as sisters, Bullock and Kidman brought a unique chemistry to
Practical Magic.

As much as I love all the magic and witchcraft elements in Practical Magic, all that would be nothing without Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. Although they might seem like an odd pair, especially as sisters, Bullock and Kidman brought a unique chemistry to Practical Magic and balance as they played two completely different sisters. Bullock brought emotion, heartbreak, and hope to her performance as Sally, while Kidman brought vulnerability, rebellion, and a free, adventurous spirit to Gillian. Both sisters showed strength in their own ways, and they beautifully complemented each other.

Practical Magic is not just a story about magic, witches, and curses, but a story about family, generational trauma, grief, and sisterhood. As the eldest daughter of three, Practical Magic’s Sally and Gillian speak to me in ways that few fictional sisters have. Bullock and Kidman’s characters and performances are so different (as are my sisters and I) yet work so beautifully together that they truly embody a sense of sisterhood, as no matter the trouble one gets into, they know they have each other’s backs unconditionally, as it should be.

Practical Magic 2 Helps Prove How Underrated The Original Movie Is

Practical Magic 2 Is A Long-Awaited Sequel

Critics might have not seen the true magic and charm of Practical Magic and its core message, but general audiences certainly did. Practical Magic has a loyal fanbase that hasn’t forgotten about it, and they have a strong presence on social media. I often come across posts and videos of fans of Practical Magic who share their love for the movie (and the books) in different ways, whether through fashion, tattoos, art, or by doing their own magic, so there’s definitely an active and enthusiastic audience for this specific universe.

In the era of reboots and legacy sequels, and taking its loyal following into account, it’s not surprising that Practical Magic is finally getting a sequel, but it wouldn’t have been greenlit if the first movie hadn’t had a long-lasting impact on the audience. Although I must say I’m concerned about the sequel, its story, and if it will be able to continue the stories of the Owens women without falling into the traps of legacy sequels, Practical Magic 2 will bring a new audience to the first movie and prompt many others to revisit it, and hopefully, it will finally get the love and recognition it deserves.