Bedazzled (2000)

Summary: Elliot, a completely gormless office worker, generally the butt of jokes from his colleagues, is selected by the Devil, in the form of an attractive women, as a possible victim in her search for souls. She offers Elliot seven wishes in return for his soul; he signs up and for his first wish asks for  Big Mac and fries. Easily achieved, so he then asks to be very powerful, and married to Alison, a young woman who he fancies. He finds that he is a Colombian drug lord, others are trying to take over from him and his wife is being unfaithful with her English teacher. He has a calculator which allows him to terminate the scenario by dialling 666, which he does, returning to the present. He tries out further scenarios but never quite gets the wish right, his desire for Alison, who is also in all the scenarios never being fulfilled.

Content: There is no nudity or sex, although some talk about it, and some euphemisms, typically when Elliot is a seven foot basket ball player, Alison says she is sure he has a ‘huge talent’. Elliot also appears as a very emotional person with whom Alison is very frustrated, and happily walks away with a beach bum. The Devil appears many time variously attired. Elizabeth Hurley, who is really a model, appearing in 19 different costumes, including a cocktail dress, a red leather trouser suit, a policeman’s uniform, a traffic warden’s uniform, a cheerleader’s outfit, sexy schoolteacher’s kit and a bikini.

A View: Time has proved that presenting us with a really funny comedy is extremely difficult, and one with romantic overtones almost impossible, But this is the task Bedazzled has taken on. Apparently one scenario, where Elliot is a heavy rock god, and actually gets it on with Alison, was discarded. But really what’s not to like, it is only an hour and a half of lightweight fun, with the actors doing pretty well, and the running joke of dressing the Devil in a variety of sexy costumes. I have seen a lot worse.

Harold Ramis has written or directed some great stuff, of which a number have been reviewed on this site. I recommend Ghostbusters, Stripes and Groundhog Day.