Rating summary

Movie		2.0
Video		2.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		2.5

A Simple Wish Blu-ray Movie Review

Martin Short deserves better.

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf March 13, 2014

There’s a reason why Martin Short is largely considered to be a comedic genius. Through his television work on “SCTV” and “Primetime Glick,” supporting roles in films such as “The Big Picture,” “Father of the Bride,” and “Three Amigos,” Broadway productions, and numerous talk show appearances, Short has displayed a sharp wit, endless supply of energy, and a rascally spirit. However, translating that delightful impishness to starring roles has proven difficult for the actor, who’s been primarily stuck in unimaginative duds like “Pure Luck,” “Captain Ron,” and “Three Fugitives.” Outside of 1987’s “Innerspace” (a wonderful picture), Short hasn’t found his niche when it comes to toplining major movies. 1997’s “A Simple Wish” is another misfire for the funny man, although the premise provides more than a few opportunities for Short to shine. Instead, he appears handcuffed by the production, forced to work through habitual acts of physical comedy to compete with crude CGI and an aggressive cartoon vibe director Michael Ritchie (who passed away in 2001, making this his final feature) seems intent on selling as loudly as possible.

Eager to join the fine ladies of the North American Fairy Godmother Association, Murray (Martin Short) has managed to pass all the tests, sent out into the field to aid young Anabel (Mara Wilson). The daughter of aspiring Broadway singer Oliver (Robert Pastorelli), Anabel wants to help her father’s future with a little magic, using her lone wish to secure him a starring role in a “Les Miserables”-style musical extravaganza. Unfortunately, Murray is new at the gig, eventually losing his broken wand as he dashes off for a critical N.A.F.G.A. meeting, leaving Anabel to fix the damaged device. Crashing the get-together is witch Claudia (Kathleen Turner) and her servant Boots (Amanda Plummer), arriving to freeze alpha godmother Hortense (Ruby Dee) and steal all the wands, with plans to control the magical realm. Reuniting, Anabel and Murray attempt to carry out the wish to save Oliver’s career, only to accidentally render him a bronze statue, requiring quick thinking to reverse the curse before midnight. Standing in the way is Claudia, out to complete her collection with Murray’s wand, leaving the little girl and the newbie godmother to fend off the wicked witch’s cruel tricks.

“A Simple Wish” is a simple film, out to pants fairy tale formula with the introduction of a male fairy godmother in Murray and a general contorting of the “Cinderella” story to fit a NYC adventure that’s centered on Broadway dreams. The screenplay by Jeff Rothberg (“The Amazing Panda Adventure”) is knowing but ill-equipped for comedy, expelling more energy on visual effect set-pieces than fluid punchlines, leaving most of the heavy lifting to the cast. The tone is broad, but Ritchie (helmer of the little league masterpiece, “The Bad News Bears”) doesn’t hide it, announcing straight away what type of movie he’s making, commencing the picture with a slapstick symphony of sorts, observing Murray in the midst of taking his N.A.F.G.A. test as he sneezes and flops his way through this debacle, backed by fanciful scoring from Bruce Broughton.

If there was a chance to have the sheer spectacle of Short as a godmother become the focal point of the picture, it’s quickly set aside to concentrate on Anabel’s family crisis, the broken wand dilemma, and the rise of Claudia. “A Simple Wish” seems determined to snuff out the potential of the piece to play into blustery confrontations and excuses for CGI, which, at this point in its development as a replacement for practical effects, lacked polish, often popping out artificially as the actors indicate wildly to sell the fantasy. Ritchie really leans into the Looney Tunes mood, ordering up magical chaos (introduced with a “shaboom!” from Murray) that deafens more than delights. With a horse turned into a mouse, a Broadway star barfing up a frog, and Claudia literally flattening Hortense as she infiltrates N.A.F.G.A. headquarters, “A Simple Wish” opts for visual might at every turn, smothering what little passes here for dramatic content. In fact, the final act of the effort is almost entirely devoted to magical combat, overwhelming viewers with aggressive antics that find Murray and Anabel cursed to dance involuntarily and the godmother squished by Claudia, sliding like syrup down a flight of stairs. The movie wears itself out long before it ends.

Short seems baffled by the material. He’s game here, sporting poofy hair and exaggerated teeth, but his ability to land a fresh punchline has been neutered by the production, which would rather subject the actor to greenscreen antics than encourage his natural jesting abilities. It’s frustrating to watch, especially when Short is capable of so much, reduced here to an action figure with the occasional spastic response to Murray’s magical shortcomings (the only true laugh in the film occurs when the actor impersonates Turner, matching her undefined accent perfectly). In the bright-eyed kid’s role, Wilson performs adequately, doing more reacting than actual acting, which plays to her strengths. For some reason, someone instructed Capra to mimic Andrew Dice Clay, making his bullying older brother routine amusing for all the wrong reasons. And there’s Turner, gloriously over the top as Claudia, digging into the wicked witch routine with as much energy as she’s able to provide, clad in colorful costumes that wouldn’t feel out of place on a drag queen.

A Simple Wish Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Once again, Universal recycles an ancient master for "A Simple Wish," with the AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation looking decidedly flat and waxy for such a fantastical movie. Filtering is present, stripping filmic qualities while preventing accurate textures to shine through, while haloing and some mile motion blur is also common. Blacks are largely solidified, crushing out especially hard during evening sequences, making distances difficult to discern. Fine detail barely makes an impression with close-ups, with facial particulars smoothed out and costuming soft. Colors are tolerable, with hues looking a little muted, but benefiting from the candied hues presented here.

A Simple Wish Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix shows surprising presence for a catalog title, offering pleasing circular force that envelops the listener. Surrounds are quite active, not only for crisp atmospherics and scenes of city bustle, but with Murray's magic as well, with his "shaboom!" provided directional movement, awakening the track. Low-end is also substantial, with magical rumblings and a runaway carriage scene adding depth. Dialogue exchanges are cleanly defined and placed, with nothing lost to distortion. Scoring cues are healthy, supporting the antics with a full sound. For an active movie, here's an active mix, with compelling swells of disparate elements keeping energy up for the listening experience.

A Simple Wish Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• A Theatrical Trailer (2:07, SD) is included.

A Simple Wish Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

There are a few flashes of personality in "A Simple Wish," with one accidental excursion to Nebraska (a state the screenplay openly detests) resulting in an encounter with a Godzilla-sized rabbi. Sadly, that's about it for the pleasingly weird stuff, as the rest of the picture sticks to the comfort of family film routine and CGI escapism. Not even Short can make "A Simple Wish" memorable, often looking as though he's merely surviving the work, stripped of his killer instinct.