Practical Magic 2 Spoilers Ahead
I didn’t expect perfection from Practical Magic 2 because the original movie isn’t some masterpiece either. It’s nostalgic and warm, and it appeals to us because it’s been there for a long, long time. It’s fun and achingly cozy, making it essential viewing for spooky season as a story that centers women gorgeously. In many ways, we didn’t need the sequel, and for a lot of people, its narrative might not work. It might be jarring and upsetting, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s a solid movie.
I’m a simple girl, really, take me to London and show me Lee Pace, and I won’t utter a single complaint. But ultimately, Practical Magic 2 works because of everything it achieves thematically to remind us of how deeply the Owens women love each other. How at the end of the day, the story has, and will always be, a love letter to sisterhood.
Narratively, it’s far more simple in its means to break the Owens curse because Practical Magic leaves us with loopholes. It’s up to us and our imagination to believe the curse is broken rather than having definitive proof that it is. In the sequel, having the women actually attempt to work around it and come to a conclusion that’s more obvious contributes to the very essence of who they are.
It’s been their light and whimsical approach to everything that’s made the Owens family home a comforting place to visit and stay in. They’re the ones who started midnight margaritas—all knowing, deeply loving, and wholly warm. They’ve been the story’s quiet heart since the beginning, and as tragic as it is to see them go, it makes sense in a lot of ways.
As someone who doesn’t cry watching the original movie, I cried through Practical Magic 2. It’s heartbreaking, tender, and a reflection of life that stings a little, even if you get it. The idea of second chances works beautifully through everyone’s character journeys, but especially with Sally and her daughters. That said, while people understandably had hesitations about not bringing back the original actresses, it’s hard to picture Kylie and Antonia as women in their 30s in the circumstances that the sequel presents. They feel younger, and the chemistry between Joey King and Xolo Maridueña is legitimately precious.
Ultimately, the biggest flaw in the sequel is the screenplay. The glaring repetition doesn’t work in any way, making it questionable why it’s happening. Not even incredible performances from Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman could save some of those line deliveries. And in a day and age where HD is praised and glamorized everywhere, the grittiness of film is sorely missed in the sequel. While some elements surprisingly feel just as cozy and the practical effects are a welcome choice instead of CGI, it’s easy to miss the ’90s color-grading and warmth.
What’s unmistakable, though, is the detail that Bullock and Kidman are having a blast throughout. The way they play off one another is still a dazzling treat that evokes a sense of safety few performances do. You feel free around them. Warm, in a way that’s still, to this day, indescribable. They almost feel like our sisters, too, and in large part it’s because of everything that Bullock and Kidman bring to the screen. The women clearly respect each other, and there’s no doubt in my mind that they adore these roles, so the movie’s return feels right when we take all of that into consideration.
Their giggles are infectious. Their banter hits. And everything about their performances makes the movie an easy one to rewatch right alongside the original. There’s still a lot of nostalgia heavily present in the movie, thankfully with vibrant colors and old, worn products mingling with the new, but another part of me also wishes we got this sequel earlier.
All that said, Practical Magic 2 is a worthy movie to watch in theaters. It’s endearing, warm, and every actor brings their A-game to make everyone feel welcome with the Owens women. The dazzling component that makes the original such an indescribable gem might be missing in the sequel, but it still glitters with magic. It’s just different—more definitive. Darker and yet still whimsical.
Swapping the coastal town for London might not be everyone’s jam, but as someone who loves the city and academia-based narratives, the sequel scratches a different kind of itch that feels particularly relevant this time of year. And once more, with feeling, Lee Pace. A movie that has Lee Pace in it as the love interest instantly becomes a must-watch that leaves a mark. I’ll be replaying his scenes with Sally over and over again when the movie’s available for digital purchase.
Practical Magic 2 is now playing in theaters.
First Featured Image Credit: ©Warner Bros.