Parents need to know that this romantic fantasy includes some passionate kissing and groping, as well as sexual references. Themes of loss, tension, and violence are throughout (including a scary scene when a boyfriend tries to painfully brand his girlfriend and semi-comic scenes of death). Some parents might be…
The girls share a night of drinking margaritas and taking tequila shots. Jimmy i
Sex, Romance & NudityA few scenes of passionate kissing and groping. There is also sexy suggestive da
Violence & ScarinessThemes of loss, tension, and violence throughout. Jimmy hits, chokes, and attemp
Gillian is called a "slut" and kids sing "witch, witch you're
Products & Purchases Not presentSally and Gillian are independent women who will do anything for family. Gillian
Positive MessagesSome strong positive messages about family and the bond of sisterhood. Some mixe
The girls share a night of drinking margaritas and taking tequila shots. Jimmy is an alcoholic who drinks all day. The more he drinks the more aggressive and violent he becomes. Some of the characters smoke, including Gillian.
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A few scenes of passionate kissing and groping. There is also sexy suggestive dancing, sexual innuendos, and references to women being promiscuous adulterers.
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Themes of loss, tension, and violence throughout. Jimmy hits, chokes, and attempts to "brand" Gillian as his possession. Sally smashes a frying pan over Jimmy's head as self defense, killing him. Semi-comical scenes of peril.
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Sally and Gillian are independent women who will do anything for family. Gillian, a free spirit, drinks and smokes cigarettes. She also uses magic to get a boy to love her. This ploy gets her into trouble, forcing her to learn a tough lesson in the end. Sally is a loyal and loving sibling who will go to great lengths to help and protect her sister. Both women show great strength and refuse to be taken advantage of.
Some strong positive messages about family and the bond of sisterhood. Some mixed messages about powerful women and sexuality. Other themes include the idea that hate and prejudice comes from fear of the unknown and unfamiliarity.
Parents need to know that this romantic fantasy includes some passionate kissing and groping, as well as sexual references. Themes of loss, tension, and violence are throughout (including a scary scene when a boyfriend tries to painfully brand his girlfriend and semi-comic scenes of death). Some parents might be concerned about the theme of witchcraft (benign or otherwise), which include scenes of bringing a man back to life and spiritual possession. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
Practical Magic
Official trailer
Based on 8 parent reviews
April 3, 2021This is a great mother/daughter/sister movie. I was 8 years old when I first saw it, and it was not as disturbing as some people make it out to be. Now, at age 32, I'd be comfortable watching it with kids 9+. There is some violence (including historical persecution), mild sexual references, mild swearing and alcohol use (no underage drinking though). Still, it's a classic, feel-good "chick flick" with an awesome, mostly female cast.
October 18, 2017This movie does say GD which was very disappointing. We always turn off a movie immediately after hearing this being said which is why I rely on this site for accuracy. The 2 sisters are in bed talking and the redhead says to the brunette, "Brush your teeth to get rid of that GD breath.."
PRACTICAL MAGIC follows the story of two orphan girls from a family of witches. Raised by aunts who feed them brownies for breakfast and are visited by neighbors only when they are desperate for a spell, the girls grow up looking for a way to separate themselves from their past. Sally (Sandra Bullock) longs to be "normal," and Gillian (Nicole Kidman) longs to abandon herself to a passion that will leave her dizzy. Sally marries a man she adores and has two children before he is killed in an accident. Devastated, she blames the family curse that, according to legend, results in the early death of any man who loves an Owens woman. Gillian ends up with Jimmy Angelof, an abusive man. When Sally comes to rescue her, they accidentally kill Jimmy. Using their aunts' book of spells, they bring him back, only to kill him again when he attacks them. They bury him in the back yard, and think they are safe. But then a policeman comes looking for Jimmy, who is not as departed as they thought.
This is an uneven adaptation of Alice Hoffman's lyrical novel. Bullock and Kidman are ideally cast as the sisters who are very different but very devoted. Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing are delightful as the wry but wise and loving aunts, bedecked in Victorian lace.
It is a pretty movie to watch, with some feel-good scenes and strong themes of sisterhood. But the movie is so uneven in tone and theme -- with a mix of comedy, romance, and fantasy that doesn't quite gel -- that the experience is ultimately more frustrating than fun.
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