The Devil in Ms. Hurley

>> Bedazzled sparkles but doesn't shine

by JASON BOGDANERIS

Imagine Satan approached you, offering seven wishes in exchange for a barely used soul. Sound familiar? It should. Movies have portrayed the bargain with Beelzebub ever since pictures were old enough to talk. If Bedazzled's plot line feels unoriginal, much of that might have to do with the fact that it's actually a remake of a 1967 Dudley Moore flick.

The film follows an ueber-geek (Brendan Fraser) in his ungodly pursuit of Alison, the girl of his dreams. Fraser is a chronically naive tech-support wanker, whose cringe-inducing attempts to bond include showing co-workers Polaroids of stereo speakers. His boundless optimism and desperation soon get the attention of Satan herself (Elizabeth Hurley).

Hurley makes her appearance as the 6,000-year-old antichrist looking like a celluloid Campari ad. The many forms she takes all seem to emerge from a G-rated Victoria's Secret catalogue. Once she convinces her prey that his soul is expendable, we're treated to a series of more-than-he-bargained-for vignettes which inevitably end in disaster. Much of the film feels like a series of comedic sketches of varying quality, ranging from crude (a moronic pro-basketball player) to pretty hilarious (the world's most emotionally sensitive man). By the third or fourth wish, however, we know it's only a matter of time before our misguided protagonist realizes that the devil in the slit red dress can't provide him with what he really wants. The treacly resolution is as predictable as Ms. Hurley's cleavage-bearing costume changes. Thankfully, director Harold Ramis (Analyze This) manages to keep things watchable, despite going down the road more travelled.

The key to success for any good comedy is delivery. In the case of Hurley, many of her lines sound as lifeless as a dress rehearsal. As the film progressed, I either got used to it or she improved, earning an A for adequacy.

As for Fraser, he gets to play many incarnations of himself and does a good job with the material. He lends credibility to some of the dodgier moments while milking the better bits for all they're worth. His sense of timing shines through, but it has the unfortunate effect of highlighting Hurley's comedic shortcomings, sometimes giving the impression that they're acting in two different films. Unfortunately, neither one is terribly original. :

Bedazzled opens Friday, Oct. 20