A Simple Wish

Eight-year-old Annabel (Mara Wilson) wishes for her father, a horse carriage driver in Central Park, to land the leading role in a new Broadway musical. To her surprise, her fairy godparent soon appears: a bumbling fairy godfather fresh out of magical training named Murray (Martin Short). Despite his clumsiness and inexperience, he’s determined to make Annabel’s wish come true.

Unfortunately, Murray’s inexperience leads to a series of magical mishaps, including turning Annabel’s father into a statue, a mistake that must be reversed before midnight or become permanent. Complicating matters, an evil former fairy godmother (Kathleen Turner) is plotting to steal all the fairy godmothers’ wands, especially set on reclaiming Murray’s wand, which used to be hers.

A Simple Wish is admittedly just that: a simple fantasy comedy. It’s less about deep themes or moral lessons, and more about whimsical entertainment for its own sake, featuring Martin Short’s unique brand of goofy slapstick comedy. The film is rated PG for some mild peril and fantasy elements.

Runtime: 1 hour, 29 minutes
Rated PG
USCCB rating: A-II
IMDb Parents Guide
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