Parents' Guide to

The Witches of Eastwick

By Charles Cassady Jr., Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

Satan vs. BFF feminism in grownup fantasy-comedy.

Movie R 1987 118 minutes
The Witches of Eastwick Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 16+

Based on 4 parent reviews

silvermoon72
silvermoon72 Adult
February 19, 2022
age 18+

pretty bad film

Not an enjoyable film. I am surprised this website recommends anything by John Updike, who glorified pedophilia in at least one of his books. Unless middle-aged men perving over teenagers is something you want to expose your kids to, that is. Boring movie, vulgar, gross (much vomiting), no real character development, no depth of complexity. Just an excuse for Nicholson as the devil to talk dirty. Ostensibly feminist, but more like boring, unsexy, and disappointing. Glorification of witchcraft although the women never call themselves witches. The only character who realizes Nicholson is evil is killed off and presented as a religious fanatic. God's name taken in vain many times. The ending is predictable. Themes involving pregnancy as well. Not for younger teenagers or young kids, eighteen and up.
Tylyndah
Tylyndah Adult
May 8, 2020
age 18+

Great show

It's a great movie !!!
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In the small New England community of Eastwick, widowed sculptress Alexandra (Cher), divorced reporter Sukie (Michelle Pfeiffer), and divorced music teacher Jane (Susan Sarandon) are lifelong friends with a strong sorta-psychic bond; when they all want something together, it happens (that's really about it for the "witch" part). Bored by their routines, they yearn for an exciting new man in their lives. Into town drives Daryl Van Horne (Jack Nicholson), a mysterious, lusty, charismatic millionaire who buys Eastwick's most historic home and turns it into his adult playpen. Van Horne woos and seduces each of the three women in turn, making them a personal harem (the ladies get over their initial jealousy), and revealing along the way that he has seemingly magical powers. When a neighbor who disapproves of Van Horne is struck down by a curse, Alexandra, Jane, and Sukie have second thoughts about their temperamental new boyfriend.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4):
Kids say (2):

Sorcery elements in THE WITCHES OF EASTWICK may attract teens, but this is a more or less grown-up fairy tale, heavy on the pillow talk and the dating/mating/relating satire. At least until a climactic firestorm of special effects and sloppy storytelling starts going on a bit too long and indicates that the filmmakers didn't buy into brainy writer John Updike's uncinematic novel for the philosophy bits.

This is a slickly made, big-budget frolic, ostensibly about the innate and untapped power of women, unleashed (to his eventual regret) by the most evil man in the universe, the original Serpent from Eden. Still, the cast is wonderful, and Jack Nicholson's jolly devil is
a pretty likeably guy for most of the movie, most amusing and sympathetic when he claims he just wants a little love and gratitude from the women he helps. That this is based on a book by a guy, with a script by a guy, directed by a guy, attempting to make a statement about emancipated females, is apparent after a while.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the way the film portrays the devil as a rascally but friendly and fun-loving character, who claims he just wants love and a little respect from the "ladies." How does Daryl Van Horne compare to other pop culture and folklore images of Satan?

  • You might get older kids to read and discuss the book and how it differs wildly from the movie, and introduce them to the dense literary fiction of novelist John Updike (who, right before he died, issued a sequel, The Widows of Eastwick).

  • Research the history of "actual" witchcraft and witch-hunts (one suggested-reading book: Wayward Puritans, by Kai T. Erickson). Is Daryl historically correct when he says that anti-witch hysterias were schemes invented by the male-dominated medical profession in medieval times to put midwives out of business?

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