I have a whole list of mostly positive reviews about Cheno in
Bewitched: “Kristin Chenoweth, the helium-voiced sprite who was Glinda the Good Witch in Broadway's ‘Wicked,’ plays Isabel's bubbly blond neighbor, and she shows Kidman how to enjoy herself while stealing all their scenes.”
- Wesley Morris, The Boston Globe
“And there's some zippy supporting work by Kristin Chenoweth as Isabel's chatty neighbor. Chenoweth — a Broadway star making her film debut — is very short and very curvy, with a high-pitched, rat-a-tat voice that never seems to stop for breath. She makes a wonderful visual contrast to the impossibly tall, thin Kidman; they're like a gorgeous female version of Laurel and Hardy.”
- Moira Macdonald, The Seattle Times
“As Isabel's chipmunk-voiced, next-door neighbor, Kristin Chenoweth of Broadway's thematically related musical ‘Wicked,’ is endearing…”
- James Verniere, The Boston Herald
“Ferrell also has his moments and, while Shirley MacLaine does little with her part as a grand dame actress, the rest of the supporting cast -- Jason Schwartzman, Kristin Chenoweth and Michael Caine (at his scene-stealing best) -- make up a reasonably strong ensemble.”
- William Arnold, Seattle Post Intelligencer
“Not given enough to do are Jason Schwartzman as Ferrell's sycophant manager and Kristin Chenoweth (who played the part of Glinda the Good Witch in Broadway's "Wicked") as Kidman's man-hungry next-door neighbor.”
- Michael Rechtshaffen, The Hollywood Reporter
“The supporting cast includes Kristin Chenoweth, Jason Schwartzman and Heather Burns. They all seem to have been directed by trans-Atlantic cable.”
- Rex Reed, The New York Observer
“As with the show, much of the pleasure comes from the supporting cast. Except for Steve Carell, who does a mediocre Paul Lynde impression as Uncle Arthur, the pleasures include Jason Schwartzman as an unctuous agent, Carole Shelley as befuddled Aunt Clara and Kristin Chenoweth as Isabel's chirpy next-door neighbor. (She herself was Tony-nominated for playing a witch in "Wicked.")”
- Lawrence Toppman, The Charlotte Observer
“In the supporting cast, standouts are the omnipresent Michael Caine as Samantha's womanizing warlock father, Nigel, and Kristin Chenoweth (who played a Broadway witch in "Wicked") as a wide-eyed neighbor. She might have stolen the movie if her scenes had been longer.”
- Judith Egerton, Louisville Courier-Journal
“Caine and Shirley MacLaine (as Endora on the television show) are fine in the main supporting roles but it's Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth, as Isabel's neighbor Maria, and Steve Carell as Uncle Arthur, who are the real treats. Kidman loved Chenoweth's performance as Glinda (the good witch) in the musical "Wicked" and she had a role written for her.”
- Jeffrey Bruner, Des Moines Register
“Lost somewhere inside "Bewitched" are a half-dozen cast members who would have benefited from a smarter script and more assured direction.
They include Caine; Shirley MacLaine as the actress who plays Samantha's haughty mother, Endora; Jason Schwartzman as Wyatt's slimy manager; Kristin Chenoweth as Isabel's brassy neighbor; Steve Carell as Uncle Arthur (originally played by Paul Lynde); and Carole Shelley as Aunt Clara.”
- Philip Booth Correspondant, Herald-Tribune
“Kristin Chenoweth, as Isabel's new neighbor Maria, fares better. She's given some genuinely funny lines and delivers them without a misstep.”
- Bonnie Britton, Indystar.com
“The second scenario is an "Adaptation" wannabe, an insidery look at the behind-the-scenes of Hollywood that might be funny if "Bewitched" could commit to it. Instead, it fritters away satiric opportunities, completely wasting the unique talents of a bunch of actors, including Shirley MacLaine, as a ham hired to play Ferrell's mother-in-law on the "Bewitched" series, and Kristin Chenoweth, as a showbiz-obsessed groupie.”
- Chris Hewitt, Knight Rider Newspapers
“A testament to its actors, Bewitched conjures intriguing supporting performances: Kristen Chenoweth as Isabel's ebullient next-door neighbor, Jason Schwartzman as Jack's jerky-boy agent and, most successfully, Michael Caine as Isabel's Casanova father and Shirley MacLaine as the screen legend playing Samantha's mother, Endora.”
- Rich Copley, Lexington Herald-Leader
“In that realm, it scores a few laughs, largely because of the actors. "Daily Show" regulars Stephen Colbert and Steve Carrell pitch in (the latter plays Uncle Arthur, in an approximation of the original show's Paul Lynde), and Jason Schwartzman nails the coddling agent role. Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth is cute as Isabel's pal.”
- Robert Horton, HeraldNet.com
“Broadway's Kristin Chenoweth sparkles as a dizzy neighbor…”
- Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
“Simply spectacular in the galpal role (written especially for her) is Kristin Chenoweth, previously known mostly to Broadway audiences but with a budding movie career. (She's also a recent addition to television's "The West Wing" and is a frequent musical guest on radio's "A Prairie Home Companion.") She even gets to unfurl her pipes with a brief turn at sort of scat-singing along to the TV show's original theme song.”
- Jeff Farance, News-JournalOnline.com
“Broadway star Kristen [sic] Chenoweth even brings some spice to the thin role of a man-hungry, next-door neighbor.”
- Stephen Whitty, Star-Ledger
“Smaller roles are played by a host of familiar faces, from Jason Schwartzman and Kristin Chenoweth to basically anyone who has ever been a correspondent for ‘The Daily Show.’”
- Daniel Neman, Richmond Times-Dispatch
“The movie begins with Isabel flying over freeway interchanges, strip malls and a patchwork of emerald lawns and sapphire pools and finally alighting in front of a charming Spanish bungalow that she promptly appropriates and decorates through a series of minor spells. Once settled, she meets her bouncy neighbor Maria (Kristin Chenoweth) and tries to dodge her disapproving dad, Nigel (Michael Caine, who steals every scene he's in).”
- Carina Chocano, LA Times
“Ephron's creative indecisions leave us puzzled: Iris is shown to briefly possess real witchcraft abilities, which then disappear. Isabel's chirpy neighbor (Kristin Chenoweth) thinks Jack's agent (Jason Schwartzman) is cute, and they share a brief glance before that incidental romance is forgotten. The closest things to jokes are too inside Hollywood, while the simpler stuff feels stale. Samantha's nose would need to work overtime to clean up this mess.”
- Steve Persall, Tampa Bay Times
“Adding to the chaos and merriment is Shirley MacLaine as Hollywood diva Iris, Michael Caine as Isabel's cheeky warlock father, Nigel Bigelow, Kristin Chenoweth as Isabel's best friend/neighbor Maria, and Jason Schwartzman as Jack's sycophantic agent. Amy Sedaris makes a brief cameo as Gladys Kravitz.”
- Lawrence Ferber, Between the Lines News
“Kristen [sic] Chenoweth (a stage actress and recurring character on The West Wing) and Heather Burns (Miss Congeniality) are both bright spots as Isabel's confidantes.”
- Phoebe Flowers, SouthFlorida.com
“It becomes a boys-against-the-girls war, with Isabel aided by her neighbor Maria (the adorable Kristin Chenoweth) and producer Nina (Heather Burns).”
- Elizabeth Barr, BuffaloNews.com
“"The West Wing's" Kristen [sic] Chenoweth and Heather Burns ("Miss Congeniality") play Isabel's best friends and Steve Carell (NBC's "The Office") delivers a dead-on impression of the late comedian Paul Lynde, who played Uncle Arthur on the TV series.”
- Angela Dawson, The Cincinnati Post
“The two standout supporting roles—ones that actually garner laughs—were Kristen [sic] Chenoweth as Isabel’s bubbly neighbor Maria and Steve Carell in a wonderfully bizarre turn as Uncle Arthur.”
- Kady Ann Ferris, The Daily Californian
“Isabel’s character arc – particularly her midfilm transition from innocence to resourcefulness, effected with the support of her next-door neighbor (Kristin Chenoweth) and a beleaguered production assistant (Heather Burns) – seems to be constructed as a female empowerment story.”
- Andy Klein, LA CityBeat
“The film also features an appearance by an actress named Kristin Chenoweth, who has the distinction of being the most annoying supporting character in any 2005 movie to-date. Hearing fingernails on a blackboard would have been more appealing that being exposed to her half-dozen scenes.”
- James Berardinelli, ReelViews (HOW......DARE.......YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
"Ev'ry-buddy wants ta get into de act!"
- Jimmy Durante
"Breathe from your hoo-hoo."
-Kristin Chenoweth
Updated On: 6/24/05 at 12:40 PM
