Okay, settle in, maybe grab a cup of tea or something stronger if the mood strikes. Remember browsing those towering aisles at the local video store? Past the action heroes flexing on the covers, beyond the slasher villains lurking in shadow, sometimes you’d hit a pocket of films that just felt… different. Tucked away, perhaps slightly ignored, were curiosities like 1997’s A Witch's Way of Love (or Un amour de sorcière, if you caught the French import). It wasn't explosive, it wasn't terrifying, but it possessed a certain strange charm, a Franco-American fantasy romance that felt both ambitious and endearingly awkward, carried by two titans of French cinema seemingly adrift in a fairy tale far from their usual haunts.
### A Potion of Romance and Oddity
The premise itself feels like something brewed late one night: Morgane (Vanessa Paradis), a beautiful witch living in modern-day Paris, is expecting her first child. But here's the catch – due to a complex family curse/prophecy, this child must be conceived with a specific descendant of a past lover before the next lunar eclipse, or her line loses its magic forever. Her familiar, a mischievous talking crow, pinpoints the designated father: Michael Firth (Gil Bellows, perhaps best known to audiences then from Ally McBeal or The Shawshank Redemption), a nice, normal American computer engineer visiting Paris. Complicating matters further is Molok (Jean Reno), a powerful and ruthless warlock determined to either stop Morgane or claim the child’s power for himself. What follows is a transatlantic chase from the romantic streets of Paris to the humid landscapes of Florida, a blend of magical hijinks, budding romance, and clashing intentions.
### Stars Across the Atlantic
What immediately draws you into A Witch's Way of Love is the casting. Vanessa Paradis, already a massive music and style icon in France, brings an undeniable ethereal quality to Morgane. She embodies the character's mix of ancient knowledge and a certain naive vulnerability when faced with the modern world and genuine emotion. There's a quiet intensity in her performance; she convinces you she carries centuries of lineage, even when the script occasionally falters. It's a performance that feels rooted in feeling rather than overt magical displays.
And then there's Jean Reno. Fresh off the international success of films like Léon: The Professional (1994) and appearing in Hollywood fare like Mission: Impossible (1996), seeing him as a scheming warlock is certainly… a choice. Reno brings his signature imposing presence, that blend of weariness and potential menace. Yet, the role feels slightly uncomfortable for him, caught between being a genuine threat and fulfilling the archetype of a slightly bumbling fantasy villain. Director René Manzor (who gave us the surprisingly dark and effective cult classic 3615 code Père Noël / Dial Code Santa Claus back in 1989 – a jarring tonal shift from this!) seems unsure how malevolent to make Molok, leaving Reno to navigate a somewhat uneven character arc. Gil Bellows, as the bewildered 'everyman' caught in this magical tug-of-war, does his best, reacting with relatable confusion and eventual charm, serving as the audience's anchor in this whimsical chaos.
### Brewed with Ambition, Served Slightly Cooled
You have to admire the film's ambition. Manzor, working with a reported budget around $20 million (a significant sum for a French production at the time, roughly $37 million today), clearly aimed for an international crossover hit. Shooting on location in both Paris and Florida adds visual scope, contrasting the Old World magic with the New World setting. There's a genuine attempt to create a sense of enchantment, blending practical effects with the burgeoning CGI of the late 90s. Some of it works – the atmosphere in Morgane's Parisian apartment feels suitably mystical. Other moments, particularly some of the visual effects involving Molok's powers or the familiar, haven't aged quite as gracefully, carrying that distinct, slightly artificial sheen common to the era's digital work. Does anyone else recall that specific look of late-90s CGI trying so hard to be magical?
Interestingly, the film didn't quite achieve the breakout success it seemed designed for. While performing decently in France, its international reception was muted. Perhaps the blend of quirky European fantasy sensibilities with American rom-com tropes felt slightly jarring to audiences expecting one or the other. I remember finding the VHS copy tucked away in the 'World Cinema' or maybe even 'Fantasy' section, never quite front-and-center. It felt like a secret discovery rather than a mainstream event. There's a certain sincerity to its efforts, though. It doesn't feel cynical; it genuinely seems to believe in its quirky love story.
### The Lingering Spell
What stays with you after watching A Witch's Way of Love? It's not the plot mechanics, which are fairly standard fantasy fare. It's more the feeling – a slightly melancholic, whimsical mood. It's the image of Paradis looking effortlessly magical against the Paris skyline, or the oddity of Reno trying to menace someone while dealing with a talking bird. It's a film that feels very specific to its time – a period when international co-productions were chasing global audiences, sometimes resulting in fascinating, if not entirely successful, cultural mélanges.
Does it hold up? As a piece of seamless filmmaking, perhaps not entirely. The pacing can drag, the tone wobbles occasionally, and the effects betray their age. But there's an undeniable warmth and sincerity to it. For fans of Paradis or Reno, it's a fascinating curio in their filmographies. For lovers of 90s fantasy or those seeking something gentler and stranger from the era, it offers a certain nostalgic comfort. It’s like revisiting a half-remembered dream – a little fuzzy around the edges, maybe slightly nonsensical, but leaving you with a peculiar sense of warmth.
Rating: 6/10
Justification: The film earns points for its ambition, the captivating presence of Vanessa Paradis, and its unique Franco-American flavour that offers genuine nostalgic charm. However, it loses points for uneven pacing, dated effects, and a script that doesn't fully capitalize on its premise or Jean Reno's potential menace. It's a pleasant but flawed fantasy romance.
Final Thought: It might not be powerful magic, but A Witch's Way of Love casts a gentle, quirky spell that’s strangely hard to completely forget, like finding an unusual pressed flower in a beloved old book.