Cast favorites Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest, who reprise their roles as the eccentric elders of the Owens clan, Aunt Frances and Aunt Jet, are as charmingly hilarious as ever, but are truly phenomenal in some of the more heart-tugging moments of the plot. Throw in a well-timed Stevie Nicks tune and it’d be hard for anybody not to get misty-eyed.
Joining King to make up the third generation pair of Owens sisters is Maisie Williams as Antonia, Sally’s other daughter, who is training to be a doctor. Kylie, with her red hair and flightiness, clearly takes after her aunt Gill, while Antonia, from her brunette strands to her logic, is a mini Sally. While this is framed as a cute parallel, their opposite personalities don’t clash nearly as much as the ones of their older counterparts, which is refreshing.
Also new to the cast is Lee Pace as hunky, inked-up magic expert Ian Wright. Although I have no complaints about seeing Pace in anything—least of all nothing (you’ll get this when you see the movie)—I’ll admit that I was somewhat confused by his character. Yes, Ian enters the plot as a mysterious new love interest, but I felt that he was missing some backstory—or at least some prophecy of fate—that tied him to Sally and Gillian. In any case, he’s wickedly captivating, and kept me guessing about his true intentions until the very end.
