‘Genie’ Review: Melissa McCarthy Stars in a Fairy-Tale Comedy Written by Richard Curtis, but It’s No ‘Love Actually.’ More Like ‘Elf’ Meets ‘Love Sort Of’ (Comedy + Fantasy + Holiday)

“Genie” was written by Richard Curtis (it’s a remake of his 1991 British television film “Bernard and the Genie”), but the movie, while set in New York at Christmastime, is no “Love Actually.” It’s more like “Elf” crossed with “Love Sort Of.” When Flora, whose full name is Flora Gwendolyn Lockheed Firepit McCallister, says those magic words “Your wish is my command,” she’s speaking to Bernard (Paapa Essiedu), who accidentally summoned her out of that box. He’s a transplanted Brit who works at a tony Manhattan art auction house — or did, until he was fired, only to come home having missed his daughter’s eighth birthday celebration. That’s the last straw for his wife, Julie (Denée Benton), who announces that she’s going to be taking some time away from him.

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The way all this plays out is lighter than balsa wood. Richard Curtis made his name investing romantic comedy with a surprise spark of humanity (“Four Weddings and a Funeral,” “Notting Hill”), but “Genie” really is a glorified sitcom — or, more to the point, a genie-out-of-water comedy.