Enchanted A-
Starring Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden, and Susan Sarandon
Directed by Kevin Lima (Tarzan)
Rated PG for some scary images and mild innuendo
Appropriate for all ages
The Story: Cartoon princess Giselle (Adams) is as happy as she can be. She has met her prince Edward (Marsden) and they are to marry. The queen/witch (Sarandon) has other plans however, and casts the simple princess into the real life world of New York City. When a young attorney (Dempsey) rescues her thinking that she is just a pretty young woman that has lost her marbles, it is up to the prince to head to New York and rescue her before he loses her.
The Good: The first half of this film is just pure joy. Every minute will make you smile and laugh and cry. There are some very memorable moments here that can only be described as brilliant. I am so glad that Amy Adams is finally starting to make a name for herself (you might remember her from her Oscar nominated role in Junebug). She is so perfect for Giselle that you can almost feel that she might be a real princess trapped in a New York wonderland. The rest of the cast performs solidly as well and the production is top notch.
One of the best aspects of this film is it’s appeal for adults. Because of the real human (and animal) nature presented here, the tale has an adult feel that is still kid-friendly. The innuendo will escape most young minds and make most grown-ups laugh wickedly.
The Bad: I have a feeling that Disney had a great premise but couldn’t figure out how to get the story to end right. Sarandon’s queen/witch/dragon wasn’t convincing and pretty nonsensical. Because of this ending dilemma, the film drags a bit and then ends after a confusing finale. But never fear, even with this problem, you will still walk out of the theater with a smile on your face.
The Summary: Disney knocks yet another fairytale out of the park.