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*** of ****
Rated: G
Length: just under 2 hours
Writers:
Meg Cabot (novel)
Gina Wendkos
Director: Garry Marshall
Cast:
Julie Andrews: Queen Clarisse Renaldi
Anne Hathaway: Mia Thermopolis
Hector Elizondo: Joe
Heather Matarazzo: Lilly Moscovitz
Mandy Moore: Lana Thomas
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Synopsis:
An awkward 15 year old girl is visited by her grandmother after her estranged father dies. She learns that she is the princess of a minor principality in Europe and will be ruler if she chooses. Various amplified teen stresses occur pulling her in both directions as she prepares to become announced as heir to the throne.
Review:
This is pretty good, and a kid safe movie. Half the audience was under 10 years of age, and only a couple of them were boys. The movie was very much enjoyed by the audience. In a year where hollywood has produced enough flimsy love triangles and quadrangles to build a 'Geodesic Dome of Pisa,' this story does not break away from the norm. The intricacies of relationships are beyond primary audience of children, so the cursory personal interactions are fine in this movie. The setting of San Francisco was well used to enhance the story. The story keeps moving with only a few slow spots, and most of the cat scenes should have been left out.
The direction was consistent and clear which does makes it easier for the younger crowd. Julie Andrews as the Queen does great and looks to be having a lot of fun playing the grand mother. Her performance alone makes this movie worth while for her fans. Anne Hathaway as the Princess does a fine job with her role. Her friend Lilly, played by Heather Matarazzo, has some intense rants, and at moments, you can see why she was cast as the lead in Welcome to the Dollhouse (*1) at age 13. Mandy Moore does well as Lana the bitch cheerleader, and seems to be having as much fun with her part as Ms. Andrews. There will certainly be no awards here for acting, but that was never the point. The point was to make a fun clean movie, and it was a success worth seeing.
Before the screening began, the audience was introduced to Miss Wisconsin Teen USA and given a quick lesson on how to walk and wave like a princess. The young girls in the audience took this very seriously which us older folks found very entertaining.
*1 Welcome to the Dollhouse (1996) *** of **** A refreshingly brutal comedy about a middle school girl. Rated: R, Length: 88 minutes