AT THE MOVIES WITH KASEY BUTCHER
When I was in the fifth grade, my favorite book was Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. It was my best friend’s favorite book too and I can remember one sleep over at her house during which we spent a significant amount of time reading the book’s ending over and over again, loving it a little more each time. So, when I saw that Miramax was making a movie out of my childhood favorite, I was naturally terrified. The book, after all, is usually much better than the movie. Luckily, my fears were unnecessary.
Ella Enchanted features Anne Hathaway (The Princess Diaries) as the title character, a young woman who was granted the “gift” of obedience, from birth, by her fairy godmother (Vivica A. Fox, Kill Bill Vol. 2). What was supposed to be a gift turns out to be a curse, as Ella has to do whatever she is told, no matter what it may be. This becomes an especially big problem when Ella’s father remarries and Ella’s new stepsisters, Hattie (Lucy Punch) and Olive (Jennifer Higham) move in. Hattie uncovers the well-kept secret about Ella’s gift and begins to make Ella do her will. Ella decides that she has had enough, and sets out, with a magic book presented to her by a fairy friend (Minnie Driver, Hope Springs), to find her fairy godmother and get rid of her obedience. Along the way, she meets up with an ambitious but pessimistic elf, Slannen (Aidan McArdle, Judas) and the future King, Prince Charmont (Hugh Dancy, Tempo). Although she has a great deal of trouble finding her fairy godmother, she just might have found love and the strength to overcome the curse on her own instead.
I didn’t leave the theater horrified with the adaptation. Overall, I think that the writers did a good job staying true to the characters. There were some aspects of the book that did not come through in the movie, but that is not atypical. The story itself is a lighthearted, funny, and charming tale, and the movie does manage to bring that through. It is also fast-paced enough to keep the attention of children, who are the target audience.
The acting in this movie is good, especially the performance by Hathaway. She brings the character to life extremely well. Her performance is essential to the movie and she does a great job. Other noteworthy performances were given by McArdle, who is hilarious, and Driver, whose minor character delivers a lot of memorable lines.
The story takes place in a fantasyland populated by humans, ogres, elves, fairies, and giants. The sets and cinematography really bring this place to life with bright colors and interesting backgrounds. The scenery is eye candy that will surely be enjoyed by a young audience.
In the end, the movie, although good, lacked the spirit and “edge of your seat” quality that the book has. I recommend reading the book (I couldn’t put it down both times I read it) and then enjoying the movie.
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