ELLA ENCHANTED
--------------
When Ella of Frell (Anne Hathaway, "The Princess Diaries") is born her
mother and nanny (Minnie Driver, "Owning Mahowney") try, and fail, to save
her from receiving the gift of Fairy Lucinda (Vivica A. Fox, "Kill Bill").
Years later, Lucinda's gift of obedience becomes a real burden when it is
discovered not only by her stepsister Hattie (Lucy Punch, "Greenfingers"),
the president of Prince Charmont's (Hugh Dancy, "Black Hawk Down") fan
club, but by Prince Regent Edgar (Cary Elwes, "The Cat's Meow"), who
decides that the perfect weapon to get rid of his nephew is an "Ella
Enchanted."
This anachronistic Cinderella with a twist displays the same warped humor
and fairy tale awareness of "Shrek." Hathaway has improved leaps and
bounds since her "Diary" days, dropping the mugging for a more naturally
energetic charm - and she can sing!
Monty Pythoner Eric Idle's presence as a rhyming narrator is the first hint
that "Ella Enchanted" will be treated with good-natured irreverence for the
fairy tale format. Ella grows up literally obeying such commands as 'Bite
me!' but it isn't until her widowed father remarries that anyone seems to
notice. The arrival of her new stepmother, Dame Olga (Joanna Lumley,
"Absolutely Fabulous"), in a carriage tricked up like a New York checker
cab, means big changes for Ella. Her stepsister Hattie is hideous,
immediately making demands and lording it about, behavior which is copied
by her younger, dumber sister Olive (Jennifer Higham). When Ella and
Hattie are partnered in a debate at Frell Community College, Hattie figures
out what everyone else has missed - that Ella cannot not obey - and uses it
to her advantage, beginning with some shoplifting at the Frell Galleria.
Ella disdains Hattie's obsession over Prince Char, seeing him as
politically corrupt rather than hunky. When Prince Char comes to town to
open the new Galleria mall, hundreds of screaming girls are their to greet
him, with Hattie bearing a banner proclaiming 'Prince Char Rules!' In
stark contrast are Ella and her best friend Areida (Parminder K. Nagra,
"Bend It Like Beckham"), who use the opportunity to protest the enslavement
of giants and poor treatment of ogres. Hattie demands that Ella return
home and as she makes her way she bumps into Char, running from his fans.
Ella's contempt intrigues the prince and soon Ella's not the only one who
is enchanted. Eventually Ella learns that the Prince is simply naive, but
when her political influence begins to take hold, the Prince Regent decides
they must be gotten rid of.
Hathaway is put through her paces, not only having a go at Queen's
"Somebody to Love," but delivering 'rabbit punches' and kickboxing `a la
"Shrek's" Princess Fiona. (One could pick a small screenwriting nit that
Ella's obedience gift shouldn't necessarily enable her to perform martial
arts and freeze suspended mid-air.) Her many adventures traveling towards
the palace include rescuing an elf (Aidan McArdle) who wants to become a
lawyer (all elves must only perform as entertainers under Edgar's
administration) and almost being eaten by ogres. She's saved from that
fate by Char and Dancy and Hathaway exhibit lovely chemistry together.
Dancy shows the influence of a good woman, moving from amused apathy
towards leadership. "Ella Enchanted" should prove a good springboard for
the handsome young actor (and, having placed two princesses, Hathaway has
wisely signed up for Ang Lee's next film).
Elwes delivers a conniving villain, ably assisted by Steve Coogan ("24 Hour
Party People"), who provides the voice of his advisor Heston, a CGI-created
snake which wraps itself around Edgar's scepter. Lumley keeps her face
screwed up like everything stinks but her, with Punch and Higham
accessorizing her greed with their own unbecoming traits. The rest of the
supporting cast are only required to play one note, with Driver a ditz and
Jimi Mistry ("The Guru") a talking head inside a book. Most underutilized
are Patrick Bergin ("Sleeping with the Enemy") as Ella's apparently
clueless father and Parminder Nagra who seems to have wandered onto the set
and joined in.
Director Tommy O'Haver ("Get Over It!," "Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss")
isn't always successful getting his supporting players properly into the
mix and he seems to have let a point about discrimination regarding Nagra's
character get buried. He did, however, set screenwriters Laurie Craig,
Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith to work 'modernizing' Gail Carson
Levine's award winning novel. Among their innovations are the Frell
Galleria, complete with wood planked, hand-cranked 'escalators,' Medieval
Teen magazine and Bat-Ox treatments at the IV Seasons hotel. Production
designer Norman Garwood ("Brazil") based the palace city of Lamia on New
York City's skyline. Art Direction by Anna Rackard ("The Medallion")
combines the cozy, flower-draped cottages of fairy lore with more modern
concepts like closet space.
"Ella Enchanted" is not only sweet, but delivers strong messages about
self-reliance and political activism. It's a terrific film for young girls
and its humor is cutting edge enough to engage the rest of the family too.
B
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