by kellie abrahamson kabrahamson1@aol.com
B + Rated PG 107 min.
Once upon a time there was a film that looked so bad cynical moviegoers the world over rolled their eyes at the mere mention of its name. That film was Enchanted, Disney’s latest (mostly) live-action adventure. After begrudgingly checking out the movie I learned a valuable lesson: never judge a fairy tale by its cover.
Andalasia, a magical world where ogres roam the countryside, animals help out with the laundry and happy endings are a true love’s kiss away, is also home to Giselle (Amy Adams), a beautiful maiden waiting for her prince to come. As in any good fairy tale she soon gets her wish and Giselle and Prince Edward (James Marsden), in true Disney fashion, vow to marry and live happily ever after the very next day. Once joined in matrimony, the two would rule the kingdom together, much to the annoyance of the current queen, Edward’s stepmother Narissa (Susan Sarandon). Disguising herself as an old croon, Narissa lures Giselle to an enchanted wishing well and pushes her in. The soon-to-be princess falls through a portal into a place “where there are no happy endings”- New York City. A dazed and confused Giselle pops out of a manhole clad in her impossibly massive wedding gown, very much a real girl.
After wandering around the city for a while, she finds herself in the care of cynical divorce lawyer Robert (Patrick Dempsey) and his six-year-old daughter Morgan (Rachel Covey). Instead of sending the clearly disturbed stranger to the nearest mental institution, Robert humors Giselle and the two bond while figuring out their next move. Meanwhile, Prince Edward arrives in town to save the damsel in distress and is followed by the Queen’s henchman Nathaniel (Timothy Spall) to keep him from doing just that.
Enchanted is the first Disney theatrical release since 2005’s Pooh’s Heffalump Movie to use 2-D animation. The throwback should please fans of traditional animation, though only for the first 18 minutes or so. After that, the film leaves the animated world of Andalasia and heads to the real world. This animation/live-action hybrid is reminiscent of Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Disney’s last experiment in this type of filming style.
I had very little hope that Enchanted would be any good. The TV spots made me cringe from all the cheesiness. My five-year-old, Disney Princesses-worshiping daughter, however, squealed in anticipation whenever the commercials would come on. Like a good mommy, I tucked away my skepticism, pasted on a smile and headed to the prescreening with my little girl. By the half-way point my fake enthusiasm was replaced with the genuine variety. Enchanted had charmed the cynicism out of me, mostly due to Amy Adam’s terrific performance. There is no other working actress who could pull off this fish-out-of-water character. Pitch perfect from start to finish, Adams shined as Giselle. There’s been some chatter that her performance could garner an Oscar nod. While I wouldn’t go that far, Adams certainly steals the show.
Similarly, Marsden takes his role as the over-the-top Prince Edward to dizzying heights. He’s nothing more than a caricature of the perfect man, a dull role most males are stuck with when taking on a fairy tale. In Marsden’s hands, however, Edward may not be deep but he’s far from boring. My children found his scenes to be the funniest in the film and I’m inclined to agree. Dempsey does McStraight-man quite well and Sarandon clearly has a great time playing the villain.
One of the most delightful elements of the film is the references to Disney’s vast catalog. Obviously, all of the Princesses are represented in one way or another from Cinderella’s missing shoe to Snow White’s poisoned apple to Ariel’s theme music playing in the background. Other films get nods too. An owl who hangs out in Andalasia looked a lot like Friend Owl from Bambi. Giselle’s fall into the magical well is reminiscent of Alice’s trip down the rabbit hole. Actors who voiced some of Disney’s most famous characters even appear in Enchanted as extras. These sometimes sly references will tickle fans and parents of children like mine, who insist on watching a Mouse House DVD each day.
I went in with sub-basement level expectations and came out fully satisfied and, dare I say it, looking forward to seeing Enchanted again. This lovely little Disney flick is a perfect fit for families of school-aged kids and up. See it with an open mind but beware: Enchanted will put a spell on you!
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EU Critic’s Choice Awards
