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Bookmark this pageEnchanted (2007)
Director: Kevin Lima
Movie review
From Time Out London
Disney has pulled off a bit of a doozy with this amusing parody of its own oeuvre. Ostensibly a freewheeling blend of the ‘Snow White’, ‘Cinderella’ and ‘Sleeping Beauty’ fairytales, ‘Enchanted’ begins in conventional, animated Disney territory where pretty Giselle is being courted by Edward, her Prince Charming. His witchy mother, however, has an evil scheme on the boil and banishes Giselle to twenty-first century New York City.
At this juncture, the film flits from animation to live action just as Giselle (now Amy Adams), dressed to the nines in a flowing ball gown, emerges from a manhole into a world of bustling humanity. Her first real-world encounter is with divorce lawyer Robert Philip (Patrick Dempsey), who, despite sensing correctly that she’s well away with the fairies, eventually relents to her request for shelter and – lo and behold! – begins
to fall for the scatty lass. When Edward eventually appears (in the guise of James Marsden), Giselle is left facing a typically predictable rom-com dilemma.
At first glance, Kevin Lima’s contemporary urban fantasy looks hideously twee. It’s only when the story hits the streets of NYC and Adams starts hamming it up (much like Julie Hagerty did in ‘Airplane’) that we start seeing the fruits of a grand Mickey-take. Giselle is clearly on another planet; she swans around singing inane songs and delivering amusingly mundane fantasy lingo in a shrill voice. Had Adams (no relation) not hammed-up her performance to such a degree and, more pertinently, had the film taken itself seriously, one might otherwise have felt compelled to torch the screen. Instead, ‘Enchanted’ is one of the better family films of this year.
Author: Derek Adams
Time Out London Issue 1947: December 12-18 2007
User reviews of this film
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- Laura & Shaun said...
- Posted on Jan 22 2008 19:04 love this film. Shaun cried. Laura laughed. Greys Anatomy guy is hot -- by Shaun. OTT acting by the girl (Princess), but it was done well... bravo! x
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- misc said...
- Posted on Jan 20 2008 16:05 It was different and slightly funny but I wouldnt say it met my expectations. I feel they could of done slightly better.
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- sophie said...
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Posted on Jan 19 2008 20:39
yeah it was really good (:
the chipmunk was sooo cute!
lol. - Report as inappropriate
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- deedar said...
- Posted on Jan 15 2008 16:19 i lyk so0000000 luved diz movieeee, awww
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- Jill said...
- Posted on Jan 15 2008 16:10 brilliant amusing film a must see for all the family !!!!!!!!!!!
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- Jill said...
- Posted on Jan 15 2008 16:08 Brilliant amusing feel good movie !!!!!!!!!!
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- nooby mac noobeth said...
- Posted on Jan 14 2008 14:33 noobs rule u drule
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- Giselle said...
- Posted on Jan 14 2008 13:10 The comment you type here will appear on the screen
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- !!!!..!!!!!! said...
- Posted on Jan 12 2008 11:57 I really enjoyed it.A real lol film! I luved it all aqnd definately gonna get it on DVD!! A fab,must see film!
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- faye said...
- Posted on Jan 12 2008 11:13 love it, was cheesy fun and a good laugh and the singing was good too seen it and deffo want it wen it comes out on dvd x
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- john said...
- Posted on Jan 09 2008 16:31 am guna c this 2moz is it mint wiv hole r trebore
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- Sarah said...
- Posted on Jan 09 2008 16:18 Sooo good, apart from the rubbish dragon! McDreamy makes it!
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- ;>!!!! said...
- Posted on Jan 08 2008 17:45 i lurved it ssoooooooooo much!!!!!!
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- :>!!! said...
- Posted on Jan 08 2008 17:39 The film was awsome!!!!! singing + dancing in 1 film how nice lol!! i <3 it!!!
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- Ha Ha said...
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Posted on Jan 07 2008 17:13
I wrote that to annoy people like Jules!
I have seen the film and it is a really great movie for the kids. Very cheesy, like a cheese pizza with mozarella and cheddar with extra parmesan sprinkled on top!!! I loved it! - Report as inappropriate
Cast & crew
Director: Kevin Lima
Producer: Barry Josephson, Barry Sonnenfeld
Cast: Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, Susan Sarandon, James Marsden, Timothy Spall, Idina Menzel, Rachel Covey full cast
Genre(s): Action/Adventure, Children's, Comedy, Fantasy
Rated: PG
Duration: 107 mins
UK Release: Dec 14 2007
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