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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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- Ha Ha said...
- Posted on Jan 07 2008 17:11 I havent seen it yet but it looks absolutely mint!
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- anne said...
- Posted on Jan 07 2008 12:45 What a lovely silly film. Funny, touching escapism. Reality is for every day. A film like this makes you hold your breath lifts your spirits and makes the world a little nicer than it was before. Lovely film for children but I am well into my second childhood!
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- anita said...
- Posted on Jan 06 2008 05:49 i must say as a parent i really really enjoyed the film and my girls loved the film they thought it was fantastic. we enjoyed all the songs and we couldn,t stop laughing when giselle and morgan went shopping with morgan,s dad credit card and she said her dad said you must only use it an emergency.
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- Phil said...
- Posted on Jan 05 2008 18:38 Very entertaining. It takes the 'mickey' out of the typical disney film and turns it on its head. Full of suprises. A must see.
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- netty said...
- Posted on Jan 05 2008 16:41 this has to be one of the most entertaining films i have seen in a long time. The way it is a fairytale then into the real world it is just great. i am 21 and i really enjoyed it so it doesnt matter how old you are just go and see it!! it is so funny and the chipmunk is great.
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- Naty said...
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Posted on Jan 05 2008 16:09
It was great! i loved all the referals to classic disney film ways, such as why everybody knows all the words to songs that are being made up as they sing them, although my mum did cringe abit when the cockroaches came out of the plug hole lol
go to see this film for sure! amazing! - Report as inappropriate
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- eeyore said...
- Posted on Jan 05 2008 11:28 its a really good film watched it with my friends and they loved it!
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- anya said...
- Posted on Jan 05 2008 08:34 love it hope there is a number 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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- :) said...
- Posted on Jan 04 2008 17:46 I went with friends and thought it was really cheesy good for little kids I suppose......its abit boring aswell. Sorry to put a downer on it :(
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- helen said...
- Posted on Jan 04 2008 12:49 I took my three girls to see this film, age 11, 10 & 8, they all really enjoyed it, and as a parent i have to say it is one of the best childrens films i have seen in ages!
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- Jordan said...
- Posted on Jan 04 2008 11:59 A review is suppose to be after you watched the film. So why write it when your 'Watching it tomorrow'. I think this film is great. So funny.
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- Gemma said...
- Posted on Jan 04 2008 10:52 this is my new fav film, i love it! ive downloaded all the music and want 2 c it again, it was so good, go watch it :D
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- kate said...
- Posted on Jan 03 2008 20:34 I'm gonna see it with my daddy on sunday iv'e watched loads of clips on youtube and it looks really good.
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- Jules said...
- Posted on Jan 03 2008 19:40 For goodness sake will you all learn to write properly, have you any idea how ridiculous your reviews look? Secondly I don't care if you are going to watch the film tomorrow, get a life and write your review after you've been!!!
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- Anna said...
- Posted on Jan 03 2008 11:30 I Think The Film is GREAT! Pip the chipmunk looks cuddly.
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Now showing
This film is showing at these cinemas near Leicester Square, Greater London
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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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