Ever After A Film Review By Michael Redman Copyright 1998 By Michael Redman
*1/2 (Out of ****)
It's not a bad thing to update old stories. It's done all the time in the oral tradition. The difficulty with this film is not that the tale has changed, it's that it's dry.
The new Cinderella, Danielle (Drew Barrymore) is not sitting around waiting for her prince to come. She's a woman of the late twentieth century albeit situated in sixteenth century France. When her father dies, she stays on in his house even though she is mistreated by her wicked stepmother Rodmilla (Anjelica Huston). She works by day, but reads Sir Thomas More by firelight at night.
Although the story is updated, you know the plot. Danielle meets Prince Henry (Dougray Scott), goes to a ball disguised, is later found out and they live happily ever after.
The movie is often like watching a filmed play. Theater in real life is engrossing. Theater on the screen is usually lifeless. There doesn't seem to be much going on. The camera can be a star of films. Here it's a co-conspirator.
Danielle's convictions are compromised. A socialist and a feminist, she pretends to be royalty to get her man. A kind woman, her last act in the movie is one of revenge.
The most enjoyable characters are the most cartoonish. The fairy godmother stand-in, Leonardo Da Vinci (Patrick Godfrey) is fun to watch as the eccentric old man who advises Danielle. Huston is enjoyable in her over-the-top wickedness.
In all fairness, my companion loved the film. Maybe it's one of those "chick flicks" that men don't like. It is certainly a date film. Nearly the entire audience was couples. Oh well, maybe it's good for something.
(Michael Redman has written this column for over 23 years and should have known that his run of enjoyable summer films was bound to end sometime. Email your retro-fitted legends to Redman@bvoice.com)
[This appeared in the 8/6/98 "Bloomington Voice", Bloomington, Indiana. Michael Redman can be contacted at redman@bvoice.com] -- mailto:redman@bvoice.com This week's film review at http://www.bvoice.com/ Film reviews archive at http://us.imdb.com/M/reviews_by?Michael%20Redman
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