Enchanted

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: An animated fairy tale princess (Amy Adams) falls through a magical well, which leads her straight to New York City, where she becomes a three dimensional live-action person, who is lost and confused in this strange and deeply jaded new world.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden, Susan Sarandon, Timothy Spall, Idina Menzel, Rachel Covey, and the voice of Julie Andrews

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: Proceed with Caution. This is a very cute movie with a very cute premise, but it wasn’t quite as clever as I hoped it would be. There were several winks and references to classic Disney animated tales, but all the jokes that really drive home the concept are in the preview trailer. Still enjoyable, it’s just not as spectacular as its premise had the potential to be.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Yes, although not as often as it should.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If you’re under three, and scared of dragons, maybe.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: The composers, Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz, might add to their enormous collections of Oscars. I say this because the Academy often chooses its nominees based on the, “To know him is to love him,” principal. And since between the two of them they already have more than enough statues to bowl with, I conclude that the Academy knows them, and therefore loves them.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Amy Adams is truly a pleasure to watch. Her comic timing as well as her sense of joy will sweep you off your feet. Meanwhile, James Marsden proves once again that he’s not to be discounted as just a pretty face. Between the way he commits to this role as a cartoon prince, and his role earlier this year in Hairspray, he is quickly proving himself a force to be reckoned with in the broad comedy arena.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Having begun his career as an animator, and moved his way up to experienced director of both animation and live-action, Kevin Lima is probably most appropriate director they could have found for this piece.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Close, but no cigar. While the movie is not particularly flawed, for me there were a few moments that were just a little too “easy.” The supposedly jaded, Robert’s (Dempsey) willingness to bring this seemingly insane woman into his house—where his young daughter sleeps—as well as his willingness to bring her to work, and to forgive her for cutting up his curtains are all good examples of moments that could have used a little more justification, which in turn might have deepened the levels of the tale. Sometimes the story forwent real-world logic a little too much in favor of fairy tale logic, and in so doing lost opportunities for both humor and cleverness.

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