MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Ella’ enchanting, and I’m not ashamed to admit it
Grade: B
There’s a difference between a children’s movie and a movie for children. The former can also be for adults and young teens. “Ella Enchanted” is such a film.
“Ella” takes a new twist on old fairy tales, and somehow maintains its originality although it supplies us with many of the stereotypical fairy tale players.
I like how it uses the stock fairy tale characters in unusual ways. Everybody has seen wicked stepsisters, ogres, giants, elves, fairy godmothers, spells, midnight deadlines, princes and princesses. Obviously none of these are unique to this tale. But the point is how they are used.
For example, a fairy godmother places a spell on the newborn daughter of a fairy. Lucinda, the godmother, blesses Ella to be obedient to every command she is ever given. This, of course, turns out to be a curse in disguise.
Is the godmother well-intentioned and benevolent? Maybe in another fairy tale.
In this one, we’re not really sure what her deal is. In the pages of an all-seeing talking book, she is living in a fairy retirement community, pulled over by police for drunken flying, and basically just leading a pathetic life.
Also, Ella has a mind of her own. Each time the others, most of whom are unaware of the hex, tell her to do things, she straightens up her posture and does it. In one scene, she takes someone literally, and “hops to it.”
In a feat of tricky acting, her facial expressions reveal her feelings while her body does what it’s told. Anne Hathaway was almost channeling Jim Carrey’s liar-turned-unwilling truthteller in “Liar Liar.” Or Steve Martin’s dual-gendered personality in “All of Me.”
And watch out for the ogres, not because they crave human flesh, but because they suffer from an advanced stage of plumber’s crack.
The movie is narrated by Monty Python alum Eric Idle, illustrating the time-tested tradition that all fairy tale narrators must have a British accent. Have you ever noticed that they all take place somewhere in the United Kingdom?
I also enjoyed a thrilling, swooping camera ride above and through the land of Frell. And a glance in the classified ads of the Frell daily newspaper – I don’t remember the name – featured job openings for “ogre wrangler” and “abacus programmer.”
Minnie Driver plays a house fairy who knows Ella’s terrible secret, and to keep her consistent throughout the movie, she is given the gift of eternal youth. Just a cop-out to keep from having to apply age makeup? Maybe, but luckily for the producers, this is the kind of movie where those things fit in.
In a nod to “Shrek,” 2001’s postmodern blockbuster fairy tale revival, a smaller sidekick receives some unwanted intimacy from a much larger companion (remember the dragon’s infatuation with Donkey?). And the wicked stepsisters are stolen right from “Cinderella.” My favorite was the slithering snake from Disney’s animated “Robin Hood.” He’s almost the exact same character, but who cares?
The prince is played by Hugh Dancy, who’s not really an actor or a singer, and should probably not ever try to sing or act again. Which makes it all the more funny that as he goes touring throughout the land, he’s treated like a Backstreet Boy. The swooning girls, many holding up signs, finally give in to their baser instincts and try to chase him down.
Unfortunately, “Ella Enchanted” contains the a flatulence joke and somebody getting hit in the crotch, the putative requirements for children’s comedies nowadays.
Although I wouldn’t classify it as a musical, there are a couple of songs. My favorite was easily Hathaway’s (and a herd of giants’) cover of Queen’s “Somebody to Love.” Watch the way she adds soul and dancing as she’s told to do.
Hey, if you don’t think you’ll enjoy this movie, take a date and make fun of it. You can secretly enjoy it as a genuinely good film, and your date will be none the wiser.
Mark LaRocco is a senior graduating very soon in print/broadcast journalism. This is his last film review. Please send comments to marklarocco@yahoo.com because he doesn’t like his USU e-mail address.