Directed by Tommy O’Haver (Get Over It)
Starring Anne Hathaway, Hugh Dancy, and Cary Elwes
I’ve heard “Ella Enchanted” compared to “Princess Bride” . . . yes both films have castles and Cary Elwes, but “E.E.” (Ella Enchanted) doesn’t come close to “Princess Bride” in my book. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an entertaining, clean, mildly amusing film—rare these days. I took my 6 year old daughter (daddy/daughter date) and she really enjoyed it. The film was “Ever After” meets the 21st century feel of “A Knight’s Tale.”
The story’s creative premise makes it unique: The young girl Ella (Anne Hathaway, Princess Diaries) is given a gift by a fairy—the gift of obedience. This gift, more of a curse than a gift, forces her to comply with any command from anyone, good or bad. Throughout the film Ella wants to follow her heart, yet keeps getting interrupted by the orders of others.
The setting wasn’t quite as unique: Girl’s mom dies and evil stepmother moves in with her two (imagine that) conniving sisters. Hmmmmm. . . I’m trying to place where I’ve seen that one . . .
The films storyline kept its audience, and most of the audience’s parents with occasional laughs and decent performances.
SHOULD KIDS SEE IT
As always, I recommend visiting www.screenit.com for the complete play-by-play to see if it’s for you. But I had no problem with my daughter seeing it with me.
My main hesitation is the direction that the star of the film, Anne Hathaway, is going with her career. That’s not to say that I don’t watch movies with any Hollywood stars who don’t live a wholesome life (Would that be possible? Ooops. There goes my copy of Finding Nemo!), but I’m much more careful with young teen actors and actresses that become icons or role models for our young generation. I don’t have to convince anyone of that . . . most of us with children have cringed multiple times when Brittany did something or Jessica wore something that we would have to answer our kids’ questions about the next day in the grocery isle.
Anne is following suit. In September of 2003 she showed up to the School of Rock premiere with a see-through top so revealing that it made any of J-Lo’s outfits look like something out of Nancy Reagan’s closet. Anne has also decided that nudity is a must in her new film Havoc, due out later this year. In CosmoGirl, Anne said, “It was really important for me that my character in Havoc be nude, because she gets naked with guys due to her extreme lack of self-confidence . . . So what was I supposed to do as an actress? Go in there and not be my character and not go as hard-core as she would? No.” – Actress Anne Hathaway, CosmoGirl, May 2004, p. 137.
So, as much as I think “E.E.” was an innocent film that your kids might like, think twice before you let your daughter join the Anne Hathaway fan club, or before you let your son look for Anne Hathaway pictures on Ebay.
Conversation Starter
Three Simple Questions (with Answers You May Be Looking for):
- What are some of the messages or themes you observed in this movie?
- How do you suppose we—as serious Christ-followers—should react to this movie?
- How can we move from healthy, Bible-based opinions about this movie to actually living out those opinions?
