Hey folks, Harry here... ya know, people ask... why cover a film like THE PRINCESS DIARIES? Well, because teenage girls are people too. In fact, some of them even (believe it or not) go online and... shock, gasp... perhaps even read this very site! I know... fantastic, unbelievable, unlikely... But ya know, AICN is about different voices for different people.
Now this Kid Sister Claudia, for instance... well, she dug this film... identified with the character and the dreams of the fantasy, however cliched all that may seem to people like you and me. But then neither you nor I happen to be Teenage Girls... OK, well maybe I am sometimes, but that's beside the point. And this review is for the audience that this movie was made for. Teenage Girls, here is your spokesgirl....
My kid sister Claudia and I attended an advance screening of Princess Diaries. Because I`m not the right audience for teeny comedies, Claudia has written this review. Vintop out.
Princess Diaries Review by Claudia
I totally loved this movie despite being a bit predictable and corny, like most of big/small screen teeny stuff anyway. It`s so irresistably cute and totally free of crude jokes and language, which oversaturate most of teen-related flicks, that it comes off as refreshing. It`s like it`s come right from every teenage girl`s fantasy.
The plot is quite simple and that`s where the charm lies: Mia is a highschool loser who finds out she may become a princess when she turns 16. It`s almost a rule that big things in screen-teen`s life always happen at this age - think Buffy and The Teen Witch. Naturally, she goes through a huge image makeover, Pretty Woman style, much to the school popular b*tch`s anger, as well as identity crisis that follows. Though you can see from miles away what the end is going to be like, intrigues vs loyalty, Mia`s struggle to prove a worthy heiress to her grandma`s throne, gorgeous fashion and much more make PD an ideal movie for teenagers, teenagers at heart and couples.
The most appealing thing about PD is identification with the major character, loser-turned-princess. How many times did anyone fantasize about his/her ordinary life ending when it turns out he/she is actually some important person (a savior of the world in guy`s fantasy or princess in girl`s one) , beginning a great adventure? PD gives its viewers a chance to live out this favorite personal daydream.
Anne Hathaway, who I haven`t seen in any movie/show before, is fantastic as would-be princess. I`ve read in some teeny mag that the role was written for Nathalie Portman and I must say I`m glad Mia wasn`t played by Nathalie cause she`s too perfect looking, like Mattel doll, while Anne looks like averige highschooler. Pop Princess Mandy Moore plays a popular b*tch and she did OK acting job, but thanks to a small part and Anne Hathaway`s appeal I think that PD won`t go down in history as a Mandy flick.
My major complaint is that Mia`s grandmother is the Queen of Genova. Genova, really! I have many relatives in Italy and go there every year so this blunder pissed me off. There`s no Kingdom of Genova, the scribe should`ve come up with something more original. But overall, this is the right movie for everyone who`s tired of gross-out scenes, bad language, violence and monsters and want to see something feel-good for a change.
The Kid Sister, Claudia
