A Cinderella Story (2004)

User Rating:

5.5/10   

Director:

Mark Rosman

Writer (WGA):

Leigh Dunlap (written by)

Release Date:

16 July 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Romance

Tagline:

Once upon a time... can happen any time.

Plot:

Routinely exploited by her wicked stepmother, the downtrodden Sam Montgomery is excited about the prospect of meeting her Internet beau at the school's Halloween dance.

Plot Keywords:

Dance | Halloween | Cinderella | Internet | Cinderella Story

Awards:

4 wins & 8 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sat. Nov. 14	9:00 PM	OXYGEN
Sat. Nov. 14	11:00 PM	OXYGEN

Cast

Hilary Duff	...	Sam Montgomery
Jennifer Coolidge	...	Fiona
Chad Michael Murray	...	Austin Ames
Dan Byrd	...	Carter Farrell
Regina King	...	Rhonda
Julie Gonzalo	...	Shelby Cummings
Lin Shaye	...	Mrs. Wells
Madeline Zima	...	Brianna
Andrea Avery	...	Gabriella
Mary Pat Gleason	...	Eleanor
Paul Rodriguez	...	Bobby
Whip Hubley	...	Hal Montgomery
Kevin Kilner	...	Andy Ames
Erica Hubbard	...	Madison
Simon Helberg	...	Terry Anderson

Also Known As:

Une aventure de Cendrillon (Canada: French title)
Untitled 'Cinderella' Project (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild language and innuendo.

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English | German | Czech

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:PG (certificate #40835) | Iceland:L | Malaysia:U | Netherlands:AL | South Korea:12 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Canada:G | Finland:K-7 | Germany:o.Al. | Philippines:G | Singapore:PG | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

George's 50's Diner - 4390 Atlantic Avenue, Long Beach, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

The end of Hilary Duff's character's screen name in the movie is 818. 818 is the area code for the San Fernando Valley, where the movie takes place.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The movie is set in a drought, yet during the chase scene to get back to the diner on time all the roads are soaked - this is done on movie sets because wet asphalt often looks better on film because of the light reflections.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Sam: Once upon a time, in a far away kingdom, lived a beautiful little girl and her widowed father.

Movie Connections:

Spoofs The Matrix (1999)

Soundtrack:

Falling For You

Modernized for a new fairy tale generation!

I have said before and I will confess again, I am just a sucker for the Disney cutesy live action movies. Princess Diaries, Freaky Friday, Parent Trap. They are predictable but always fun and light hearted and humorous. It's a recipe for film that has worked for Disney far longer than any of us care to think about. In saying that I am not a Hillary Duff fan, although she seems multi talented, her characters never change and her scope as an actress will seemingly be limited to Lizzie McGuire for the rest of her career.

A Cinderella Story is exactly what one would expect. It's a retelling of the old classic fairy tale with the modern day twist but director Mark Rosman, who has really nothing to claim fame to does a terrific job at truly modernizing the story without coming across as stupid or blatantly obvious. Duff plays Sam, a girl who's father is tragically taken from her after marrying a wicked woman played perfectly hideously by Jennifer Coolidge, you can't help but despise her in this role. She is accompanied by her two daughters, Brianna and Gabriella who are spoiled little brats that like to make Sam's life a living hell. Sam's "wicked stepmother" takes over Sam's father's pride of joy, his diner and turns into her own little cash cow while keeping her late husband's staff on to torture them. She always makes Sam grind her fingers to the bone in between school classes working in the diner. Sam has an online boyfriend whom she's never met, there is a school dance in which he wants to meet her, he turns out to be Mr. Popular, she sneaks out having to be back at the diner for twelve before her stepmother finds out. The rest of the story unfolds as you might expect.

As with all live action cutesy Disney type films, the cast shines...yes even Duff. She's too goody for her own good which works in this case as you feel sorry for her. Her surrogate family, the diner staff are delightful and funny and they help us root for the underdog. Rhonda played by Regina King, who has been some great family movies ie: Mighty Joe Young, and Daddy Day Care is perfect as Sam's protector and Fairy Godmother you might say?? And Chad Michael Murray is great as her Saviour and Prince Charming. The best part of this film is the way the retelling is handled. It's not done in such a way that you are blatantly watching another rehashing of an old fairy tale but rather handled delicately and done in such a modern way that you think to yourself "Hey that's almost like Cinderella." You actually feel for each character the way you are supposed to feel, and you want to see each and every one get what they deserve and incidentally they all do which leaves you satisfied and happy with the film.

This movie won't rake in any critical acclaim but it's fun and you'll enjoy it if you like this style of movie. I suggest checking it out!! 7/10