ENCHANTED

2007, Walt Disney Productions

Animated & Live Action

Rating: G

Approx. 107 mins.

THE STORY:

Giselle (Amy Adams) is a beautiful flaxen haired maiden who lives, quite literally, in a fairy tale. She is poised to marry her handsome Prince Charming, a.k.a. Edward (James Marsden). Unfortunately, pure of heart Giselle is targeted by Edward's evil stepmother (Susan Sarandon), who is threatened by the arrival of her stepdaughter-in-law to-be. The day before the wedding, the evil queen casts Giselle into a well, and out of (animated) fairy tale land.

The next thing she knows, Giselle is walking the (live action) streets of New York complete with princess dress and extreme culture shock. Almost by accident, disillusioned divorce lawyer Robert (Patrick Dempsey) and his young daughter come to Giselle's aid while she waits for her prince to rescue her. Edward arrives, but the fairy tale ending does not unfold quite as expected.

QUESTIONABLE LANGUAGE:

• idiot
• kill

VIOLENCE:

• nothing notable
• scenes with the queen are scary rather than violent

TEACHING POINTS:

• Just because someone is different doesn't mean they are strange
• Not only boys can be heroes
• Life takes unexpected turns, but the outcomes can be for the best

THE UPSHOT:

Enchanted is a refreshing combination of the classic fairy tale template with reality. It is a typical fish out of water story, but the humour, performances and musical numbers written by Alan Menken sustain the interest of adults and kids alike.

What I like most about this film is the way it tempers modern-day cynicism with fairy tale fantasy to find a happy middle ground. Both Robert and Edward come to the aid of the damsel in distress, but in the end Giselle helps them, and herself, as much as they help her. She is an active agent of change rather than a passive victim. Everyone may live happily ever after, but the journey to that end is far more complex and examined than the typical fairy tale script.

My 4 year-old loved Enchanted. I loved the fact that she liked it more than the classic Disney princess stories. She did not really get the nuanced differences between this film and Snow White (from which the story borrows heavily). But it did serve as a good starting point for discussion about things like women, love and romance.

4/5