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Written by Sean McBride
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Sunday, 02 March 2008 |
This little piggy went to the movies
“Penelope”
Summit Entertainment
Directed by Mark Palansky
Starring Christina Ricci, James McAvoy, Reese Witherspoon, Peter Dinklage, Catherine O’Hara and Richard E. Grant
Rated PG
2 ½ Stars
Most of the time when Hollywood wants to make an ugly duckling-type movie, they cast a drop-dead gorgeous actress and have her wear eyeglasses and maybe a baggy sweater. So credit the filmmakers behind the new movie “Penelope,” who have gone so far to disfigure their ugly duckling star as to give Christina Ricci the nose of a pig. Now Porky’s proboscis is not enough to make you forget that there’s a total babe hiding behind the porcine nose, but for the sake of the movie, I’ll play along with the conceit.
Ricci plays the title character, the unfortunate recipient of a family curse. Several generations back, her blueblood ancestor angered a witch, which is how poor Penelope was born with a real oinker of a nose. The curse will be lifted only if she finds someone to love her as she is, which is why Penelope’s well-meaning parents (Catherine O’Hara and Richard E, Grant) have been unsuccessfully trying to play matchmaker.
Most of Penelope’s suitors would rather jump out of a window than woo our heroine, and to make matters worse, a tenacious tabloid reporter (Peter Dinklage) is determined to get a picture of the pig-faced girl. It’s all too much for poor rejected Penelope. She flees the safety of her home, hoping to sample life’s simple pleasures and maybe find somebody who will love her. There’s a sliver of hope in the form of one of her former suitors names Max (James McAvoy) who certainly feels something for the girl, but is struggling with self-esteem issues of his own.
“Penelope” is shot with a magical-world style that is reminiscent of “Amelie” or perhaps something Tim Burton might have dreamed up on one of his creatively average days. I was charmed by the whimsical style, even if it is a bit too tame to really make an impact. The same holds true for the film’s message of learning to love yourself, no matter what the world thinks of your outward appearance. It may be a great message for young girls, but not very convincing when you cast an ugly ducking whose physical beauty overpowers the silly nose prosthetics.
“Penelope” is charming, has a nice cast and a sweet message. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the film, but it’s just not strong enough to be a real winner either. Fairy tales need a strong dose of magic to elevate them above the mundane. “Penelope” simply falls short of being something special.
Movie reviews by Sean, “The Movie Guy,” are published Wednesdays and Fridays in “The Port Arthur News.” He can be found weekly on KAVU-TV, KFDM-TV, and KVIC Radio. Additional reviews can be found at www.rottentomatoes.com, www.panews.com or at www.myvictoriaonline.com. Sean welcomes your comments via email at smcbride@kavutv.com.
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