Movie and Television Reviews

There's no other word to describe Enchanted but "delightful" for the first 80 minutes of the movie and then you can switch to "demoralizing" or "depressing."

In Enchanted, Princess-to-be Giselle (Amy Adams) shares a cottage in sub-suburban Andalasia with various woodland creatures including Pip, a spunky and helpful chipmunk. Giselle dreams of princes and Love and her enthusiasm for these two desires manifest themselves into a homemade prince mannequin, the construction of which makes for a lovely animal collaboration scene. One day, as she sings with her animal friends and the prince is out hunting trolls, they overhear each other and instantly fall in love. The wicked witch Queen Narissa (Susan Sarandon) doesn't approve of her stepson's romance, however, as it would mean the loss of her crown, and, in an allusion to Snow White, disguises herself as a witch to fool the innocent Giselle into falling down a well and thus away from the story book kingdom.

Giselle then finds herself in New York where recently arrived and penniless princesses often feel like fishes out of water. Fortunately for her, a reluctant good Samaritan with two first names, Robert Philip (Patric Dempsey of Grey's Anatomy), rescues her from a castle-themed casino. She's a pest at first, innocently causing trouble between Robert and his fiancee Idina (the unique-looking Nancy Tremaine) by falling on top of the fortunate Robert after she finishes taking a shower (was it only a towel?). Giselle also proves useful: Her naive goodness, a rarity in New York, allows her to bond with Robert's daughter, Morgan (Rachel Covey), and save a marriage while visiting Robert's work, not necessarily a good thing since he's a divorce lawyer. Baffling to Robert is Giselle's ability to speak with animals and make fabulous dresses out of household furniture fabrics.

In due course, Prince Edward goes through the sewer to rescue Giselle followed by Narissa's henchman, the sycophantic Nathaniel (James Mardsen). The movie then focuses on the reuniting of Prince Edward and Giselle and the climactic confrontation with the witch.

Two of the scenes will become instant classics. The first is a beautiful, colorful musical number wherein Giselle recruits Central Park inhabitants of all races and even species for her ode to perfect Love, True Love's Kiss. The other is a Snow White-like "working song" she sings to coerce roaches, rats, and pigeons to clean Robert's bachelor pad. Both are stunning visually and tonally and serve to develop Giselle's character quite nicely. The fact that they're loving parodies/tributes of/to classic Disney films only magnifies their multi-level excellence. Inevitable audience pleasers like a shopping montage with an "emergency" credit card produce the desired effect especially with giggly daughters and their mothers.

The performances are strong with Prince Edward and Giselle deftly mimicking Disney prince and princess mannerisms. In fact, Giselle is an acting powerhouse throughout the movie: Her hyper-femininity could have grated, but it never seems over-the-top here. The chipmunk, a synthesis of Disney animal side-kicks, is hilarious. Everybody else does a fine job.

The reliably terrific Disney script writers outdo themselves in Enchanted. Not only is every scene precious and effective, but the writers create extraordinary tension around Giselle's ultimate love choice. I couldn't predict the outcome until the end and must have worn out the edge of the comfortable Krikorian seats over the course of the movie. The CG climax is a little bit of a letdown, but it would have been hard to top the previous hour and a half.

Politics/ Message:

Like all fairly tales, Enchanted is deceptively deep, as the film-makers deal with no less than the ordering of society at its most fundamental level. It's here that Enchanted is both at its most brilliant and most demoralizing. Giselle adds a big dollop of innocence and idealism onto the life of jaded Robert. But, it's not a clear victory for the Platonists as Robert does some convincing of his own. Specifically, he teaches Giselle that storybook endings aren't inevitable and one often needs to fend for oneself. At one point in the movie, pragmatic Robert gives the disappointed Morgan a book entitled Important Women of the World. Later on, we see that Giselle is reading the book herself. Giselle doesn't say anything about it, but we can imagine the effect it has on her. She begins to see beyond the narrow constraints of a faithful beauty. It's truly a post-feminist message- a woman can both luxuriate in her femininity, choose her prince, and open her own store.

The prince, as well, is somewhat bumbling, but he's still brave and loyal and certainly, therefore, worthy of a princess. No black and white caricatures in this film.

Like Shrek, then, Enchanted is another self-reflective fairly tale dwelling in the no man's land between PC preachiness and traditional pedantry. Just for balance, the next few should be Little Mermaid-like traditional.

(spoiler below)

Which brings me to the worst part (I should have suspected as much after the usually liberal and childless mainstream press unusually fawned over Enchanted). Just like we all want Fiona in Shrek to stay beautiful, we don't want Giselle to choose Robert over Prince Edward. Neither did my nine year old daughter and @# year old wife who left Enchanted kind of depressed. Robert and Giselle don't divorce, but it feels like they do because Edward and Giselle are meant for each other. The ending, reminiscent of feminist re-workings like They Used to Call me Snow White (Giselle also subverts 1959 expectations by saving Robert), falls flat- unfulfilling like a mom attending her daughters wedding to another woman- she applauds, but some thing's "not quite right."

They Used to Call Me Snow White...but I Drifted: Women's Strategic Use of Humor by Regina Barreca

Of the two great themes, according to Michael Medved, Enchanted is definitely a "follow your heart" instead of a "do your duty." Oh, Giselle dances girl-like at the end, but we know that the magic's gone. She has bitten the apple from the tree of modernity.

There are ignorable allusions to sex and homosexuality.

Credits below

Follow up:

Directed by
Kevin Lima

Writing credits
(WGA)
Bill Kelly (written by)

Cast (in credits order)

Amy Adams ... Giselle

Patrick Dempsey ... Robert Philip

James Marsden ... Prince Edward

Timothy Spall ... Nathaniel
Idina Menzel ... Nancy Tremaine

Rachel Covey ... Morgan Philip

Susan Sarandon ... Queen Narissa
Jeff Bennett ... Pip in Andalasia
Kevin Lima ... Pip in New York
Emma Rose Lima ... Bluebird / Fawn / Rapunzel

Teala Dunn ... Bunny
Fred Tatasciore ... Troll
Courtney Williams ... Sunglass Street Vendor
William Huntley ... Grumpy

Samantha Ivers ... Angie
Elizabeth Mathis ... Tess
Edmund Lyndeck ... Derelict Old Man

Tonya Pinkins ... Phoebe Banks

Isiah Whitlock Jr. ... Ethan Banks
Tibor Feldman ... Henry
Jodi Benson ... Sam

Matt Servitto ... Arty

Christopher Maggi ... Sewer Crew Guy
Muriel Kuhn ... Clara
Marilyn Sue Perry ... Bus Driver

John Rothman ... Carl
Marlon Saunders ... Calypso Singer

Paul Klementowicz ... Katz Deli Patron

Michaela Conlin ... May

Cathleen Trigg ... Mary Ilene Caselotti
Paige O'Hara ... Angela
Daniel Mastrogiorgio ... Jerry (as Danny Mastrogiogrio)
Canedy Knowles ... Restaurant Patron
Lillian Lifflander ... Older Restaurant Patron
Matte Osian ... Fire Investigator
Judy Kuhn ... Pregnant Woman with Kids

Joseph Siravo ... Bartender

Margaret Travolta ... Radio Therapist
Tony Machine ... Band Leader
Jon McLaughlin ... Ballroom Singer
Helen Stenborg ... Ballroom Lady #1
Anita Keal ... Ballroom Lady #2
Kater Gordon ... Receptionist

Produced by
Christopher Chase .... executive producer
Barry Josephson .... producer
Jill Morris .... executive producer
Sunil Perkash .... executive producer
Jason Reed .... executive producer
Ron Rocha .... animation producer
Doug Short .... co-producer
Barry Sonnenfeld .... producer
Ezra Swerdlow .... executive producer