Pretty Tough to Assign a Grade

Rating: 7/10 (19 March 2017)

Let's stipulate to the fact that the animated version of Beauty and the Beast (and subsequent live musical productions)are absolute masterpieces. Beauty and the Beast may just be the greatest musical of all time.
So, let's also stipulate to the fact that the 2017 movie production is also pretty good. You can't take an established masterpiece, apply a Disney-sized budget and an all-star cast, and come out with a bad movie. The question is, did they come away with a great movie? Mmm...not really.
Is there anything about this extravagant production that improved upon the animated version? Well, there's new songs that are...um...pretty weak. There's the new version of LeFou, and he's umm...umm...there's the reimagined Maurice who is terribly miscast, drab, and lifeless. There's the new, not-especially-appealing, time-travel Paris schtick. And umm...did we mention LeFou loves Gaston? Amazing, huh?
So there you have it. It's live-action Beauty and the Beast on the big screen. It frequently looks wonderful, it's got the great songs that you love, Lumiere is terrific, but a great movie?
There must be more than this provincial life.