Classic storytelling blended perfectly with modern reality

Rating: 10/10 (26 November 2007)

I'm not in this movie's target demographic. I'm a guy aged 24-30. Yet the preview sucked me in, and I'm glad I did. Why? It's a movie that tells us a little about ourselves, and makes fun of how we distinguish fantasy from reality and why we hold onto our dreams.
We all want the fairy tale to come true, but as we get older, we learn that reality is much less beautiful than the idealized world of Disney fantasy. This movie plays to that duality expertly, examining what we believe, asking us why, and making us laugh along the way.
Giselle the would-be princess will win you over with her idealist naiveté. She steals scenes with her energetic personality, and makes you wish you believed how she does. Her musical scene while cleaning house will have you laughing along as fantasy and reality clash in a brilliant mockery.
Prince Edward will have you rooting for the wrong guy because he's just so likable. He's played by James Marsden, aka Scott from the X-Men (who was a dick), which really showcases his versatility. He can sing, dance, and play naive romantic to a T.
Patrick Dempsey once again removes himself from the limelight with a too low-key performance, but he's the straight guy that grounds the film, so that's the point. He still changes as Giselle's giddy make believe world intrudes on his life and the way he thinks, so you get to feel for him as if he were you.
By the end of the film you'll find yourself wondering if you still believe in the fairy tale style romance, or if you're a modern realist. The best part is, this movie gives you that choice.
Everybody comes out a winner from this film, including the audience. It's a perfect date movie, unless you don't like who you're dating, in which case it'll be really awkward, because this movie is unrelentingly romantic.