A great modern fairytale

Rating: 9/10 (22 April 2011)

Even though I'd heard good things about this film I wasn't sure what to expect as I haven't watched an animated Disney film in decades, aren't that keen on romcoms and dislike it when film characters break out in song... in the face of it I should have hated this film but as it turned out I loved it! Starting in a saccharine sweet animated kingdom we are introduced to Giselle; a princess attended on by a variety of overly cute forest creatures; one day she is attacked by a troll but luckily she is saved by Prince Edward. This being a fairy tale they fall in love and are due to be married but Edward's wicked step mother pushes her into a magical fountain and she finds herself in New York City. As she wanders round looking for her prince Robert, a divorce lawyer, and his young daughter help her. Edward follows through the fountain to find his beloved.
As I watched the opening scenes I was fairly sure I wasn't going to like the film but once the action moved to New York where everything became live action I really enjoyed it and laughed often even though I'm sure I'm not part of the target demographic. Amy Adams was an utter delight as Giselle; making the character a naïve innocent without being irritating. James Marsden hammed it up in an entertaining fashion and Timothy Spall was fun as his less than trustworthy sidekick. Also of note was Patrick Dempsey who played Robert; it can't have been easy playing the one normal main character amongst a group of fairytale characters. While this is a fairytale it is rather nice that for once the heroine wasn't just a damsel in distress; when there is danger Giselle is quick to get stuck in. This is a film that adults and children can enjoy equally and I heartily recommend it to both.