Just watch it

Rating: 8/10 (13 April 2008)

This is a very enjoyable musical film suitable for people of all ages. At least you can buy a good laugh if you feel you're so over fairy tales.
Giselle is a fairy tale character who has been dreaming of her prince. One day the prince finally comes to rescue her and they're going to get married. On the way to the wedding the prince's stepmother sets Giselle up and sends her to the real world - New York City where she meets Robert and Morgan...
The use of animation for the fairy tale world is very clever and I didn't expect that. It's just so familiar and so Disney.
The development is in general simple and direct, which is quite good indeed for a fairy tale. But I'm not very satisfied with the abrupt ending (maybe you can say this is what you would expect from a fairy tale: you just need a happily ever after).
The music is very well-written and perfect for the film. Happy working song and That's how you know are particularly funny. The singing is also great. Amy Adams's voice is great and her way of singing is quite old-fashioned but I have to say it matches the stereotype of fairy tale songs. This is a plus. James Marsden and Jon McLaughlin have also done a good job.
Adams's performance as a super optimistic fairy tale character is very convincing. Some people may find it a bit over but this is what the character's really like. Dempsey as a realist is not bad but the character itself is the plainest in the film. Maybe that's why they have to look for his personal charm. Marsden's funny, Pip's very funny. The most unexpected is Nathaniel. It's really interesting to see from the beginning to the end how he sees senses. Others are worth their salt.
Just watch it or you'll regret it. After years of fairy tales with CG we've got a 'real' good deal here. At least their music is never as great.