The kind of romance you wished Hollywood would make more often

Rating: 9/10 (30 August 2007)

I went into this movie with nothing but the lowest of expectations. I thought this was the worst marketing job ever for a major motion picture, but suffice to say that if you were likewise beguiled by the shoddy trailers and horrific title ("Stardust," for cryin' out loud!), you will not be disappointed by this movie! First of all, you have to know this is an adaptation of a pseudo-comic book. It's a book written for adults, albeit its illustrations. (You get to see exactly where and how Tristan was conceived in the book!) I haven't finished reading the book yet, but knowing it's an adaptation, I say the movie is wonderful in its own right. The first 30 minutes had me grunting and snorting (cheesy lines to the max!), but as it progressed, the story was truly engaging. The graphics were nothing short of marvelous, helping create the illusion of fantasy without sacrificing its inherent sense of danger and adventure.
As for the acting, I have to say that it's obvious that it took Claire Danes a while to get comfortable in her role. There were many scenes in the beginning that I KNEW were supposed to be for comic-relief but weren't because she missed her mark quite a bit. However, this falls into the first 30 minutes I commented on earlier and easily overlooked. Charlie Cox too was a bit annoying, but you get used to the guy -- he comes off as believable as a naive, adventure-seeking romantic.
And the romance... it was such a cute story! This is where using the fantastic helps bring out the HUMAN not the metaphysical (ironically). The chemistry between Danes and Cox was absolutely charming, and I have to say it's largely due to them that this movie works as a romance.
A note on the POSITIVE queer portrayals (for once in a huge blockbuster like this!). Robert De Niro in drag? WOW!! I guess a lifetime of playing the tough guy really began to bore him! I wasn't too convinced by his stereotypical portrayal of a gay man (dood, Rupert Everett was on the set!), but seeing him in drag and struttin' his thang -- bonus points!! For the parents: there is a lot of blatant deaths and pointless violence, but thank goodness it's all kept off-camera.
This is definitely a movie for the progressive family and the love birds.