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Christina Ricci does a great job of keeping this comedy on
track. Her fine talent becomes the
saving grace for the unique storyline.
If you are young at heart and love your romance with quirky comedy, then
this film is your invitation to believe.
Penelope,
an aristocrat, is the doomed child of a curse, put on her ancestors when the
prince of a wealthy household ditches his love for the maid. Of course, his parents
object. The mother of the young house
worker, a witch, casts a spell where the first female born of the line will have a face
like a pig until she finds a true love of her own kind.
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Rated: PG
Starring: Christina Ricci, Reese Witherspoon, James McAvoy, Catherine O'Hara
Directed by: Mark Palansky
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Through the years Penelope's relatives have produced male
children, heading off the curse, until her mother gave birth to her. Hidden away in her house after a lot of
ridicule from her classmates at an early age, Penelope has learned to live with
her destiny. However, her mother is
determined to get her married now that she is of age so she can break the
curse.
Penelope reluctantly agrees, but
she finds her suitors are appalled by her appearance and there are no takers. Escaping to the outside world with a scarf
covering her face, Penelope explores what she has been missing. When one of her suitors hooks up with a
newspaper photographer in a scheme to get a photo of the pig-faced girl, things
start to change for Penelope.
Although I
am a romantic at heart, the film did not overwhelm me. I will say, I liked the simple story a lot,
but it was due to the fine acting of the very good cast. McAvoy gives a stellar performance as Max,
the handsome man that comes late for the multi-suitor audience, and misses
Penelope's revealing. He's got just the
right chemistry to be the star-crossed lover of Penelope.
Ricci makes a super Penelope. I loved her interpretation of the character
and the way she sends a message to young girls, that no matter how you
look, there is someone out there for you.
The only
downside comes with the waste of the talent of Reese Witherspoon. Her small part as Annie, the girl that
befriends Penelope, could have easily gone to a rising star instead of such an established one. I found it
distracting to Ricci's stardom, and somewhat demeaning for Witherspoon to be playing
the bit part.
Adults may
find the film a little childish, but don't let that spoil the fun. The plot does get a little goofy, but there aren't many PG films out there that you can enjoy with your
youngsters. Ladies, with McAvoy in the
lead role, just sit back and enjoy the daydream.
FINAL ANALYSIS: Penelope
is a sweet romantic film for the young-at-heart that has some very comical
moments and an entertaining storyline.
This Reviewer's Rating:    3.5 / 5
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