This is a review for anyone who somehow missed the apparently unanimous praise for the new Disney musical fantasy. The film’s good word-of-mouth began when audiences caught the trailer that instantly sold the genius concept of a Disney animated princess who falls out of her pastel and earthtone two-dimensional world into the three-dimensional New York City. Popping out of a manhold cover in Times Square in her royal wedding dress, and played by the delightful Amy Adams, prospective audience members knew they were in for a treat.
The film begins when camera zooms into the opening logo of the Disney fairyland castle and enters one of its tower windows–we know we are in a rare moment of Disney self-reflexivity. The tale begins when the lovely Giselle literally falls, out of a tree, for the noble but not too bright Prince Edward. With love at first sigh, the two plan to marry the next day, which brings down the wrath of the prince’s stepmother, Queen Narissa, who won’t let anyone else share her power. Disguised as the old hag in Snow White, she pushes the unwitting girl into an enchanted well and she winds up under that famous New York street. Emerging into the gritty city, she the ultimate fish out of water. Will her prince come for her? Or will True Love’s First Kiss be deferred?
You might say this is Disney’s response to the Shrek films’teasing treament of the Magic Kingdom. Disney products aren’t usually associated with irony and parody; maybe that’s one reason families love their straightforward charm. But Enchanted knows that the Disney fairy tales, starting with Snow White’s warbling to the forest creatures would look pretty funny if you tried it in a Manhatten high rise apartment, which is what the chirpy heroine does for the single dad/divorce lawyer, Patrick Dempsey, who finds her alone in the night and takes her in. The next morning, the only local animals who hear her call to help her clean up the place are rats, pigeons and cockroaches but they do a spanking job of it.
The lawyer doesn’t believe in Giselle’s romantic notions but he’s struck by her sincerity and ability to create a sprawling musical production number impromptu with charmed passersby while walking through Central Park. She, on the other hand, finds that spending a little time with a guy–especially Grey’s Anatomy‘s Prince McDreamy, can bring about a deeper attraction she’s never felt before. But Prince Edward has bravely sought out his bride-to-be and found his way to this strange world. Attacking a city bus, thinking he’s freeing its passengers from a foul beast, he’s stalwart and pure hearted but somewhat self-absorbed. Played as wonderfully earnest by James Marsden (Cyclops in the X-Men movies) he is Adams’match in capturing the cartooonish naivite of the characters.
You now see why this has become the hit of the season–after so many bleak horror movies and Iraq-themed features, audiences were ready to laugh to the musical numbers by Alan Menkin and Steven Schwartz that cleverly wink at the classic Disney songs. The fun is that they remind you of the originals without ridiculing them, while advancing the story.
It’s not often you sit in a theater marveling at how entertained you are by a film that hits all the right notes with a variety of attractions for a wide audience–every member of the family should enjoy it–there are even one or two adult jokes that will sail three feet over kids’heads.
I expect in a year or so, there will be “Giselles” doing character photo ops at Disney theme parks with adoring little girls along with her colleagues, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Belle, and the other Disney princesses, but there will probably be more laughter.
