Plötzlich Prinzessin!

I really enjoyed this movie. It was fun to see a fairly clean movie that was fun to watch. The acting of Julie Andrews and Anne Hathaway is superb and the story shines out hope. The director takes a very unlikely event and makes it believable, teaching us all something in the process. It was refreshing to see a teen film without all the sexual inuendos and crude language.

Mia Thermopolis (played by Anne Hathaway) is a 15-year old girl. Awkward and shy she lives with her artist mother Helen (Catherine Goodall) in an refurbished former fire station. Then one day she meets her grandmother Clarisse (Julie Andrews) and is informed that she is the Princess of the European country of Genovia. Despite the perks involved, she is not so sure she wants to assume the title.

Very formulaic and obviously made for children, the whole plot and production are pure Disney. Very fairy tale-like and predictable.

Yet it is difficult to dislike. The main characters are not your usual irritating, bratty teens. There is an innocence to it all that propels the movie. Plus, Anne Hathaway puts in a wonderful, charming performance as Mia.

So, really a children's movie, but adults won't mind being forced to sit through it.

I will admit that when I first heard a Disney movie called "The Princess Diaries" was coming out, I thought it would be corny. But upon actually SEEING the film, I found (as is usually the case when stupid judgmental people make up their mind about films without watching them, I won't name names, you know who you are...Tom!) that it was in reality a charming, original, humorous and thoroughly entertaining family film.

The plot is fairy tale in nature: Mia is a social misfit with terrible hair and no self-confidence. Her only friends are eccentric activist Lilly and rock band headliner Michael (played by real-life rocket Robert Carmine of "Rooney") who has a little crush on her. Then, who of all people should turn up but Julie Andrews to tell Mia that her father (who she hasn't seen since she was tiny) was actually royalty and that she, Mia, was princess of a country no one's ever heard of. What it comes down to is this: She has until a big embassy ball to decide whether she wants to give up the crown (and basically open the country up to a hostile political takeover) or take her place as princess. After a makeover (at the hands of funnyman Larry Miller), some training and at least four horrendously traumatizing incidents, she decides...well, that would be giving it away, wouldn't it?

This is not a movie for little girls dressed in tutus who want to be princesses when they grow up. For the first time in the studio's tenure (I'd wager) this film depicts the responsibility of royalty. Mia tackles with the pressures of ruling a country. But for my money the best part of this movie is the love story. No, not Mia and the uniquely attractive rocker (although, that is great). A second, unscripted love story exists between Andrews and her chauffeur, Hector Elizondo. That's terrific.

It's about being yourself and bettering yourself. It's about knowing who your real friends are. It's about living up to your own expectations. It's about smushing an ice cream cone on the blouse of a bitchy cheerleader who deserves it. And maybe that sounds corny to all y'all (rustic expression) but I know a lot of adults who could use lessons like these.

I was surprised to see that the overall voting average for PD was in the 6 range, as so many people I know enjoyed it as much as I did. Anne Hathaway plays the role perfectly, making the awkward Mia extremely likable, as the heroine always should be. Julie Andrews shines like a true royal. The entire supporting cast adds something special to the film. It's quality family fun, and destined to be another Disney classic! 9/10 stars!

A fun story - if entirely unoriginal - about an awkward and unpopular 15 year old San Francisco girl (Anne Hathaway) who discovers out of the blue that she is the heir to the throne of the small, fictional European principality of Genovia, and has to deal with all the adjustments that requires.

It's typically Disney-esque. There's nothing here that would cause you to blush even a little bit as you watch this with your 8 year old. The strongest language used is "shut up" - and it was quickly explained to the Queen that in America "shut up" doesn't necessarily mean "be quiet;" it might just mean "wow!"

There's a strong cast. Hathaway put on a very good performance in the lead role of Mia, moving from shy and awkward teenager, to sudden celebrity causing her to have to deal with being popular not for who she is but for what she is, to - finally - elegant princess. Julie Andrews was - well - Julie Andrews. She didn't miss a beat in her portrayal of Queen Clarisse, and Hector Elizondo handled the role of Joseph - Mia's driver and bodyguard - with great style.

It's a fun movie. Nothing heavy, nothing that will cause you to think too much. Just nice, light fun. It loses a few points for being entirely unoriginal (how many movies have used this theme?) but is still enjoyable to watch. 6/10