A woman tells the story of sleeping beauty to her child. However this version is based on how the woman met her lesbian partner (and co-mother). The woman (Heather) tells of how she met her partner (Clea) despite longing after the woman she thought was her sleeping princess.
I have seen one other Jamie Babbit short and wasn't too impressed by that. Like this, that dealt with a lesbian couple but I found it both lazy and unreadable - so I didn't have high hopes for this. However I was pleasantly surprised to find that arty pretension and symbolism wasn't used to make us thing she's clever. Instead it's a clever retelling of a love story from a lesbian point of view. Sure it has little quirks thrown into the mix (the dead body album cover shoot) but these don't take away from the core.
The story is well written and is delivered in amusing fairy tale fashion - using chapter-type art cards at several points. Some of the fairytale lighting etc doesn't quite work and I felt that Babbit should have not mixed reality and fairytale once the story started in earnest, but it still works. The dialogue is good and the story is well told.
The cast is pretty good considering it's a short - some good up and coming stars. Lassez is suitably shy as the girl chasing this princess that doesn't want her and Mitchell is pretty good as the bitchy, self centred Cindy (not bad for a Neighbours actress!). DuVall has a small role but is instantly recognisable and is pretty good. They all deliver the dialogue well and are totally convincing in their roles.
Overall this is charming and amusingly witty. It presents the lesbian love story without any air of exploitation or sensationalism that usually accompanies any shots of girls kissing. Well written and well directed - I will check out more Babbit stuff as a result of this.
