Not Cinderella's Type

This was surprisingly good for a hallmark movie. Do not be fooled by the poster and the summary, this isn't your typical indentured servant girl with a teenage romance. Sure some of the dialogue is corny but what do you expect? It's a Hallmark movie.

What I really appreciate though, is the fact that they took time to develop the element of friendship between Indy and Bryant. He wasn't just her prince, he was also her fairy godmother. Most Cinderella adaptations I've watched just focused on her hardships and her romance at the big nice ball, but this movie delivered a more fleshed out prince in the form of Bryant. In particular, I really liked how they highlighted the difference between him and Max, and I enjoyed looking out for Indy's reactions to both of them. Cinderella's character was true to the original. You find out how kind and patient she is through her actions in the movie. Obviously, the acting could have been better but it didn't bother me that much.

The surprising thing was they actually touched on the abuse in Cinderella and treated it very seriously in this modern retelling e.g. the signs, the different types, the process of handling it, so if you're not comfortable with that sort of thing and want more of a fairytale romance, then I suggest you watch another adaptation. But personally, I thought it was handled sensibly.

Overall, I think it's nice that they've managed to make a heartwarming movie about family and friendship, and some romance to finish things off. The beginning is quite corny but if you stick around, it gets better.

I really enjoyed this movie. It wasn't as well made as some I've watched but the main character was likeable and had you really rooting for her. It seemed to me to be more of a real life situation feel. Which isn't completely true of a lot of movies. I think it potrays a very realistic example of someone who suffers from emotional abuse and how they can not even realize that they are a victim which was interesting and thought provoking. And it showed great examples of friendship and kindness and I would recommend this movie to teenagers everywhere.

Full Disclosure: I'm a 60 something male who generally likes Westerns (with John Wayne, James Garner, Clint Eastwood, ...), the Dirty Harry movies, Police dramas, and so on . . . Normally this is not my type of movie. But I really enjoyed this modern retelling of the Cinderella story when I watched it with my wife. It's quite moving with some strong acting by the actors playing the three main teenage characters: Indy, Bryant, and Max. Obviously the evil aunt and uncle are caricatures, but that's a bit of a vehicle to help move the story along. And it's more than just the Cinderella tale, it's also very much about being a teenager and the trials kids face during those years.

If you're like me (or not like me?), I would say give it a try. You may very well be surprised by this little gem.

We enjoyed it in spite of the terribly broad acting, particularly of the aunt and uncle. The reality is much grittier, but the emotional abuse suffered by the title character is not as rare as you might think. 'Want to be the hero yourself? ...then consider serving as a CASA. Just Google it.

This is a good family movie with a good message. Also, the main actors were very likable. The message is an important one. Emotional abuse is quite insidious and, like the main character here, it is often hard to define. All one knows is they are being made to feel bad about almost everything about themselves, and nothing they do is good enough. In most cases, such abuse also involves physical abuse. In this movie, someone cared enough to help out, and fortunately their efforts worked. I Highly recommend it. James Welch Henderson, Arkansas 01/02/2021