DNfromMN -- Movie Review -- Enchanted

This is a movie that will make or break your relationship. And it's too fluffy for it to have that power, but unless you're Mr. Romantic,you'll have some explaining to do.

Quick Summary: Cartoon fairy tale princess is sent to Manhattan by an evil witch queen. Meet cute: boring single dad Patrick Dempsey and fairy-tale loving daughter. Cartoon prince charming comes to rescue her and bring her home. Witch's minion comes to keep the fairy prince and princess apart.

I'll give EL this one: Amy Adams is pure sugar sweetness, and I'm worried she'll get typecast. Amy Adams' last role pf note was her Oscar-nominated goofy pregnant woman in Junebug. Her role in this movie, is the naive and goofy princess. She's good though, and you can actually see the wheels turning behind her eyes of what could be a two-dimensional character (rimshot, thank you, I'll be here all night).

Patrick Dempsey-- honestly, I couldn't care. It could've been any attractive guy. No wheels here, honey, just there for the payday.

So why will this movie ruin or save your relationship? Because it's romantic. I don't remember the last time a romantic comedy came out that was actually romantic. It's a fairy tale romance, and that brings the child out of you; the piece of you that wants there to be princesses and princes and love at first sight and happily ever after.This is a turn off the brain and enjoy it movie. If you're thinking,you'll critique Giselle for everything ("THAT couldn't happen!" "No way, not in New York!"), just remember it's a fairy tale.

The thing this movie was missing was the Bollywood treatment. It is a Disney movie, and there are song and dance numbers, but that's where I couldn't turn off my brain. The director of Enchanted directed some Disney cartoons before, and that was a great plan. He just can't capture the magic on film. A good Bollywood film, when they break into song, you believe it; that's what that character is feeling at the time, it's the same as in all the classic Disney cartoons. The songs in Enchanted are all exposition: "True Love's Kiss", "That's How You Know". They tell you what the plot will be, it's not someone breaking into song because there's no other way to explain how they feel. And I think that's what's going to keep Enchanted from being a classic.

There were kids in the theater, and there were some "questionable"one-off jokes. I think today's kids can handle it better than some of the parents will. (There's an insinuation of a comment about sex, and one blatant gay joke. Both are less than 30 seconds, and nothing you wouldn't find in a 1950s comedy.) The kids in the audience were laughing throughout. I don't know that this is one for your first graders, I don't think they'll be able to grasp the change from 2D to Live Action. This isn't Roger Rabbit.

There aren't any other romantic comedies opening up between now and when Enchanted is released November 21, so expect it to do well. There are some potential romantic dramas in the way (Love in the Time of Cholera, and August Rush), but nothing that would aim at this direct market that has had a serious dry spell.

This is a movie to help you get over your rotten boyfriend, or find a flaw in your perfect one. It's cute, mindless, and hopefully gave Susan Sarandon (who voices the witch queen) the money to put one of her kids through college.

It's worth $4.00 on my scale ($0 to $15), it'd be a nice rental or 2nd run theater, but it's not something I would have paid to see openingweekend. And that is a matter of personal taste: I didn't like the ads,I didn't want to go, and it's definitely a chick flick. I hope I can help you make a decision.