Susan Granger’s review of “Enchanted” (Walt Disney)
In the fairy tale land of Andalasia, lovely Princess Giselle (Amy Adams) finds what she thinks is True Love in the form of dashing, troll-hunting Prince Edward (James Marsden). But her wicked future mother-in-law, Queen Narissa (Susan Sarandon), is not happy with the match. Indeed, she has sweetly innocent Princess Giselle pushed down a deep, deep well – only to surface from under a manhole cover in real-life Times Square.
Thoroughly bewildered, drenched and distraught as she wanders the harsh, ‘mean streets’ of Manhattan, Giselle is befriended by a cynical divorce attorney, Robert (Patrick Dempsey), and his daughter Morgan (Rachel Covey), who has a passion for fluffy pink and fairy princesses. And things get complicated when Robert’s super-successful girl-friend (Idina Menzel) appears.
Meanwhile, Prince Edward (James Marsden) leaves the animated world to search for his precious fiancŽe, bringing his duplicitous servant, Nathaniel (Timothy Spall) – who is secretly in cahoots with Queen Narissa – and Giselle’s best friend, her chipmunk Pip. Eventually and inevitably, blissful Princess Giselle must choose between storybook Prince Edward and single-dad Robert for her own “happily ever after.”
In this charming, satirical romantic comedy, screenwriter Bill Kelly (“Premonition”) and director Kevin Lima (“Tarzan”) subtly, seamlessly combine classic 2-D Disney animation and CGI with live action – and the cast is perfect. While Amy Adams (“Junebug”) captures the perky optimism of the Princess, it’s Patrick Dempsey’s (Dr. McDreamy on TV’s “Gray’s Anatomy”) reactions that generate laughs, infusing Robert’s low-key character with far more humanity than is written on the pages of the script.
Narrated by Julie Andrews with buoyant songs by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz, on the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Enchanted” is an endearing, fun-filled 10. This magical fantasy-in-reverse is perhaps the best family-film of the year.
