PG | Rottentomatoes.com Rating:NA | 2008 |
(Brief, mild language; one instance of mild innuendo) | Picky Flicks Quote: "Penelope has a charming cast and an appealing message." -www.rottentomatoes.com | RUNTIME:1 hr. 42 min. |
Visit:www.screenit.com for complete details | Movie Mood:  (Still) Oinkerrific |
Have you ever noticed how some people just have that certain something that draws you to them whether they’re conventionally, physically attractive or not? You know, that girl with the sort of plain face but great, lively eyes and an infectious laugh? Or how about the not so studly fella with the fantastic sense of humor?
Penelope is a movie about a—quite literally—pig-faced girl (apparently I’m on a roll with pig-related reviews after my last one with Babe) who, aside from her unsightly snout (which is the result of a family curse), is a real catch because of her accomplishments, breeding, knowledge, sense of humor, personality…you name it. Oh yeah, and the pig-faced girl is played by Christina Ricci—she of the teeenINy waist and oh-so-lusciously long eyelashes, so really, she’s not that hard on the eyes, even with the unsightly snoz. But kids, don't forget that until she discovers her inner beauty and finds someone willing to see past her outward detractions, she’ll never break the curse of her nose and be truly happy.
Penelope is a hoot in some spots (I loved Jake, the butler), a bit slow in others, a little too on-the-nose (oops!) in some sections, and wonderfully whimsical in others. Ultimately, what keeps an extremely agreeable movie from being a true gem is the film’s inability to decide exactly what it wants to be—and the clumsy storytelling that results from that indecision. Is it trying to be a love story, a morality tale, a cautionary fable, an all out comedy? Elements of all of the above are present (which is going to make tagging this little movie a real bugger), but Penelope shines brightest when it’s funky and fanciful, which it often is.
The movie also worked best for me when it focused on the relationship between Penelope and Max—a down and out blue-blood gambler who may or may not be what he seems at the beginning. They “meet” through a one-way window—she can see him, but he can’t see her—when he signs on to surreptitiously get a photo of the formerly believed-to-be nonexistent pig-faced girl so that he can pocket a tidy $5,000 for the card tables. Of course, he can’t go through with it once he falls in love with her mind but neither can he marry her and put her out of her misery by breaking the curse. We’re forced to wait until nearly the end of the movie to find out why, but if you’re watching closely, you’ll probably be able to figure his secret out well ahead of then.
Max is played by James McAvoy, on whom, I must admit, I have a bit of an actor crush (an actor crush—I am reminding my husband—not just a crush; there’s a difference). I have liked or loved him in everything I’ve seen him in, which, in the past two years, has included no less than five movies (he’s been busy): The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Atonement, Starter for Ten, Becoming Jane, and Penelope. Although Mr. McAvoy isn’t conventionally handsome (he’s 5’7” and has tired circles under his eyes and a nose that looks like it’s taken a few beatings), he does have exactly what I was referring to in the opening paragraph—magnetism. And although his American accent (he’s originally from Scotland) makes it sound like he's impersonating Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire, everything else about his charming performance is uniquely his. His chemistry with Christina Ricci is, if not electrifying, genuinely sweet, which works well for this particular film.
Penelope's other scene-stealer is Catherine O’Hara, who plays Penelope’s shrill, well-meaning (she thinks so, anyway) mother, Jessica, who’s determined to protect her daughter herself...err, um...her daughter from the perils of a world obsessed with physical beauty. But more than anything, she’s stuck on marrying Penelope off to the first blue-blood who doesn’t throw himself through a window (please, people; you should have made the girl genuinely ugly if we’re to believe this level of extreme behavior is warranted) at the sight of the girl's snout. The comeuppance Jessica receives at the end of the movie for all her meddling is both fitting and funny.
If you’re not too averse to a little saccharine preachiness and an awkward moment or two (what is Reese Witherspoon doing in this movie?), there’s much to appreciate about Penelope, and I recommend that you go out and appreciate it soon while you can still find it on the shelves of your local video store.
Until next Wednesday, stay picky. Your mind will thank you later!
Penelope is a movie about a—quite literally—pig-faced girl (apparently I’m on a roll with pig-related reviews after my last one with Babe) who, aside from her unsightly snout (which is the result of a family curse), is a real catch because of her accomplishments, breeding, knowledge, sense of humor, personality…you name it. Oh yeah, and the pig-faced girl is played by Christina Ricci—she of the teeenINy waist and oh-so-lusciously long eyelashes, so really, she’s not that hard on the eyes, even with the unsightly snoz. But kids, don't forget that until she discovers her inner beauty and finds someone willing to see past her outward detractions, she’ll never break the curse of her nose and be truly happy.
Penelope is a hoot in some spots (I loved Jake, the butler), a bit slow in others, a little too on-the-nose (oops!) in some sections, and wonderfully whimsical in others. Ultimately, what keeps an extremely agreeable movie from being a true gem is the film’s inability to decide exactly what it wants to be—and the clumsy storytelling that results from that indecision. Is it trying to be a love story, a morality tale, a cautionary fable, an all out comedy? Elements of all of the above are present (which is going to make tagging this little movie a real bugger), but Penelope shines brightest when it’s funky and fanciful, which it often is.
The movie also worked best for me when it focused on the relationship between Penelope and Max—a down and out blue-blood gambler who may or may not be what he seems at the beginning. They “meet” through a one-way window—she can see him, but he can’t see her—when he signs on to surreptitiously get a photo of the formerly believed-to-be nonexistent pig-faced girl so that he can pocket a tidy $5,000 for the card tables. Of course, he can’t go through with it once he falls in love with her mind but neither can he marry her and put her out of her misery by breaking the curse. We’re forced to wait until nearly the end of the movie to find out why, but if you’re watching closely, you’ll probably be able to figure his secret out well ahead of then.
Max is played by James McAvoy, on whom, I must admit, I have a bit of an actor crush (an actor crush—I am reminding my husband—not just a crush; there’s a difference). I have liked or loved him in everything I’ve seen him in, which, in the past two years, has included no less than five movies (he’s been busy): The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Atonement, Starter for Ten, Becoming Jane, and Penelope. Although Mr. McAvoy isn’t conventionally handsome (he’s 5’7” and has tired circles under his eyes and a nose that looks like it’s taken a few beatings), he does have exactly what I was referring to in the opening paragraph—magnetism. And although his American accent (he’s originally from Scotland) makes it sound like he's impersonating Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire, everything else about his charming performance is uniquely his. His chemistry with Christina Ricci is, if not electrifying, genuinely sweet, which works well for this particular film.
Penelope's other scene-stealer is Catherine O’Hara, who plays Penelope’s shrill, well-meaning (she thinks so, anyway) mother, Jessica, who’s determined to protect her daughter herself...err, um...her daughter from the perils of a world obsessed with physical beauty. But more than anything, she’s stuck on marrying Penelope off to the first blue-blood who doesn’t throw himself through a window (please, people; you should have made the girl genuinely ugly if we’re to believe this level of extreme behavior is warranted) at the sight of the girl's snout. The comeuppance Jessica receives at the end of the movie for all her meddling is both fitting and funny.
If you’re not too averse to a little saccharine preachiness and an awkward moment or two (what is Reese Witherspoon doing in this movie?), there’s much to appreciate about Penelope, and I recommend that you go out and appreciate it soon while you can still find it on the shelves of your local video store.
Until next Wednesday, stay picky. Your mind will thank you later!
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