THE PRINCESS DIARIES

REVIEWED BY BETH FEAKER

Our rating: 5 out of 5

Rated:

Mia (Anne Hathaway) is your average teenage girl, just on the brink of sweet sixteen, who is ready to make her mark on the world. The problem is, she doesn't know just how to use her beauty and brains to their full capacity---and ends up hiding in corners or being sat on more than wowing the school. She spends her days combing her frizzy hair, chatting with her best friend, dreaming about the hottest guy in high school, and ignoring the boy with the puppy dog crush on her. For someone who self-admittedly proclaims that her greatest expectation in life is to be invisible, she's good at it.

But upon a visit from her grandmother (Julie Andrews) who hasn't showed herself in 15 years, Mia's life is about to change. She learns that, wonder of all, her father was the crown prince of a tiny kingdom in Europe called "Genovia", and now that he is dead she is the only heiress to both kingdom and crown. At first horrified at this sudden burst of importance, Mia finally is convinced to take daily "princess lessons" with her grandmother, to try royalty out for size, under the strict condition that her inheritance is kept top secret. But of course, Mia's royalty gets out thanks to her hilarious hairdresser. 

Transformed into a beautiful, self-confident girl, now her entire high school is buzzing about their "best friend," and she evokes the jealousy and admiration of her classmates, while suddenly Mr. Cool is head over heels for her. Not sure what to do with all the wonderful attention, Mia finds herself transported to a world of heartless popularity and scrutinizing publicity, all the while being pulled further away from her true friends, her grandmother...and Michael, the one boy who loves her for her real self.

But everything goes wrong, and when publicity comes to an embarrassing explosion, Mia is determined she is not worthy to be Princess of Genovia. So she decides to run away on the very night of her coronation, until she unexpectedly opens a gift from her grandmother -- a diary containing a single mysterious letter. The Princess Diaries is now one of my favorite movies -- as much for the sweet simplicity as for the brilliant romance. While not necessarily breathtaking or offering its audience much depth, it is a relaxing, fun way to spend a few hours and ever draws you into its story and charming characters. And the best thing is that it's rated G! 

It's pure Disney magic -- cute dialogue, gorgeous music, lots of humor, and complete with the perfect kiss. While being a little predictable with a few weak moments, there are enough hilarious scenes to make you laugh out loud, and it triumphantly finishes off with the perfect romantic ending. For Sound of Music fans, the cherry on top is from Julie Andrews in an absolutely flawless performance as the regal grandmother, reprising her happy-go-lucky trademark role -- the best I've seen her in since Maria von Trapp.

The overall message of the movie is that beauty and charm can be deceiving, but it's the people that truly love you that count, and I was impressed that the lessons Mia learns are applicable for all audiences. I would definitely recommend everyone to go see Princess Diaries while it's still in theaters, if not for the cuteness of the film, to support the movie industry's bold decision to make a movie that's both romantic, fun and surprisingly clean.

© www.charitysplace.com - all rights reserved.