Sunday, November 25, 2007

Enchanted

What's not to like in this sweet and funny spoof of fairy tales gone right? It wouldn't work any other way than to cross the lines between animation and reality. Amy Adams is the strongest link in the magical chain. Her face is all innocence and charm. She never drops her pose. She sings most of the songs herself and does a lovely job. Patrick Dempsey is even more charming than Prince Charming -the better to win the heart of the lost princess-to-be (Giselle) . And speaking of Prince Charming, the hilariously camp James Marsden does a twinkling turn as the Prince. The only weak link is Susan Sarandon as the wicked witch. She seems woefully miscast- especially with her poor delivery of her dialogue. But look past that and enjoy the warmth of this movie. It had enough storyline to keep the little ones quiet in the theater, but enough sight gags and humor to keep the adults happy. It should have ended before Sarandon came on at the end as that was truly the logical moment. The ending was like the extra sequin on a costume that turns a fancy thing into something a little garish. So ignore the end, and enjoy the trip.