Release Date: February 29, 2008
Running Time: Approx. 1 hour 30 minutes
Rating: PG
Starring: Christina Ricci, James McAvoy, Catherine O’Hara, Reese Witherspoon, Richard E. Grant, Peter Dinklage, Simon Woods
A kindly aristocrat suffering from an unsightly curse breaks free from her extravagant, prison-like estate to seek adventure and discover her true self in a romantic, modern-day fairy tale directed by Mark Palansky and starring Christina Ricci , James McAvoy , Peter Dinklage , and Reese Witherspoon . Generations ago, a witch placed a curse on the Wilhelm family that would result in the next girl being born into the clan having a porcine snout — and now young Penelope (Ricci ) has fallen victim to the vengeful hag’s unsightly grudge. When tabloid reporter Lemon (Dinklage ) runs a misleadingly frightening photograph of the kind-hearted Penelope, her parents, Jessica (Catherine O’Hara ) and Franklin (Richard E. Grant ), lock the girl away in a sprawling mansion. Though it is said that the curse can be lifted if a man of Penelope’s status takes her hand in marriage, every man who lays eyes on the girl takes flight at first sight, never to return — until the arrival of Max (McAvoy ), that is. An unrepentant gambler with a heavy heart and an ulterior motive for meeting Penelope, Max is unexpectedly caught off guard by the pig-nosed girl’s disarming charm, and suddenly flees before carrying out his nefarious plan. Now determined to throw caution to the wind and explore the world on her own terms, Penelope makes the acquaintance of independent-minded delivery girl Annie (Witherspoon ), who fast agrees to join her newfound friend on the ultimate journey of self-discovery.
Penelope is surprisingly one of my favorite films of 2008. This is a tale that challenges the definition of beauty and happiness. Penelope is more than a complicated romance, more than a witty drama on family night, and more than mirrors the basic formula from the Disney classic, Beauty & the Beast. Penelope is a film about finding self respect, maintaining dignity, and not letting the world get the best of you.
This is without a doubt one of Christina Ricci’s best roles to date. At the surface, it seems that all her character, Penelope wants is to live her life without judgement based on her exterior. She’s a very intelligent woman who has admirable life goals. Her end game is not to break the curse on her exterior so that she can use her physical beauty for success or become a shallow heiress taking the countryside by storm. As the film nears the end, viewers find out what is under the surface, which is the key to breaking the curse that was put on her in the beginning. What’s so inspiring about Penelope’s story is that her end game is very honorable. The ending shows that you don’t have to live an extraordinary lifestyle to be extraordinary. What powerful and uplifting messages to spread.
The story is engaging not only because the film has such rich visuals and characters but also because it’s smart in making the viewer ask themselves, “Do I love myself?,” “Do I love my family members for themselves?,” and “Are my good intentions truly executed in the best way for everyone involved?” And considering the lengths that the paparazzi will go to in order to spotlight celebrities today, this film is an important reminder to keep true to yourself to be genuinely happy. Penelope is an honest film about self-acceptance and love that will leave you impressed and intrigued. This is definitely one of the most sincere modern fairy tales in the past few years.
The leads, Ricci and McAvoy’s chemistry light up the screen. Hopefully this is not the last time the two are seen together on the big screen. Catherine O’Hara is a bundle of laughter. As per usual, Reese Witherspoon plays a strong female character (in the latter part of the film), though this time her character is much edgier than usual. How refreshing it is to see one of Hollywood’s best play such a free spirit, and her moves are not so calculated, her story not so complicated. Seeing Witherspoon as a supporting character is just as pleasant as one would expect. The cast in general had quite a variety of accents collectively, so it is confusing as to what the setting of the film is both in regards to timeline and place. Regardless, everyone holds their own and really brings the script to life in a way that no other cast could. Penelope has heart and that’s what a great film is all about.
One Con: Male suitors jumping out of the window after seeing Penelope was a bit over-dramatic. It’s humorous, in a slapstick comedy kind of way but still over-dramatic.