Cinderella, Belle, Aurora, Snow White, Rapunzel, Tiana, Anna, Ariel, Mulan, Merida, Jasmine, Elsa…the Disney Princesses are well known by all (especially by those who have a young daughter, such as myself), and the storybook material has been interpreted in many different ways over the past several decades. Each time a new vision makes its way onto the big screen, there is a lot of anticipation as to the finished product. Most have been well done, some not so much. Disney has wise people behind the scenes making every effort to produce something memorable, while staying true to the source material. Cinderella, the ambitious new live action adaptation of the classic story, is so well done, it should become the ‘standard’ for what every future live adaptation aims to be. And there are several live action adaptations on the way…most notably, Tim Burton’s Dumbo and Beauty and the Beast, featuring Emma Watson, Luke Evans, Kevin Kline, and Emma Thompson. The film is directed by Kenneth Branagh, who is no stranger to period pieces. Branagh understands the importance of creating extravagant set pieces, fitting his actors with the beautiful costumes, and staying as true to the basic story as he possibly can without ever going over the top. The movie is grounded in reality…about as much as a ‘fairy tale’ can be. Yes, of course there are elements of ‘magic’ and that’s a given here, but the film excels more on making the audience relate to the sadness, fear, and courage of its title character.

If you are not familiar with the plot of Cinderella, here is a brief summary. The film follows the fortunes of young Ella who tragically loses her mother, and whose father remarries a jealous, cruel woman known as Lady Tremaine. In an effort to support her father, Ella welcomes her new stepmother and her daughters Anastasia and Drizella into the family home. But when Ella’s father suddenly and unexpectedly passes away, Ella gets relegated to nothing more than a servant girl and spitefully gets renamed Cinderella since she used to work in the cinders. Despite the cruelty inflicted upon her, Ella is determined to honor her mother’s dying words and to “have courage and be kind.” She then meets a dashing stranger in the woods, named Kit. Unaware that he is really a prince, not merely an employee at the palace, Ella finally feels she has met a kindred soul. It appears as if her fortunes may be about to change when the palace sends out an open invitation for all maidens to attend a ball, raising Ella’s hopes of once again encountering the charming man she met in the woods. Her stepmother forbids her to attend and rips apart her dress. She receives assistance from an unlikely source, her fairy godmother. This beggar turned fairy changes Cinderella’s life forever. As in all fairy tales, this one has a happy ending…but it’s the watching of how it all unfolds that makes this version of Cinderella stand out above the rest.

Disney really hit this one out of the park, so to speak. From the casting to the sets to the costumes, Cinderella spares no expense and every bit of its $95 million budget is up on the screen. And every penny is well spent. The studio has always been hit and miss when it comes to their live action film division, as opposed to their animated productions, where 9 out of every 10 are successful. The new trend for the monster studio is to adapt some of their biggest animated properties into big time, big budget extravaganzas. Maleficent and Into the Woods were huge hits for them in 2014, so it’s obvious that they know what audiences want. Speaking of those two films, I enjoyed Maleficent, although I thought it could have been better and saw several missed opportunities to make it a classic. Into the Woods, on the other hand, was not my shot of whiskey. Even though I enjoyed some of the performances and the characters, it didn’t really work for me. But I digress. Back to the beauty of a film that is Cinderella.

I was taken back a bit when I saw the initial trailer for this film. While I thought it looked gorgeous, I wasn’t quite sold on Lily James (Downton Abbey) as the title character. In this case, looks really were deceiving. She does not really embody, at least physically, what most of us know Ella to be. Having watched the entire movie now I understand why she was cast. James gives Ella a true pulse. The character has to endure heartbreak multiple times throughout the story, and the best part of the film is just how effortlessly Lily sinks into the role. You genuinely feel sorry for her when tragedy occurs…sympathy for her when she is mistreated by her evil stepmother…and happiness for her when she fulfills her destiny. Next to James, Cate Blanchett’s Lady Tremaine is the most memorable character. The casting of Blanchett was pure genius as she conveys evil with ease. Her eyes, pretty much the entire film, portray a sense of jealousy, hatred, and disgust for her stepdaughter. From not letting her eat with the rest of them to making her sleep in the cold attic, the evil stepmother wastes no time in turning Ella into a servant in her own home. The first moment you feel hatred for Tremaine, it doesn’t let up and intensifies as the film goes on.

The rest of the cast is spot on as well. There is a lot of talent here, and nobody just phones in their performances, so to speak. Helena Bonham Carter’s Fairy Godmother shows up at just the right time, not only for Ella, but also for viewers. Just as the film feels to get a bit too gloomy, here comes the energetic, magical Fairy Godmother to quickly turn things around. It is at this moment when the film takes on an entirely different tone. Not that the tone of the first half is bad, it’s actually quite the opposite. The film begins with Ella’s mother giving her words of wisdom. They are powerful, unforgettable words that Ella swears to always live by…even in despair. The film shifts from happiness to sorrow, back to hopeful, then takes a dive into darkness, then quickly rises from the ashes and delivers a glorious finale. Director Branagh does a remarkable job with the highs and lows…and knows just when to flip the switch. Richard Madden, known mostly for his role in Game of Thrones, does solid work here as the Prince Kit. He is definitely more clean cut here, but besides the physical change he gets to show off some acting skill as well. He and James have great chemistry and there is a genuine spark between them when on-screen together. Madden’s Kit is likable and proper…just as a prince should be. Derek Jacobi as the King and Hayley Atwell as Ella’s birth mother also give good performances in smaller roles.

Cinderella gets my highest recommendation. It’s a film for almost everyone (the younger kids may only be interested in the short film, Frozen Fever, which is attached – it was quite cute and a nice tease for the upcoming Frozen sequel). I took my four year old daughter to see it and she enjoyed it…although there are moments throughout where she temporarily lost interest. I would say that six years and older is the appropriate age for this film. The ‘and older’ part is key here. Ages 6 to 96 will appreciate the work that is done with this version of Cinderella. It is a must see and in my opinion, an instant classic and the perfect companion to the animated movie.

GRADE: A







