LoginFIRST IMPRESSIONS
Okay, A Cinderella Story. I only watched this for the sake of completing the Movie Compatibility Test on Flixster, since I don't like to use the "not interested" rating: I'll give any movie a chance. And this is one of the movies on that test that I was looking the least forward to seeing (okay, not the least, but we'll get to that later).
Now, I'm not one to diss girls' movies just because I'm not their target audience; I try to keep an open mind. But this one… it's terrible, plain and simple!
I understand that it's basically just telling the straight-up Cinderella fairytale but in the modern day. But superimposing a modern-day setting just draws more attention to how one-dimensional fairytales are. It doesn't work.
I can't stand the stepmother or the male lead's jealous ex-girlfriend because, again, they're just one-dimensional bitches with no character other than to simply be antagonists. Especially, with the stunts they pull at the end of the second act, I just wanted to punch them square in the face – but not for the reasons the story wanted. It's because they're such base, cardboard-cutout bullies that I just wanted them to get a clue! I just wanted to get their comeuppance over with and move on.
The only thing I liked was the character of Rhonda. Again, she's just meant to be a stereotypical supportive offset to the cruel real family, but at least her screen time isn't a chore to sit through!
Bottom line: just stick to the fairytale itself, not this pig drivel!
My rating: turkey
A Cinderella Story Reviews
"A Cinderella Story" (2004)
Posted : 10 years, 10 months ago on 3 June 2013 05:53
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A bad movie
Posted : 12 years, 8 months ago on 10 August 2011 07:09
Nowadays, I have Netflix and Popcorn and not only I have since then an endless selection of movies to chose from but, as a result, I have became slightly more picky regarding the movies I watched. Before, I used to watch pretty much anything as long as it was starring one of two actors I was interested in, sometimes, I would end up watching some really obscure. This movie was a perfect. In this case, I have to admit that I always had a weak spot for Hilary Duff. I mean, sure, she is far from being a great actress but I always thought that she was quite charming. Anyway, by now, I have seen already almost all her movies many flicks and, to honest, she always hows up some very average even very bad movies and a few of them have already ended on my Top 50 worst movies ever made... This movie was a good example. I mean, the story was lame, the acting wa really weak and I was just bored throughout the whole thing. The only positive thing I think of is that it might be enjoyable for young girls between 9 and 14 years old, otherwise you'd better pass on this one.
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Woeful chick flick!
Posted : 16 years ago on 23 April 2008 01:15
"Waiting for you is like waiting for rain in this drought, useless and disappointing."
A chick flick with Hilary Duff? Did anyone expect this to end up being a good movie? A Cinderella Story is merely the classic tale of Cinderella that has been updated for the modern audience. Great, they do it with Shakespeare and now they're updating fairy-tales for the modern agenda? I really don't see the need.
A Cinderella Story is about a young girl named Sam Montgomery (Duff) who was orphaned as a child and is left to the mercy of her routinely oafish step-mother Fiona (Coolidge). Sam also lives with her hideous step sisters, and is basically treated like a slave by everyone in the house.
But Sam meets the man of her dreams in a chat room. For months they have exchanged pleasant messages from each other via internet chat rooms of mobile phone text messages. (Does anyone else think that if they had each other's mobile phone number they could just ring and chat voice-to-voice, and hence be done with the mystery?) The two then decide they should meet at the school Halloween dance. As it turns out, Sam's dream guy is the most popular bloke in school; Austin Ames (Murray).
From there on in it's a trip into familiar territory; no matter what happens we know how it is going to end. It's obvious how the film will end just by watching the first 10 minutes. But I found myself exhibiting an incredibly bleak, shallow tale that keeps going on and on with no ending in sight. But what is most frustrating is when Sam has ample opportunity to tell Austin face-to-face that she is his internet girl but always blows her chance. And at the Halloween ball...one simple little mask wouldn't be enough to cover her identity.
The whole movie is cheesy and predictable. And unlike most comedies like this, it ain't a fun ride to take. Hilary Duff is in dire need of acting lessons. With her character hoping to get into a certain university for the movie, I had a faint glimmer of hope that it would be some kind of acting school.
Chad Michael Murray isn't any better. He's robotic, wooden and always has the same expression on his face. And every time he tries to do something different he overdoes it. Jennifer Coolidge was the only one who actually supplied a few laughs because of how evil she is. Regina Hall and Dan Byrd were the stand-outs here though. Regina was really funny at times, and Dan actually tried to act. Qualities we never see in any of the main cast.
A Cinderella Story is very dull, corny and painfully predictable beyond all belief. It's nothing more than a retelling of the classic fairy-tale in a contemporary setting. Doing this with Shakespeare is a good idea to help the modern audience understand it more clearly, but this fairy-tale was already understandable. And hence the whole film is a complete and utter waste of time.
A chick flick with Hilary Duff? Did anyone expect this to end up being a good movie? A Cinderella Story is merely the classic tale of Cinderella that has been updated for the modern audience. Great, they do it with Shakespeare and now they're updating fairy-tales for the modern agenda? I really don't see the need.
A Cinderella Story is about a young girl named Sam Montgomery (Duff) who was orphaned as a child and is left to the mercy of her routinely oafish step-mother Fiona (Coolidge). Sam also lives with her hideous step sisters, and is basically treated like a slave by everyone in the house.
But Sam meets the man of her dreams in a chat room. For months they have exchanged pleasant messages from each other via internet chat rooms of mobile phone text messages. (Does anyone else think that if they had each other's mobile phone number they could just ring and chat voice-to-voice, and hence be done with the mystery?) The two then decide they should meet at the school Halloween dance. As it turns out, Sam's dream guy is the most popular bloke in school; Austin Ames (Murray).
From there on in it's a trip into familiar territory; no matter what happens we know how it is going to end. It's obvious how the film will end just by watching the first 10 minutes. But I found myself exhibiting an incredibly bleak, shallow tale that keeps going on and on with no ending in sight. But what is most frustrating is when Sam has ample opportunity to tell Austin face-to-face that she is his internet girl but always blows her chance. And at the Halloween ball...one simple little mask wouldn't be enough to cover her identity.
The whole movie is cheesy and predictable. And unlike most comedies like this, it ain't a fun ride to take. Hilary Duff is in dire need of acting lessons. With her character hoping to get into a certain university for the movie, I had a faint glimmer of hope that it would be some kind of acting school.
Chad Michael Murray isn't any better. He's robotic, wooden and always has the same expression on his face. And every time he tries to do something different he overdoes it. Jennifer Coolidge was the only one who actually supplied a few laughs because of how evil she is. Regina Hall and Dan Byrd were the stand-outs here though. Regina was really funny at times, and Dan actually tried to act. Qualities we never see in any of the main cast.
A Cinderella Story is very dull, corny and painfully predictable beyond all belief. It's nothing more than a retelling of the classic fairy-tale in a contemporary setting. Doing this with Shakespeare is a good idea to help the modern audience understand it more clearly, but this fairy-tale was already understandable. And hence the whole film is a complete and utter waste of time.
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