movie review: ever after(1998)

This film is a twist on the classic Cinderella fairytale, starring Drew Barrymore as Danielle de Barbarac aka Cinderella and Dougray Scott as prince charming, Henry. 

the pros. This movie manages to keep the original tale alive yet transition to a newer, more appealing and modern style. All while setting the story back hundreds of years before many modern day inventions. It is not an easy thing to do and do well. In the popular Cinderella tale, Cinderella is more passive. She doesn't fight back that much. This is not the case in Ever After. Danielle de Barbarac(nicknamed Cinderella) must fight at almost every turn in the story. If she does not, she stands to lose everything she has. It is a dangerous and very hard situation and we're surprised for such a lovely ending to the story. The stepmother, Rodmilla de Ghent, is just evil and stops just short of physically strangling the girl to death simply because of the prospect that the french throne might be hers. Through it all, Danielle manages to remain strong and really you can't say that it was an easy feat at all. The scene with the gypsies and Danielle having to put the prince on her back in order to save their behinds was unique and quite funny(sorry prince henry!). It's unexpected for a woman of such a household, especially back then, to be able to exit such a situation so gracefully. Congrats to Drew Barrymore, Dougray Scott, the directer, writers and the cast for putting on such a good performance. This is the kind of acting and story that people want to see.  

the cons. Now we get that this is fantasy but the whole british accent and french royalty thing, maybe it would be better to really just keep it french. You know, lighter on the british influence. There can be a british version maybe. Later. That'd be interesting.

the rating. The story is well done, the characters interesting, the soundtrack lovely and the fashion is appealing. We'd give this film an 8.5/10