Cindy re-make
Ruwini JAYAWARDANA
A scene from the movie A Cinderella Story
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The popular fairytale, Cinderella has served as an inspiration for
countless films. The idea of the poor but pretty step daughter who
elevates to the rank of a ‘princess’ and steals the ‘prince’s’ heart is
a common theme in most romantic films. Even classic favourites like My
Fair Lady and Pretty Woman embody fragments of the Cinderella tale.
The story has been told and retold throughout the years but had
withstood time.
After all everyone likes a happy ending in which the star-crossed
lovers are united by destiny. However though it is a safe plot to turn
into a film, it takes a lot more work to turn it into a production in
which the director could offer anything new to the hackneyed fairytale.
This is the true test and one that A Cinderella Story director Mark
Rosman and writer Leigh Dunlap seem to have tackled and overcome in some
instances of the film.
Though the film is a triumph on the entertainment side, it seems to
embody mainly light entertainment. The story may keep you engaged with
its suspense, comedy and visual beauty but there are only a few features
that are special about it. It is the original Cinderella tale set in the
modern world, with the wicked stepmother, spoilt stepsisters and
handsome Prince Charming who seems to be beyond Cinderella’s reach.
Centring on a girl named Samantha Montgomery aka Sam, A Cinderella
Story opens in the Los Angeles suburbs. The first few episodes project
Sam as a child playing baseball with her father.
Her life takes a new turn when her father decides to marry Fiona, a
woman that he encounters at Sam’s birthday party. Later her father
informs the young lass that she should apply for Princeton College
because ‘that’s where princesses go to college’. Thus her fate is
sealed. The little girl will one day grow up to become a beautiful young
woman who will win over her prince and make it into Princeton where they
will ‘live happily every after’.
The ‘prince’ turns out to be a guy who shares the common dream of
attending Princeton with Sam. They exchange text messages and e mails
regularly but are unaware of each other’s identity. So to put a stop to
the suspense, they decide to meet at the school’s homecoming dance which
coincidently turns out to be a Halloween themed costume ball.
Meanwhile the identity of Sam’s e mail correspondent is revealed to
the audience. He is Austin Ames, the most handsome and popular guy at
school, the captain of the football team and boyfriend of the posh and
snobbish Shelby Cummings.
When Sam is made to work at the diner at the night of the costume
ball, it is her diner manager who turns fairy godmother and helps to put
together a costume for the meet-up. Replace the glass slipper with a
cell phone and the rest of the story falls in place. The new features
added to the tale are the set of mean girls at school, Sam’s sidekick -
Carter and her friends at the diner. They are the ones who keep the
audience engrossed in the story.
Hilary Duff carries her role well though Chad Michael Murray fails as
the sensitive, poetry reading Austin. The rest of the cast includes
Jennifer Coolidge, Dan Byrd, Regina King and Julie Gonzalo.
The movie is a watchable teen romance with a modern twist. You may
not feel the minutes ticking by but at the end, it does not leave you
much to think over. However if you love romantic comedies, put A
Cinderella Story on you list. |