The Princess Diaries movie
The Princess Diaries is an American romantic-comedy film produced by Walt Disney Pictures and directed by Garry Marshall. The film follows Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway), a shy American teenager who learns she is heir to the throne of a European kingdom, Genovia, “which is between France and Spain”. Mia must decide whether to accept the throne she has inherited or relinquish her position permanently under the guidance of her estranged grandmother (Julie Andrews), the kingdom's reigning queen. This movie was released in the United States of America on August 03, 2001 while it was released in the Philippines on September 1, 2001.
With the exception of her mother, best friend Lilly, and Lilly's older brother Michael, Mia Thermopolis is an average teenager - sweet, a little geeky, and mostly invisible to everyone except her mother. It's difficult enough for Mia to get through high school without puking, so it's not exactly particularly favorable when her estranged grandmother, Queen Clarisse Renaldi, appears out of nowhere and explains her calmly that she is the successor to the throne of Genovia, a European country. Mia's life is suddenly thrown into full chaos. In order to become a perfect Princess, she is educated about scarves, waves, and pears, and she receives a makeover as well as a tough-looking, yet sweet bodyguard and limo driver named Joe. Things spiral out of control as the media picks up on the story, and Mia finds herself in the spotlight in newspapers and at school. On top of everything, Mia must make a decision. She must choose between relinquishing her claim to the kingdom or becoming the Princess and heir to the throne that her father, Philippe Renaldi and grandmother want her to be by Genovia's Independence Day Ball.
It's a small girl's fairytale come true. It's every high school girl's fantasy come true. Let's be honest, it's also a grownup woman's dream. Basically, almost every woman on the earth has imagined about being whisked out of her everyday life by the startling announcement that she is a princess, rather than a mere human. Even we guys get a royal muse now and then. That's when Mia Thermopolis enters the picture. She is the embodiment of that fantasy for all of us.
Although this picture is a typical mix teen comedy, if you're in the mood, it's actually pretty amusing. If you can get beyond the Disney emblem and obvious soundtrack pick, game carries forward with a familiar charm blended with some beautifully funny touches. The plot follows a somewhat predictable path, but it's still entertaining, and I wasn't bored at any point. The plot twists and character changes are a little flat (especially the love subplots), but things keep moving forward.
It's a classic tale full with moral teachings, honorable aspirations, and true love. It's Happy Days, but with characters and production values from the twenty-first century. And, best of all, it isn't preachy or dry. Mia's actions, as well as those of her family and friends, teach the lessons in an unassuming manner. The fact that Mia's mother kept her ethnicity a secret, for example, is used by the film's writers to make a point about families being honest with one another.
However, when you read the books, it is much more different compared to the movie. Most people would say that the book was a lot better. They were a lot of scenes and parts that were in the book but were not in the movie or were changed. In fact, the film erases a lot of what makes the book so compelling.
The Princess Diaries isn't exactly a masterpiece. It's not a social satire in the traditional sense. It's not even great cinematography. But it's mostly clean, hilarious, adorable, and harkens back to a period when movies were meant to be enjoyed rather than dissected by reviewers seeking hidden meanings. Family entertainment is something that has been largely absent from the big screen for a long time.
Lagrange