I can't rightly say if Enchanted film represents Disney taking on a slightly more sarcastic tone. It seems that way - yet the very traditional goofy comedy still prevails. Enchanted blends together the old and new giving family audiences a hybrid of the youthfully naïve and the jaded aged. Using vibrant animation for the opening story, the film quickly takes a turn into the "real world" where storybook endings are flipped on their heads.
Giselle (Amy Adams) lives in the forest accompanied by her many talking animal friends. Her simple life consists of making mannequins to mimic the Prince Charming she hopes to one day meet and singing as she does so. Giselle\'s simple peasant life comes crashing to an end as an impromptu ogre slaying introduces her to the so-called "man of her dreams", Prince Edward (James Marsden). Like all love in the fairy tale kingdom of Andalasia, it sets in instantaneously and the wedding is scheduled the next day. However, since we\'ve already seen that story countless times, the story has the Prince\'s jealous mother Queen Narissa push Giselle down a well and into New York City.
In New York City, Giselle finds herself helplessly unprepared...for anything. After climbing a castle-shaped billboard she catches the eye of Robert Phillip (Patrick Dempsey) and his fairy-tale fan daughter Morgan (Rachel Covey). They take Giselle back to their apartment so she can call someone she knows, but of course nothing is that simple. She spends the night and the traditional Disney magic begins...but with CGI created animals. After displaying her knack for talking to animals and singing unnecessarily Robert tries to break her of her silly notions about love and how the world should be. Meanwhile, Prince Edward discovers the dastardly deed committed by his mother and jumps down the well after Giselle: so begins his hunt for Giselle in New York City.
Using countless sight gags, sugary-sweet song and dance numbers and "fish out of water" bits the story progresses to a showdown between Giselle, Robert and a dragon.
Through it all, Enchanted pounds home the message that love doesn't always have a storybook ending so hard it hurts. Yet, it still feels free to go back on that lesson in the end. But no matter how many times it toggles that message, it stays clear on one issue: love doesn't happen over night. Considering how many Disney films end with that message, this is but one step in Disney revising their previously bandied romantic ideology. Enchanted lampoons enough of the Disney classics to entertain the adults while still throwing in the slapstick gags needed to make the chitlins laugh. The musical number ain't bad either.
Amy Adams may be the bubbliest* actress in the world. In that respect she fits the bill perfectly for the part of Giselle and it's hard to imagine anyone else filling the shoes quite so well. Her ‘this confuses me look' carries her through at least half the movie.
Patrick Dempsey, fresh off the Gray's Anatomy circuit, has all the right elements to play the skeptical and jaded divorce attorney. He's seen the fire of "true love" come crashing down like the ceiling in a burning building. Thus, his resistance to Giselle's simplified notions of love fit perfectly. His tutelage of her in the ways of modern day romance feels right for the movie's message.
James Marsden creates most of the laughs with his over the top Prince Edward. Everything about this portrayal feels right: he never changes out of the garish storybook clothing ‘til the end, he uses archaic phrases and knocks on every single door in an apartment building as he searches for Giselle. Despite the fact that after Enchanted and Hairspray it feels like Disney has Marsden deeply seated in their pockets, his performances in the last year show he's capable of playing any type of role.
This is the family comedy that this season needed. It pokes fun at Disney in all the right places and, as is expected of children's movies these days, makes attempts to entertain the adults. If Enchanted truly is the first step in a new direction for Disney, we should all be grateful. If not, at least Enchanted was a welcome respite from the dirge of pitiful sequels the company has contented itself with. Here's hoping.
*would you believe "bubbliest" is a word? Weird.
"Enchanted" opens November 21, 2007 and is rated PG. Animation, Children & Family, Fantasy. Directed by Kevin Lima. Written by Bill Kelly. Starring Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden, Timothy Spall, Susan Sarandon.
