Penelope (2006)

The modern-day fairy tale Penelope centers on the title character (Christina Ricci), born into a privileged, but magically cursed, family, which results in her ears and nose being unalterably pig-like. Her high-strung mother (Catherine O'Hara) believes the curse will only be broken if she marries "one of her own kind" (meaning an appropriately rich man) and she sends a constant stream of suitors to Penelope, all of whom run away at the sight of her.

Her parents force her to be a shut-in, never allowed to leave their mansion, so when reporter Lemon (Peter Dinklage) gets wind of a "terrifying, monstrous" pig-faced girl living in hiding, he sends in-debt blue-blood gambler Max (James McAvoy) to be a new suitor and spy. He enjoys speaking to Penelope through a two-way mirror for several days in a row, but is taken aback by her appearance when she finally reveals himself. Fed up with her incarceration and more curious about the outside world after her conversations with Max, she escapes her family and experiences what normal life can be like, disguising her face with a scarf.

I've always been a sucker for a good fairy tale- when I was a kid I read and re-read whatever magic-related story I could get my hands on. Bringing those nostalgic words "once upon upon time" to a modern setting always seems like a good idea to me, so I am pretty fond of Penelope's premise. The story isn't especially new, but is told well and with eloquence. And it has a nice "like yourself for who you are" kind of message. I remember it receiving negative reviews when it came out, and I wonder if that's because it isn't really tailored for a broad audience. It's simplistic in some ways to keep its fairy tale theme, but focuses on adults and features some adult humor and dialogue. I'm guessing not every grown-up viewer would appreciate this duality.

Penelope has unexpectedly beautiful visuals, with detailed and slightly whimsical settings and colorful costumes. It doesn't look completely overdone or unreal, just slightly sweeter and more stagy than real life. It's just a pleasant experience to watch. The cast is great- Christina Ricci, Catherine O'Hara, and Peter Dinklage are all actors I enjoy in anything and Reese Witherspoon shows up briefly (don't let the poster fool you, she's not one of the stars) as Penelope's feisty new vespa-riding friend. I still haven't quite figured out James McAvoy. Do I like him? Is he attractive? Can he act? I'm just not sure yet, but he's cute in this.

All in all Penelope is a really sweet modern fairy tale with lovely visuals and a swell cast. It's a nice little diversion to lose yourself in for an hour and a half, and I'll probably find myself watching it again whenever it's on television.

4/5