Parents Television Council Reviews

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A Cinderella Story
By Elizabeth Palik

Release Date: July 16, 2004
Starring: Hilary Duff, Chad Michael Murray, Jennifer Coolidge, Julie Gonzalo, Regina King, Lin Shaye, Brenda Song, Brad Bufanda, Dan Byrd, Madeline Zima
Directed by: Mark Rosman
Genre: Romance, Comedy, Teen
MPAA Rating: PG - for mild language and innuendo

A Cinderella Story, starring Hilary Duff, is a witty and humorous remake of the classic Cinderella story. Producers call the movie "a twisted and hilarious update," and what an update! Hilary Duff's Cinderella, otherwise known as "Diner-girl" Sam Montgomery, lost her father in an earthquake, leaving her at the beck and call of her step mother, Fiona (Jennifer Coolidge) and her two stepsisters, Gabriella (Andrea Avery) and Brianna (Madeline Zima).

Instead of pining over her Prince Charming, Sam concentrates on working at her dad's diner, studying hard, and dreaming of getting a scholarship into Princeton. Sam finally meets her Prince on the internet in the form of the sensitive, poetic "Nomad" who is really football jock Austin Ames (Chad Michael Murray). They finally meet at their Halloween dance with the help of Sam's "fairy godmother" Rhonda (Regina King), a waitress at the diner, and her best friend Carter (Dan Byrd). Things do not go entirely smoothly for Sam and Austin, but the young lovers are finally united in a shower of fireworks during the football game. 

Other than a couple of play-brawls between Carter and Austin's friend David (Brad Bufanda) as well as the stepsisters' carwash catfight, A Cinderella Story is as wholesome as it gets.  It's indeed difficult to imagine fighting siblings and Carter trying to protect Shelby from David as being depictions of violence, and young audiences will be able to relate to boyish heroics and sibling rivalry.  The film also contains no sexual content except for some innocent kisses between Carter and Shelby and between Sam and Austin.

A Cinderella Story is more than a funny, heartwarming, cute fairy tale for little girls to watch and dream happy dreams of princes and love. A Cinderella Story is a true underdog story. The movie not only depicts the cruelty of high school teenagers and how far it can go, it goes one step further by exposing the insecurities that lead to bullying. Sam is a strong individual, certain of her dreams and her identity. She is not ashamed of who she is or the fact that she is not part of the in-crowd.  She is a good student and a hard worker, she is not obsessed with how she looks and does not compromise her beliefs to get ahead in school.

A Cinderella Story is not just for pre-teen girls, it's great fun for audiences of all ages.

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