En-What?! No, Really: Enchanted

Living RomCom is technically on holiday hiatus -- Tater and I are in NYC after a turkey stint in Baltimore at my brother's -- but I can't resist spreading the holiday cheer with a quick movie tip for rom-com lovers.  Call me kinky, call me crazy, call me a sentimental tool of corporate capitalism, but to me, a Disney movie that's primarily for kids is one of the best romantic comedies of 2007.

I'd like to say that going to Enchanted the day after Thanksgiving was the idea of my10 year-old niece Lucy, but if truth be told, it was none other than our friend Manohla Dargis who, sort of giggling with guilty pleasure glee, insisted that we see the movie ASAP (you can read her NY Times review here).  And I'm glad we did, because:

Amy Adams, as an animated Snow White-like fairyland princess who ends up in live-action New York City, is amazing; the musical numbers by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz (including a deliciously straight-faced send-up of all such Disney musical numbers that features, and makes rhymes with, dancing vermin) are fabulous; the lack of nudge-wink overkill in Bill Kelly's witty script is admirable; and the incidental perks -- including a nice wicked witch turn by Susan Sarandon and a sly homage to The Sound of Music plus narration by Julie Andrews herself -- make this the only Disney-for-kids movie I've seen in a decade or two that I just may have to see again.

Should you be embarrassed to pay money for such seeming froth, then as Manohla points out, you can consider yourself politically correct in going, due to the movie's surprisingly overt feminist subtext.  So find a kid to see this movie with if you need an excuse (Lucy did like it as much as we did), or failing that, buy some popcorn for your inner child.  We're not talking Oscars or seriosity for the ages here, gang, but I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Comments

[debbieb]

Thanks Billy! Happy Holidays! You make our lives ENCHANTED with your lovely, funny and oh so true blog posts! Thanks for another year of wonderful! Can't wait to see ENCHANTED myself. Yay for the Rom Com!

[jamy]

I just saw it yesterday, largely due to the overwhelmingly positive reviews. I was very pleased! Many funny moments and Amy Adam plays her role perfectly--completely sincere but never cloying. And the cleaning scene in the NY apartment? Laugh out loud funny!

[E.C. Henry]

May go to see it just because it passed you standards of high qualit, Billy. Otherwise I'd probably skip it. I need more happyness in my life, maybe "Enchanted" can help fill that void.

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA

[Fun Joel]

If you're still in NYC tomorrow morning (Monday) and want to catch up, let me know. I'll still be here until midday, when I head to Newark for my flight back to LA. Email me.

[Christian Howell]

Ooooh, feminist subtext. That makes it a winner in my book.

[davidwag]

With low expectations, I took my girls. I have to admit, it was fantastic. I have been recommending it enthusiastically. Maybe too enthusiastically - people are starting to avoid me.

Re: feminist context - what I thought was interesting was that they showed the flip side of that coin as well, albeit in a tacked-on fashion.

[mernitman]

Debbie B: Right back at you!!!

Jamy: That "Happy Working Song" is available on YouTube and it's just as funny the 2nd time.

EC: I think Enchanted will help fill that void.

FunJoel: Dude, we were (air)ships passing in the, um, day -- but thanks for the invite. Hope to catch up soon.

Christian: ...and of course, the same-old patriarchal stuff in the very back end, but still: fairly forward-thinking --

--as David points out: impressively adept at providing something for everyone, weren't it?

[Danny]

Billy,
I really enjoy your writing and perspective. Sorry I have nothing to say about this entry, as I haven't seen the flick. But I've been getting a lot of traffic from your site to mine - which I wanted to thank you for, by the way (thank you) - and plan to revisit often.
By the way, there's a New Mexico strike meeting this afternoon where the gathered writers will try to figure out what the heck to picket out here. We're very angry at the prairie dogs, and have a bone to pick with various, uh, boulders. I'll keep you apprised.
Have a terrific vacation.
--danny

[MaryAn]

Who says it's "for kids"? No, really. Watch it a second time and think Bugs Bunny all the while asking yourself, "is this a kid's movie with adult subtleties thrown in because the little buggers can't drive themselves yet or is it an adult film masquerading as a kid's flick?" Tell me after you've seen it a second time.

[mernitman]

You're so welcome, Danny, and hey -- careful with those boulders, as they just don't listen to reason.

I'm sure you're right MaryAn, even without a second viewing; I think this is a rare case of a cuts-both-ways movie that really is a "family" film (i.e. something in it for the whole...).

[JohnofScribblesheet]

I stumbled across this blog. Interesting read. Romcoms have really bastardized peoples perception of love and life.

[Betsy]

Wow, who'da guessed?
Have you seen I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With yet? We saw a screening here in Chicago and just loved it, and I am hoping your professional opinion will be the same.

[sal]

feminist subtext?? Ummm that bit must've passed me by. The message of the film seemed to be, you can get a guy by wearing pretty dresses and being very tidy, and actually if you wear pretty dresses its OK to steal another woman's man especially if she is a mobile phone toting career hag, who then turns into a pretty dress girl in order to catch a man. Having said that, it was quite a laugh, but overall, this is a film for knowing adults, not kids IMO

[mernitman]

Hey Johnof: Well, when you put it that way... could even be a compliment?

Betsy: Cheese has yet to spread to L.A. I'll keep my crackers ready!

Sal: Well, yeah... I meant the notion that a stereotypical prince wasn't what would rescue this fairly empowered princess, but in the end, it's same-old, as you point out. The demographics are skewing every which way, tho, and 9 year-olds seem to dig it a lot. Threat or menace? You be the judge.