Here was the
film that made a splash when people didn’t expect it to. Even I, when I saw it
back then, wasn’t easily drawn to see it and put it off for some years until I
was forced to watch it by my sister. I was so impressed by the comedy, the
acting, and the writing. Since then, the movie has become one of my all-time
guilty pleasures, a movie I can watch anytime.
This was the
movie that introduced me to Anne Hathaway as a bankable character to watch,
expecting nothing less than a fantastic performance. It also brought Julie
Andrews back into the spotlight, marking her return to movie acting for Disney
since Mary
Poppins (1964). Also, in the cast is the beautiful Mandy Moore, who
plays Mia’s rival, and the now-popular Sandra Oh (from the hit show Killing Eve),
who played the vice-principal at Mia’s school.
The movie is
based on the 2000 novel of the same name by Meg Cabot. The film follows Mia
Thermopolis (Hathaway), a shy teenager who lives with her single mother, Helen.
Mia's only friend is the social outcast Lilly and her brother Michael. Mia
learns she is heir to the throne of a European kingdom, an information that
comes to her because her father, whom she has not met, has passed away. Mia's
grandmother (Andrews), the current leader of the throne, has come to America to
groom and train Mia to be a queen.
After some
stunts, Mia’s place as the heir to the throne is made public, which makes it
even harder for her, as she would rather just remain hidden from the world. Now
she must decide whether to claim the throne she has inherited or renounce her
title permanently.
The movie has
beautiful set designs, costumes, and soundtrack. It had one of the most
successful G-rated film openings at the box office, even though it had mixed
critical reviews. With a $26 million budget, the film brought Disney over $165
million at the box office, which led to a sequel, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal
Engagement, three years later, which was also a box office success. There have
been talks of a third movie for years, but who knows?
I didn’t fancy
the sequel, and for that reason, this has always been the one for me. The movie
is exciting and fun to watch at any time, for you and the family.
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