Penelope

Review By: Andrea Tuccillo
AndreaTuccillo@TheCinemaSource.com

Penelope is a whimsical fairytale with a modern day twist, and while it may not have as much sparkle and pizzazz as last year’s Enchanted, it does possess a quirkier story, a spellbinding supporting cast, and a visual aesthetic to rival television’s Pushing Daisies.

As a young woman affected by a long-standing family curse, Penelope has the nose and ears of a pig. She’s been cooped up in her house all of her life by her parents—mostly her overbearing mother (Catherine O’Hara) who wants desperately for her daughter to be normal and doesn’t do much to encourage her self-esteem. The only way the spell can be broken is when Penelope is loved by “her own kind.” Her parents believe this means a suitor of equally aristocratic background. So from the time Penelope turns 18, they audition a long line of would-be spell-breakers.

Unfortunately, over the next six years, none of them stick. Every guy that comes face to face with Penelope’s, um, unique attributes runs away screaming. The frightened fellows are always forced to sign an agreement swearing them to secrecy, until one suitor escapes before they can get him to do so.

This rogue witness to Penelope’s true looks, Edward (Simon Woods), gets deemed crazy when he tries to tell people just what he saw. He over-exaggerates her hideousness (In actuality, the pig snout doesn’t look all that bad). Not about to tarnish his family name, Edward teams up with a reporter named Lemon (Peter Dinklage) and schemes to get a picture of Penelope’s snout. They enlist Max (James McAvoy), a once-wealthy heir-turned-gambling-addict in need of some quick cash, to pose as a suitor and snap some photos. But could Max actually be the one to break the spell?

Before we can find out, a misunderstanding leads Penelope to run away from home and venture out into the real world. In this case, it’s the ambiguous American-European hybrid of a city which lies just beyond her family’s secluded estate. With a scarf strategically placed over her face (thank goodness it was winter), Penelope begins experiencing life—she drinks beer, befriends a moped-riding chick named Annie (Reese Witherspoon), and learns to truly love herself for the way she is.

The uplifting script by Leslie Caveny contains some welcome surprises. These unforeseen developments take the film in an unexpected direction. Its messages of tolerance, acceptance, and inner beauty also make it good for the whole family.

While the film has a sweet message and succeeds overall, I found Christina Ricci’s performance to be lacking. Her Penelope is a bit like a cartoon, and never really goes beyond just that. I