Fairy-tale success story: from little nobody to big somebody, minus any desire or effort, more like a lottery prize. More exactly like an unexpected inheritance: the throne of Genovia (pear capital of Europe), by subterranean bloodline. What a surprise for a frizzy-haired, four-eyed, fifteen-year-old San Franciscan misfit! The transformation of the Ugly Duckling ("If Brooke Shields married Groucho Marx, their child would have your eyebrows") falls a long way shy of a miracle, and nothing shy of a pitch for the beauty parlor. Even before she is defrizzed, defuzzed, and despectacled, the filmmakers have a hard time hiding the physical blessings of Anne Hathaway; and to pair her with Heather Matarazzo as best friends tends to raise her up rather than drag her down. Notwithstanding the trouperish contributions of Hector Elizondo (it's a Garry Marshall film, so there is perforce a part for Hector Elizondo) and a non-singing Julie Andrews (now in the Prof. Henry Higgins role instead of the Eliza Dolittle), this dish of milk-toast is for either very little girls or very old girls only. (2001) — Duncan Shepherd
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