Penelope Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
A fairytale like no other.
She's been hiding all her life. Now she'll show the world just who she really is.
This is the story of a named Penelope, who is the victim of a curse placed on a wealthy family by a witch. After generations ago, a witch placed a curse on the Wilhern family that would result in the next girl being born into the clan having the face of a pig. The otherwise-normal girl Penelope is forced to endure life with a pig's snout instead of a conventional nose, which has sent many a potential suitor running off into the streets, shouting in terror. Eventually, she runs away from her sheltered existence and overprotective parents, to explore the world on her own. As she meets new friends and a potential lover who doesn't run away, she begins to discover happiness - while all the while her parents believe the only way she can be happy is through an arranged marriage, which will hopefully break her curse.
| Christina Ricci | Penelope |
| James McAvoy | Max |
| Catherine O'Hara | Jessica Wilhern |
| Reese Witherspoon | Annie |
| Peter Dinklage | Lemon |
| Richard E. Grant | Franklin Wilhern |
| Simon Woods | Edward Vanderman Jr. |
| Ronni Ancona | Wanda |
| Jason Thornton | Shane |
| Russell Brand | |
| Martin Nigel Davey | Street Vendor |
| Michael Feast | |
| Christopher Fosh | Chris Casino Security |
| Nick Frost | Max Campion |
| Burn Gorman | Larry |
| Mark Palansky |
8.40 out of 10 (580 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Amazingly Heartfelt.
posted on 23 Jul 2009I have never been a fan of Christina Ricci because she always plays teenagers, but in this movie, she earned my respect. It was clever and sweet, and completely worth watching. Reese Witherspoon makes a very small cameo, but is also delightful.Ricci's portrayal of Penelope was so perfect. It could have been a very hollow performance, but she gave Penelope heart. I don't recall ever seeing such a moving PG rated movie! The other characters were amazing as well. It was a great surprise to see Catherine O'Hara (Home Alone, Beetle Juice) in the movie. I definitely recommend taking the entire family to see this movie! The message is a truly wonderful! So, overall: Good Message, Good Acting, Good Story, Great Movie.
Don't hide your face
posted on 24 May 2009A little boy in a movie once said, " It's not the power of the curse, it's the power you give to the curse." The movie teaches a very important lesson of self love. All of us as humans, seem to be on a never ending quest to find someone to love us, and if we don't, for some reason we slip into self-hate, questions of why am i not good enough? Why am i alone? Why can't someone just love me? And the answer is because the cliché is true, you can't be loved, or in love, until you love yourself. At the core, that's what this story is about, an important lesson to be learned, specially for the younger generation. A generation that is artificial,plastic really.Side note: Christina Ricci is an amazing actress
McCheesy's take on "Penelope"
posted on 14 May 2009Love stories are always neutral in my book. I'm not really a fan of them but once in a while, I watch a romantic film or two.Penelope is a magical fairy tale complete with curses and wicked witches but set against the backdrop of modern day New York (or whatever city that is). It sounds a lot like "Enchanted" no? But there's no musical or remote-controlled animals here, they're getting beefed up with the modern day fairy tale thing here and I honestly believe it worked pretty well.Christina Ricci, a great young actress was adorable. Young lad James McAvoy pulled off the role Prince Charming really well. I can't wait for Wanted.And I can't believe Peter Dinklage is here! He's back! I last saw him in the Vin Diesel starrer "Find Me Guilty" which was like three years ago, man I was surprised to see him here. He is so underrated just because he's small doesn't mean he can't act.Anyhow, I'd say 7/10 PS. Christina Ricci is still hot with the snout. I've seen worse.
Penelope is one very sweet film, fans of romance will love it
posted on 12 May 2009Penelope (Christina Ricci) was born into a family of wealth. However, due to a long-ago relative's abandonment of the servant girl he supposedly loved, Penelope has suffered the consequences of the family curse. It seems the servant's mother was a witch and she cast a spell on the family by decreeing that any female offspring would have a pig's snout for a nose. The curse could be broken, though, with the "true love" of a young suitor. Naturally, her parents (Catherine O'Hara and Richard E. Grant) have tried to shield their daughter from publicity, even arranging a "fake" funeral of their infant daughter in order to keep the paparazzi away. The result is that Penelope is a virtual prisoner in her own home, waiting for the young male to free her from her situation. Oh, yes, the young men come calling, for they will share a large fortune upon marrying the young woman, but they always run away when they behold Penelope's face. However, a determined reporter (Peter Dinklage) wants to get photographs of Penelope in the worst way so he hires a "down-on-his-luck" aristocrat, Max, to court the heiress and take secret shots with a camera. As often happens, don't you know, things do not go as planned when Max actually sees past Penelope's nose and glimpses the beautiful person she is inside. Will there be a fairy tale ending? This is a lovely film, tailor-made for the romantic of any age. Ricci is enchanting as the unfortunate but spunky heroine and McAvoy is fast becoming a modern hearthrob, despite his far from conventional good looks. The rest of the cast is quite nice as well, including O'Hara, Reese Witherspoon, Nigel Havers, and others. It should be noted that the very talented Grant fulfills his role well, too, but is hardly given the opportunity to display his mighty acting chops. As for Dinklage, he, also, does a very fine turn as the unethical reporter. The sets are beyond lovely, from the castle to the lovely scenes around London while the costuming and art direction could hardly be better, either. Ricci, especially, looks lovely, despite her prominent nose, as her outfits compliment her spectacular figure. Do you hanker after those fairy tale films with their proverbial happy finishes? You would be well advised to pick up Penelope soon.
A cute movie for all the family
posted on 02 May 2009I entered the cinema expecting a typical kiddie movie, I left with a that but with a great big smile on my face also. Penelope doesn't really deliver too much in the comedy department but what it does bring is a heart warming and the strong message of learning to accept yourself the way you are. Chrsitna Ricci did a good job as the girl with a snout, which the whole movie made a big deal about. James McAvoy, donning an American accent was also impressive as the love interest. Reese Witherspoon shone in this movie as both producer and as the friend of our snout bearing heroine. Overall a cast of good acting and a sweet story. Kids will laugh and adults can watch this without falling asleep. Its a perfect Sunday afternoon treat.
It sucked.
posted on 02 May 2009This film sucked ass plain in simple. Almost every single member of the cast that hailed from the UK put on American accents. It just seems a huge waste to me to put a hot-tie like James McAvoy in a film and not let him use his naturally sexy dialect. Besides that it was just a horrible film with a meandering plot that ignored basic story structure. The First Act was like half the film. I wanted to shoot myself. Thank God that James McAvoy is hot otherwise I would never had made it through this jalopy of a film. The always brilliant Catherine O'Hara was also wasted in this film going from understandably concerned to unmotivated evil. The part where the butler turns out to be the witch comes out of nowhere. And "the power was always inside of me" ending was atrocious, cringe worthy and almost made me puke! There is a scene where Reese Witherspoon's character, Annie, attending Penelope's wedding voices concern to a fellow wedding guest about how she doubts the grooms true intentions that looks like something one would find on the cutting room floor, and rightly so. Aesthetics were, however, were well conceived. But a good art department can only do so much for a horrid plot.
Penelope is beautiful, even with the pig nose
posted on 30 Apr 2009'Penelope' revolves around a rich girl, Penelope, who happens to be put on a curse: taking on the physical appearance of a pig. She must overcome this by finding someone of her own kind who can love her for who she is. Her parents, most notably her mother, go miles to achieve this by becoming matchmakers and confining her to their home to prevent outside criticism, but each attempt fails, until Penelope decides to take control of her life.I enjoyed this movie so much! It's always a good way to lighten up a day. It's one of those feel-good movies that radiate positive themes. It has a sense of humor, a wonderful cast, fun characters and a cute storyline. Christina Ricci was very endearing, James McAvoy is a pleasure to watch as always, Reese Witherspoon's role was small yet enjoyable and Catherine O'Hara is often times hilarious. The film is one of the most aesthetically beautiful that I've seen in awhile: it's very colorful! I wish more people saw this movie. If you loved movies like Big Fish, this is also one you will love.
Fairy tale 'Penelope' has vaguely happy ending
posted on 20 Apr 2009In a modern twist on the "Beauty and the Beast," "Sleeping Beauty" and "Shrek" fairy tales, Christina Ricci ("Addam's Family," "Sleepy Hollow"), stars as the title character, cursed with a pig's nose as penance for a sin she had nothing to do with.It seems a royal London ancestor jilted a common woman back (whom he impregnated) in the 1800s, causing her to commit suicide. The woman's mother - dubbed the "town witch" - uttered the swine curse which passed on only to females born into the clan. Hey, in my opinion, the mother had a legitimate point here ...Growing up in almost complete isolation and seclusion under an embarrassed and frantic mother (Catherine O'Hara, "Home Alone," "Best Of Show," "A Mighty Wind"), Penelope leads a lonely, bitter existence. O'Hara has some fun with this role as the shrewish mother who is devastated to learn that the nose is connected to her daughter's carotid artery, and therefore cannot be removed.Still, however, since she is wealthy beyond imagination, Penelope continues to entertain blue-blooded suitors who seek her hand in marriage.Unfortunately, when the eligible bachelors see her, they take a quick exit (usually out of her mansion's second-story window), causing the young girl's exasperated mother to become even more exasperated.When the last man, Edward Vanderman, Jr. (Simon Woods), takes a powder upon viewing her mug, a couple of newspaper reporters, including Lemon (Peter Dinklage, "Elf," "The Station Master"), write about his experience, basically labeling him as insane.To prove he is not, Vanderman and Lemon hire a down-on-his-luck gambler, Max (James McAvoy, "The Last King of Scotland," "Atonement"), to get a photo of Penelope to show the world. Of course, as one could surmise in a film like this, Max begins to fall in love with her - when he cannot see her. When she finally appears to him, however, he reacts just like everyone else.Penelope then takes off (much to the consternation of mom), meets the gum-smacking motorcycle-riding pseudo lesbian, Anne (the film's producer Reese Witherspoon) and is finally outed by the media.Most of those who ridiculed her are remorseful by the movie's conclusion and the message is a "Shrek"-like, "Accept yourself for what you are." The problem is, after she accepts herself for what she is, the curse is (*SPOILER ALERT*) modified.Therefore, the message should be, "Accept yourself for what you are and you can then change to be like everyone else."Or, "Forget about individuality and conform, CONFORM!"I'm sorry, but sticking a small pig's nose on Christina Ricci does not make her any less beautiful. In fact, in a strange way, it makes her more vulnerable and as such, much more appealing. To me, the whole idea of all of these guys asking to marry her (even though they HAVE to had heard about her situation), then reacting like Marilyn's dates on "The Munster's," is totally ridiculous.I would have accepted her, but then again, I guess I can accept almost anything, except for the premise of this picture. That being written, however, the movie does have a heart and with decent performances by Ricci, O'Hara, Dinklage and McAvoy (who broods and feels sorry for himself a lot), should be enjoyed by teenage girls, women and a few men around this time of cinematic flotsam before the blockbuster season is upon us.
Beautifully Fantastical
posted on 14 Apr 2009In the first ten minutes of this film, I kept thinking, "Hmm...this looks like a Tim Burton film." And the look is very fantastic in the Burtonesque style, but it lacks the darkness usually associated with the look of Burton's films. Penelope is a light-hearted flick that is infinitely appropriate for your kids.This film is a fantasy set outside of recognizable space and time. The city in which Penelope lives is an interesting mixture of London and Manhattan, and people speak in both American and English accents, and no one ever questions it. It appears that the likable characters, the "Good Guys", if you will, all speak American and the "Bad Guys" are all decidedly British.Ricci is a likable heroine. She's bright and spunky despite her sheltered existence. When she goes out into the world, she's a babe in the woods, and Annie (producer Reese Witherspoon) is there to give her the grand tour. Witherspoon is sprightly and likable, but I kept thinking the part was better suited to perennial scene-stealer Judy Greer.And I cannot say enough about James McAvoy, who plays Penelope's love-interest, Max. I've known who the Scottish actor was since long before The Chronicles of Narnia and The Last King of Scotland. He brings out his American accent for the first time since Band of Brothers, and is absolutely flawless. While he basically looks like a cuter version of Ringo Starr from Sergeant Pepper, he really does rock the hat and scarf look as well as Ewan McGregor in Moulin Rouge. His character's own struggle is as moving as Penelope's and more relatable.The supporting cast is also stunning. Catherine O'Hara plays a mom that strongly puts me in mind of Mrs. Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. She's selfish, but you still feel for her, because you see she's just trying to do what she thinks is best for her daughter. Peter Dinklage plays a tabloid reporter who's been looking for Penelope since she was born, and he goes on his own emotional journey through the film, and, in the end, plays in integral part in the central romance. Simon Woods does a one-eighty from his lovable role in Pride and Prejudice, and plays a snobby, blue-blooded git to perfection. He is unlikeable to the last.This film also takes some interesting twists that I didn't see coming which takes it beyond the level of a kid's film or even your basic romantic comedy.My only problem with the film, is actually the central problem in the film; Penelope's curse: she has a pig face. But she's not horrible, she adorable. This is, actually the conclusion a lot of people in the film come to, but I don't see where they ever thought otherwise.But the film's themes, like loving yourself as you are, are themes Hollywood needs to spread more of, because when you love yourself, others will love you too. I also like the idea of love inspiring people to be better. Penelope's love for Max inspires her to go out into the world. And Penelope's bold journey inspires Max to rid himself of his vices and embrace his talents. It's a beautifully fantastic tale of true love conquering everything, even having a piggy nose.
Lovely :)
posted on 15 Mar 2009I really enjoyed this one, it's a very pleasant and refreshing little movie. Dealing with acceptance and self-acceptance in a sweet fairytale way, without violence or any true "bad guy" role, it is simply stunning most of the way. Unfortunately I think that last 15 minutes are a bit rushed and too sweetened, IMHO movie should have continued in it's previous pace and direction disregarding length and box office...Also, I would prefer to have seen Ricci's mask a bit more on the gross side, otherwise everything is technically very solid. The cast is strong, I must repeat other comments and hail great Peter Dinklage for his brilliant role of Lemon.Watch it please, it has laughs and tears in it and I'm not the type of guy who's easily impressed by sweetness :)
An uplifting tale with something for everyone.
posted on 03 Mar 2009I saw this at a preview and really enjoyed this movie. It's a wonderful take on the common theme of accepting who you are, not what you are.Although aimed at tweens/teens, it has elements which also makes this entertaining for adults. It has great visual appeal, slapstick humor as well as clever writing throughout.This movie deserves to be successful and it's best promotional vehicle will be word of mouth.It is well cast and Cristina Ricci, as the main character, is instantly engaging.A fun movie for all !
a more than IDEAL cast wasted...........
posted on 15 Feb 2009this movie was the most awaited movie for me..... but then when i saw the trailer of the movie i was like WHT WAS I THINKING???? anyways not my fault... REESE WItherspoon, James McAvoy, Christina Ricchi, Catherine O'Hara.... wow... thts my FAV actors list there.... BUT hey this movie is just a LITTLE kiddish Chick flick.... the love between James and Ricchi seemed so Unconvincing..... the story was Arghhh.... anyways the moral was good and this movie is good for KIDS.... so PLEASE kids Go watch this movie... else Adults...Don't waste your time.... i was actually hoping to see Reese and James interacting in some scenes but ALAS nothing of that sort happened...
Penelope Movie Review
posted on 28 Jan 2009A rather childish blend of comedy, romance and the unearthing of morals and prejudices, Penelope tells the story of a horribly disfigured woman searching for a mythical cure to a monstrous curse. Essentially a reversed Beauty and the Beast, the film manages to be delightful occasionally, but as revolting as a pig-faced child during much of the character development and progression of romance.When a misguided Wilhern blueblood falls in love with a common woman and then backs out of a marriage to save his noble name, the distraught girl commits suicide. Her furious mother (who is conveniently a witch) places a curse on the first baby girl to be born into the bloodline. After generations of nothing but male heirs to the sizeable estate, Penelope (Christina Ricci) is finally born, a girl with the cursed ears and nose of a pig. Penelope is locked away and raised alone – her parents constantly worried about how the cruel outside world might react to her abnormalities. While some believe in the legend and others do not, Penelope's only hope of undoing her hideous bovine appendages is to find a fellow blueblood that will love and accept her as she is.As she learns to live with constant rejection, her parents struggle to keep her away from the media and from other people, first by faking her death, and then by holing her away in their luxurious mansion. To preserve the wealth in the family, her parents attempt to marry her off with a huge dowry, but suitor after suitor runs away in terror. One-eyed photographer Lemon (Peter Dinklage) uses sniveling blueblood Edward Vanderman (Simon Woods) and down-on-his-luck gambler Max Campion (James McAvoy) to get a picture of the pig-girl for use in his newspaper. When Penelope runs away, Max finds himself falling for her when no one else can bear to look in her direction.Is this film really about looking beyond the physical features of a person to discover their inner beauty? Or is it that rich people suck? Whatever the case may be, it's difficult to believe the message about inner beauty when Christina Ricci is gorgeous even with the pig makeup. The themes of the film are often lost amongst the bits of comedy that rarely evoke laughter and the shallow character development that causes these paper-thin personas to lose steam almost immediately. The blossoming romance between Max and Penelope is amateurishly insincere and the dialogue that accompanies their flirtations is largely far-fetched. Regardless of the message, the execution in storytelling is notably disorderly. Right from the get-go Penelope feels like a live-action recreation of a motif from Shrek, in which the comical green man decides Fiona is perfect as an ogre.The large amount of cameos in Penelope almost make this film worth watching, although some of them are just obscure enough that they might not fall into the category of a cameo. Nick Frost from "Hot Fuzz" and "Shaun of the Dead" shows up, as does Lenny Henry, from the 1990's BBC show "Chef!". Supporting roles consist of Richard E. Grant from "Withnail and I" fame as Penelope's father, and Catherine O'Hara (For Your Consideration) as her mother. Simon Woods does an excellent job as the whiny aristocrat who will do anything to preserve his high-class name, and Ricci is unquestionably pleasant to watch.Sadly, Penelope works better as a thought-provoking concept than a feature length movie, and the interesting idea is quickly buried amongst the painfully mediocre dialogue and commonplace plot points.- Mike Massie
A charming modern day fairy tale
posted on 28 Jan 2009This film is about a cursed young woman, who needs to marry a man who loves her in order to break the curse.Penelope, despite her (rather unconvincing) bad looks, is actually lovable and charming. She dreams of a day when she will be liked, but every times she ends up being ridiculed and hurt. She even exclaims that she is a monster out of despair and desperation, when Max withdraws his hand. I am sure a lot of people can sympathise with Penelope in this aspect.It is quite a twist that the fairy tale is actually about self acceptance. I am glad that the story turns this way, as it is definitely more inspiring and inspired than a princess waiting for prince charming. "Penelope" is a fun and entertaining modern day fairy tale. Together with the great performances by Christina Ricci and Catherine O'Hara, I really do not understand why it took so long for it to get released.
pigface baby
posted on 26 Jan 2009Its a fable and fantasy tale of young girl Penelope who was cursed by an old witch in course of revenge.Christina Ricci adopted the role fine and acted very well,though most of the times movie seems rather childish but it has its moments.Well,the movie is quite predictable and moves at leisurely pace.You may find it enjoyable depending upon your taste but on a much serious note its just a good time pass.Well its a light hearted romantic story,nothing to say more.Recommended to Christina Ricci's fan and all those who enjoy watching Disney channel.
Inspiring modern fairytale
posted on 18 Jan 2009I had read so many bad reviews but liked James, Christina, and Reese enough to try it out anyway. I am glad I did. The movie was fun, funny, inspiring and the type of movie I could watch more than once. Plus I would happily love to introduce this film to a young person. A modern movie to which you can take a child.The acting is spot on. There is fun to be found in the location in between reality where accents mix, some people have a true moral center. There are so many ways of describing its message: "As long as you drink you shall have friends" or the one I like best "You have the power to change your own life."
Sugary sweet and cute...a modern day fairy tale that might give you cavities
posted on 10 Jan 2009Plain and simple Penelope is a fairy tale...period. It has a moral, cute character, romance, adventure and really is meant mostly to speak to kids because the moral doesn't really speak out beyond the level of a young child. That's not to say it's not important just that it doesn't really speak to adults in the same way that it does to kids. As cute and good as the movie is because it is very entertaining...it's fluff at it's finest. Nothing that really digs at your brain or makes you think about for hours after but rather something to occupy your time for an hour and a half and then mostly forgettable. I mean even the romance aspect of it is kind of done half heartedly. It's not really a passionate romance but something that grows slightly and is a way of closing the film in the end. It's something that seemed necessary so it's thrown in there for good measure. I sound as though I'm bad mouthing but I'm really not...I truly did enjoy the film and had some very good performances but all in all it was just very, very fluffy and just didn't have a lot of depth no matter how entertaining it seemed. It was cute and funny, with plenty of touching moments.Christian Ricci is very versatile. She has really found her way from child actor to an adult actor making your skin crawl in Black Snake Moan to being this adorable pig faced girl in Penelope. She really is adorable and you take to her character immediately and feel all the proper emotions for her and her unfortunate circumstance. The make up job they do on her is phenomenal. She really is perfect for this role and proves her resilience as an actor. James McAvoy is the free spirited gambler who comes to win Penelope's heart to gain fortune but then falls in love with her. McAvoy is terrific as the bad boy with a heart of gold and his character has a decent arc to him hitting bottom with his gambling and then finding true love. McAvoy and Ricci also have very good chemistry but their romance is not the focus of the film. Catherine O'Hara is just awesome as Penelope's overbearing and well meaning mother who never seems to make the right choices. She's not in it a lot but she is terrific for the screen time she gets, hilarious and really great. Reese Witherspoon plays a small role as Penelope's first friend Annie. They give Witherspoon's character more personality than what is needed considering the screen time she gets. She's mostly a cameo in the film. Simon Woods is terrific as the silver spoon in mouth guy who will stop at nothing to take advantage of Penelope no matter what to protect his own reputation. He is appropriately slimy and does well at it. One of my favorite performances in the film was by Peter Dinklage as the scorned reporter. One of the reasons I thought his character was so terrific was despite being a "small person" his role had NOTHING to do with that. He was a reporter and his size was never mentioned once except for one joke that I thought kind of stuck out because of it. On top of that Dinklage did a terrific job as a bit of an anti hero that you thought was a bad guy but turned out pretty cool and his character was just awesome. I'm a fan!! This being Mark Palansky directorial debut and Witherspoon's producer debut they did a terrific job and I think the film might find longer legs on DVD than it did in theaters. It's just truly a cute movie that kids might love and it really might speak to them because it does have a very important, if not typical message that might be fairly easy to pin point as you can imagine. The really sweet thing about the movie is the twist to it...it's not quite as cut and dry as you might think and one of my favorite lines in the film is Ricci's character Penelope falling back exclaiming "I like the way I am!" Also they made sure that the romance that blossoms doesn't develop because of Ricci's change from her original appearance but that he loves her for who she was and will be. Definitely check this one out for something light and cute but still fun and entertaining and pick it up for your kids because it's worthy of a family film. 8/10
Sympathetic and entertaining,but the whole is not completely satisfactory
posted on 15 Dec 2008The film Penelope has good intentions at offering us a picturesque fable which is full of colorful characters who learn valuable life lessons.But the main problem from this film is that the "Burton-esque" aesthetic from this film and its screenplay cannot capture all the magic the story requires,so the final experience is sympathetic and entertaining,but not completely satisfactory.The best element from Penelope is definitely the cast.Christina Ricci shows a lot of professionalism with her role,so she results credible.James McAvoy brings an expressive and detailed performance which make us to get interested on his character.The great Peter Dinklage is perfect as the villain.And,finally,we also have solid performances from Reese Witherspoon and Russell Brand.Director Mark Palansky made a solid work on all the technical aspects from this movie.But,this film has various fails.The screenplay feels a little bit artificial and it has some moments which do not add anything relevant to the story.Besides,I think this film is a bit longer than what it needs to be,so near the ending,it feels a little bit tiring.In spite of those fails,I liked Penélope.It is not too memorable,but it is a good option for spending time.
Self-Esteem Lessons Inform a Modern-Day Fractured Fairy Tale with a Game Cast
posted on 21 Nov 2008Considering she played a white-trash nymphomaniac chained to a radiator in the last film I saw with her, "Black Snake Moan", I was actually relieved to see Christina Ricci play a sheltered girl of standing born with a pig's snout in this whimsical 2008 parable about self-acceptance. Directed by first-timer Mark Palansky and written by sitcom veteran Leslie Caveney ("Everybody Loves Raymond"), the film was shelved for over a year until it was released in February to mostly apathetic reviews. That's a shame since there is a certain charm generated by the fractured fairy tale being told. Palansky shows a surprisingly light touch for someone who has apprenticed under the aegis of Michael Bay on bombastic schlock like "Pearl Harbor" and "Armageddon", but Caveney's screenplay frequently comes across as plodding and repetitive when the story should feel beguiling. Still, it somehow saves itself by the end thanks primarily to a game cast.The plot follows the sad tale of Penelope Wilhern, an heiress subject to a multi-generational curse when her 19th-century ancestors refused to allow one of their own to marry a servant girl. As the first girl born in the family since that injustice, Penelope is burdened with a pig's snout and can return to normalcy when a fellow aristocrat vows to love her for life. Her obsessive, superficial mother Jessica hides Penelope away in the mansion, even faking her death when a tabloid photographer threatens to take a picture. As Penelope comes of age, Jessica uses a professional matchmaker to line up potential suitors, but they all jump out the window when they see Penelope's supposedly hideous face.One particular aristocrat goes public with what his sighting of Penelope, but of course, there is another candidate, a disheveled, gambling jazz pianist named Max, who does fall in love with her. I was wondering why producer Reese Witherspoon didn't cast herself in the title role given her box office clout, but Ricci is the more suitable choice with her otherworldly stares and naturally pouty manner. The problem is that Ricci (beyond not being a proved bankable draw) looks like she has intentionally applied prosthetic makeup to herself. Rather than looking grotesque, she just looks cartoonishly cute. Witherspoon does cast herself but in a small role as Annie, a Vespa-riding messenger who is Gregory Peck to Ricci's Audrey Hepburn on Penelope's "Roman Holiday"-style adventure. Witherspoon hasn't been this relaxed and likable since she became a star.As Max, the omnipresent James McAvoy (who seems to be suffering from the same level of overexposure Jude Law did a few years back) is more in his element here than as the smitten, heroic soldier in "Atonement". In what feels like a nod to her role as the panicked mother in "Home Alone", the redoubtable Catherine O'Hara generates most of the laughs as Jessica, but her constant shrieking gets repetitive. Peter Dinklage has a few nicely sinister moments as the tabloid photographer. The eclectic soundtrack is highlighted by the Sigur Ros' "Hoppipolla". The only significant extra on the 2008 DVD is a disposable six-minute making-of featurette.
Ricci
posted on 25 Jul 2009This movie, which has been put on the shelf for two year before releasing, would have been quite bland had it not been for Christina Ricci. This is sort of a modern-day fairy tale about a girl in an aristocratic family born with a family curse that gave her a pig's snout for a nose, with the cure being love and acceptance from "one of her own kind" (there's a nice little twist here that I won't divulge). Predictability abounds in the plot with suitors scared away and a young, handsome adventurer hired to take her photo secretly, where deception eventually turn into true affection and romance.The casting people deserves applause for casting Christina Ricci, who has an uncanny ability of making off-beat, bizarre, other-worldly characters believable and lovable (when this is called for) – Layla in "Buffalo 66", Karina in "Sleepy Hollow", Suzie in "The man who cried", Miranda in "Miranda", Selby in "Monster". Into the title role "Penelope" she breaths life in a way no other contemporary actress can (certainly neither Portman or Johansson, good actresses, both) – a believable balance between doubt and belief, caution and recklessness. She is at once childlike and mature. Soon, you even forget that she is wearing that makeup of the snout and at the end (yes, big spoiler!) you, like some of the characters in the movie, miss a little bit the Penelope with a pig's nose.Other than Ricci, however, there is little that will leave you with much of an impression. There is indeed the central theme of accepting and believing in oneself. There is also the subtext of the hypocrisy and irony of publicity and the public. It is not that the movie is mindless, only that it does not register. Similarly, there enough humour to amuse you but not to give you a memorable comedy. Maybe the movie makers have tried to do too much, and end up being somewhat unfocused.Those who bought tickets on account of Reese Witherspoon are in for a big disappointment. She is in the movie only because as one of the producers, she obviously wanted to lend it some "star-power". Her role is not much more than cameo. The segment of the audience who became fans of James McAvoy since "Atonement" (which was actually filmed after "Penelope") will like the scenes in which he appears, but would also wished that there were more. In the end, it all comes back to Ricci. It may not be a bad idea to re-watch some of her movies (those listed about and others) to appreciate how amazing this actress is.