Is this meant to be dark comedy? It's hard to tell.
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06/25/08
Penelope (2008)
50
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:121
Fresh:61
Rotten:60
Average Rating:5.5/10
Consensus: Though Penelope has a charming cast and an appealing message, it ultimately suffers from faulty narrative and sloppy direction.
Theatrical Release:01-02-2008
Synopsis: Like Tim Burton's EDWARD SCISSORHANDS and the TV show PUSHING DAISIES, PENELOPE is a modern fairy tale, complete with candy colors and whimsical cinematography. PENELOPE begins with a... [More]
Starring: Christina Ricci, James McAvoy, Catherine O'Hara, Reese Witherspoon
Director: Mark Palansky
Reviews for Penelope
Top CriticThe convictions of the cast and an extremely snappy script fill in most of the gaps caused by the wobbly plotlines.
03/07/08
Top CriticI can truthfully say that watching this abysmal fantasy-comedy is less rewarding than being slapped across the face with a large wet fish.
10/18/08
Top CriticDespite an extremely uneven style, this modern-day fairy tale has plenty of charm.
02/11/08
A modern-day fairytale, the film is tarted up like a hyperactive five-year-old's lurid fantasy of interior decor.
10/18/08
Top CriticWatchable but patchy fantasy romance that doesn't quite work, despite strong performances from Ricci and McAvoy.
10/18/08
Penelope manages to be entertaining while at the same time pounding you over the head with its "I'm okay with myself" hammer.
02/28/08
Despite Christina Ricci's charming performance, Penelope is trapped in a twilight zone between fairy tales and play-it-safe romantic comedies.
03/07/08
Produced according to a formula for squeezing the maximum amount of cloying charm out of the minimum investment.
03/07/08
If you're looking for something a little bit offbeat, Penelope won't send you diving out any windows to escape its quirky humour and gentle moralizing.
02/20/08
There is an underlying sweetness to Penelope, a root-for-her vibe that's only slightly diluted by the predictable story.
02/28/08
No offense intended, but a pig snout is very becoming on Christina Ricci.
02/27/08
Entire plot strands crop up from out of nowhere only to disappear without explanation, never to be heard from again. It’s as if [director] Caveny had so many ideas that she simply couldn’t bear to leave any of them crumpled up on her office floor.
02/28/08
Director Palansky is trying for a deft, hip, modern fairy-tale feel, but the odd material, sprawling story, and complicated tonal balancing act get away from him, and the film winds up as a poorly paced tug-of-war between sweet quirk and sloppy camp.
02/28/08
At its core the movie lacks the sureness and lucidity of even a fractured fairy tale.
02/29/08
Like its hero and heroine, this movie is not for everyone, but it will be loved by those who know how to appreciate it.
02/29/08
Less-than-magical fairytale about girl who must find true love in order to break the family curse that left her with the nose of a pig.
02/28/08
The message in Leslie Caveny's script is ultimately too dispiriting a cop-out. This story could have gone in a number of more inspiring allegorical directions but winds up your average bedtime story instead.
02/29/08
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04/23/09
The most successful films in this genre rely heavily on production design, but unfortunately director Palansky decides to play it fairly straight here. Luckily, the film has an interesting story, for which all credit should go to writer Leslie Caveny.
01/18/08
Latest News for Penelope
July 12, 2008:
With only a DNA witch's curse pig's snout compromising Ricci's otherwise exceedingly alluring physical assets, it doesn't make a lick of sense that prospective suitors are jumping out of windows after catching a glimpse of her disfigured beak. 
More...
February 28, 2008:
Box Office Guru Preview: Semi-Pro Set To Slam Dunk The Competition
A triumvirate of films opens this weekend, but all will bow to the power of the mighty Will Ferrell and his latest outrageous comedy, Semi-Pro. More...
February 28, 2008:
Critics Consensus: Semi-Pro is Semi-Good, Boleyn Girl Not Quite Movie Royalty
This week at the movies, we've got hapless hoopsters, snouted socialites, and scandalous siblings. What do the critics have to say? More...
February 28, 2008:
With only a DNA witch's curse pig's snout compromising Ricci's otherwise exceedingly alluring physical assets, it doesn't make a lick of sense that prospective suitors are jumping out of windows after catching a glimpse of her disfigured beak.
More...
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