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Movies / On DVD / The Princess Diaries
The Princess Diaries

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The Princess Diaries (2001)

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Reviews Counted:111

Fresh:52

Rotten:59

Average Rating:5.1/10

Consensus: A charming, if familiar, makeover movie for young teenage girls.

Runtime: 1 hr 55 mins

Genre: Childrens

Synopsis: Teen actress Anne Hathaway gives an endearing performance in Garry Marshall's delightful Disney comedy, THE PRINCESS DIARIES. Assisted by such seasoned pros as Julie Andrews and Hector Elizondo (a... Teen actress Anne Hathaway gives an endearing performance in Garry Marshall's delightful Disney comedy, THE PRINCESS DIARIES. Assisted by such seasoned pros as Julie Andrews and Hector Elizondo (a Marshall regular), Hathaway shines here in her first major film role. She plays Mia, a high school misfit who has resigned herself to social invisibility. Mia and her best friend, Lilly (Heather Matarazzo), are outcasts. While Lilly relishes the role, Mia just wishes a cute popular boy she likes, Josh (Erik von Detten), would notice her. Mia's life changes dramatically when her grandmother (Andrews) contacts her and Mia finds out she is heir to the throne of Genovia, a small European country between France and Spain. The klutzy, socially awkward girl doesn't think she's up to the job, but she agrees to be coached in regal manners by her grandmother before deciding if she wants to become a princess. Marshall (PRETTY WOMAN) is clearly in his element directing this light, charming teen comedy. Andrews, perfectly cast as Queen Clarisse Renaldi, makes her character seem both imperious and caring. Hathaway's performance and the presence of teen pop star Mandy Moore assure that young girls, in particular, will enjoy the film. [More]

Starring: Anne Hathaway, Julie Andrews, Hector Elizondo, Heather Matarazzo

Starring: Anne Hathaway, Julie Andrews, Hector Elizondo, Heather Matarazzo, Mandy Moore, Caroline Goodall, Robert Schwartzman, Erik von Detten

Director: Garry Marshall

Director: Garry Marshall
Screenwriter: Gina Wendkos
Producer: Whitney Houston, Debra Martin Chase, Mario Iscovich
Composer: John Debney
Studio: Buena Vista Pictures

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Reviews for The Princess Diaries

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
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That this failed is largely down to the stilted, clichéd dialogue of the screenplay; fans of the wittier novel by Meg Cabot may well be disappointed.

Full Review Source: Channel 4 Film | comment Comment
03/09/09
Channel 4 Film
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A light, uneven Pygmalion story that may win young girls over with its wish fulfilment theme and teen movie staples, but does not live up to the expectations created by the cast and director.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
12/30/06
Anna Smith
Anna Smith
Empire Magazine
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Notions of responsibility, surrogacy, rites of passage and the value of friendship are gone through, but the highlighting of modern tropes merely serves to emphasise the film's conventionality.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
02/09/06
Derek Adams
Derek Adams
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

What starts as a feel-good movie quickly degenerates into a feel-bored movie, not least because at two hours it’s at least thirty minutes too long.

Full Review Source: ViewLondon | comment Comment
10/30/02
Brian Walker
Brian Walker
ViewLondon

The film is so carelessly made that every surprise in the story is given away very early on--we know from the beginning exactly what will happen, and scenes are so badly staged that any comic or dramatic potential is lost.

Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | comment Comment
03/14/02
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall

I'm sick of these movies.

Full Review Source: UK Critic | comment Comment
01/06/02
Ian Waldron-Mantgani
Ian Waldron-Mantgani
UK Critic

A very watchable, very warm little Disney comedy.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
12/03/01
Ben Falk
Ben Falk
BBC
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The unexpected rewards of director Garry Marshall's ("Beaches") latest spin on the well-worn Pygmalion fairy tale are numerous.

Full Review Source: ColeSmithey.com | comment Comment
07/19/09
Cole Smithey
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com

This Cinderella fantasy transforms a geek into a princess, and teaches a few life lessons along the way.

Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide | comment Comment
03/09/09
Maitland McDonagh
Maitland McDonagh
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Marshall milks the San Francisco scenery for all it's worth, but is all thumbs when it comes to squeezing the full comic possibilities of the story...

Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review | comment Comment
08/07/08
Mark Halverson
Mark Halverson
Sacramento News & Review

One of the most delightful and touching comedies to grace the big-screen in years that features no swearing, no sex, no violence, no drugs -- and no dull moments.

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Heather Wadowski
Heather Wadowski
Film Threat

Screenwriter Gina Wendkos, working from Meg Cabot's novel, resorts to monotonous movie clichés: almost uniformly cruel classmates and a callous, cacophonous mob of media jackals.

Full Review Source: Houston Chronicle | comment Comment
07/21/05
Bruce Westbrook
Bruce Westbrook
Houston Chronicle

...doesn't hold much appeal for those outside its target audience.

Full Review Source: Reel Film Reviews | comment Comment
08/21/04
David Nusair
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Zap2it.com | comment Comment
02/25/04
Andrew Rodgers
Andrew Rodgers
Zap2it.com

These diaries have too many dull pages and not enough juicy bits to keep you interested.

Full Review Source: RTE Interactive (Dublin, Ireland) | comment Comment
08/18/03
Harry Guerin
Harry Guerin
RTE Interactive (Dublin, Ireland)

It's a cozy message for young girls, even if it's couched in a predictable plot that is pure Disney.

Full Review Source: Austin Chronicle | comment Comment
03/10/03
Marrit Ingman
Marrit Ingman
Austin Chronicle

Despite the hackneyed quality of the pretext, nice performances save this film from itself.

Full Review Source: Film Quips Online | comment Comment
02/08/03
John R. McEwen
John R. McEwen
Film Quips Online

It’s an absolute credit to the cast that The Princess Diaries has charm at all.

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
08/17/02
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile

It’s another movie where teenage girls look like a bunch of unfeeling idiots or worse.

Full Review Source: ReelTalk Movie Reviews | comment Comment
08/02/02
Betty Jo Tucker
Betty Jo Tucker
ReelTalk Movie Reviews

Garry Marshall directs with the same fairy tale charm he gave "Pretty Woman," but without the disturbing prostitution angle.

Full Review Source: Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL) | comment Comment
06/20/02
Jeffrey Westhoff
Jeffrey Westhoff
Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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all

Latest News for The Princess Diaries

November 22, 2005: Fox Searchlight Digs the "Phat Girlz"
Fresh out of my inbox comes a press release from Fox Searchlight that informs us of a movie called "Phat Girlz," which stars Mo'Nique, Eric Roberts, Jack Noseworthy,... More...

June 24, 2005: From "Coyote Ugly" to "Big Man on Campus"
Screenwriter Gina Wendkos, the scribe responsible for movies such as "Coyote Ugly," "The Princess Diaries," and "The Perfect Man" will pen... More...

August 09, 2001: Opens in new window
More...

June 05, 2001: Diaries was shot on the same soundstage used for Mary Poppins, and Marshall owns the house Andrews lived in while making that film. Opens in new window
More...

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