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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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61 - 80 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
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It works great for its target audience -- young girls -- but it will struggle to find its way with anyone else.

Full Review Source: Norman Transcript | comment Comment
08/03/01
Jim Chastain
Jim Chastain
Norman Transcript

Uninspired and forgettable.

Full Review Source: EricDSnider.com | comment Comment
08/03/01
Eric D. Snider
Eric D. Snider
EricDSnider.com

Has Disney wholesomeness stamped all over it.

Full Review Source: Fresno Bee | comment Comment
08/03/01
Donald Munro
Donald Munro
Fresno Bee

A likable throwback to an old tradition of pictures from the Disney studio.

Full Review Source: Christian Science Monitor | comment Comment
08/03/01
David Sterritt
David Sterritt
Christian Science Monitor

A half-hearted attempt by director Garry Marshall to rip off Pygmalion, as well as replicate his smash 1990 hit Pretty Woman.

Full Review Source: Deseret News, Salt Lake City | comment Comment
08/03/01
Jeff Vice
Jeff Vice
Deseret News, Salt Lake City

Modest at best.

Full Review Source: Rochester Democrat and Chronicle | comment Comment
08/03/01
Jack Garner
Jack Garner
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

The Princess Diaries is directed by Garry Marshall, which should make any thinking gal run screaming from the multiplex.

Full Review Source: Flick Filosopher | comment Comment
08/03/01
MaryAnn Johanson
MaryAnn Johanson
Flick Filosopher

An ideal family film.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times | comment Comment
08/03/01
Kevin Thomas
Kevin Thomas
Los Angeles Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

The Princess Diaries is a march through the swamp of recycled ugly duckling stories, with occasional pauses in the marsh of sitcom cliches and the bog of Idiot Plots.

Full Review Source: Chicago Sun-Times | comment Comment
08/03/01
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Even if the parents in the audience roll their eyes at this movie's flimsy plot, clumsy dialogue and unbelievable characters, young girls will no doubt fall for the fantasy.

Full Review Source: Toronto Star | comment Comment
08/02/01
Daphne Gordon
Daphne Gordon
Toronto Star

After a rocky start, the film gradually develops its own goofy charm.

Full Review Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer | comment Comment
08/02/01
William Arnold
William Arnold
Seattle Post-Intelligencer

So aggressively bland and inoffensive that it practically recedes from the screen.

Full Review Source: Salon.com | comment Comment
08/02/01
Stephanie Zacharek
Stephanie Zacharek
Salon.com

The G-rated Princess Diaries could be a television pilot, but it can't hope to compete.

Full Review Source: New York Times | comment Comment
08/02/01
Elvis Mitchell
Elvis Mitchell
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Maybe if there was more of Mia and Clarisse knocking about Frisco together and less of Mia and her continual high-school tribulations, The Princess Diaries as a whole would feel just as special.

Full Review Source: Kansas City Star | comment Comment
08/02/01
Brian McTavish
Brian McTavish
Kansas City Star

The movie seems to equate her life-changing decision with the choice to be confident in her newfound cuteness. Yuck.

Full Review Source: IFilm | comment Comment
08/02/01
Dave White
Dave White
IFilm

Aspires to be nothing more than a light time out for girls who still believe they can marry a Backstreet Boy. And it works as such. For all others (i.e., guys), it's nothing to write home about.

Full Review Source: E! Online | comment Comment
08/02/01
E! Online
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Too cute and too messy at the same time.

Full Review Source: Detroit Free Press | comment Comment
08/02/01
Terry Lawson
Terry Lawson
Detroit Free Press

It would all be agreeable enough if Marshall didn't drag things out, making what should be a 90-minute Disney movie into a two-hour affair that keeps getting sidetracked with needless subplots.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Daily News | comment Comment
08/02/01
Glenn Whipp
Glenn Whipp
Los Angeles Daily News

Pack the girls into the minivan and rest assured that you and your offspring will leave the theater with a rosy, cheery glow.

Full Review Source: Contra Costa Times | comment Comment
08/02/01
Mary F. Pols
Mary F. Pols
Contra Costa Times

Gets the duckling- to-swan ambivalence just right.

Full Review Source: Entertainment Weekly | comment Comment
08/02/01
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Entertainment Weekly
 
 
61 - 80 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
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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