Review of Cinderella (2013) by Kevin P — 10 Aug 2018

Strengths: Cinderella is one of the easist stories to tell. It's tried and true. We know it works, so of course, it makes for an interesting tale this time around. Lily James (Ella) was a great choice for the lead. She's been one of the more underreated actresses in Hollywood for some time and it was great to see her get this opporutnity. Cate Blanchett (Lady Tremaine) gave one of the stronger stepmother performances of any Cinderella tale, while Richard Madden (Kit) made for a strong Prince. As usual with Disney stuff, the scenery, set pieces, score, and costume designs were all top notch. It all fit perfectly into what to expect from Cinderella.

Weaknesses: This being a tried and true story is both a blessing and a curse. Sure, it works, but we've seen it a ton. Each take on the story should do just enough to make it different while still respecting the source material. I don't think that the changes in this were enough to stand out. They either didn't fit right (like Ella meeting Kit before everything) or didn't feel like a big enough alteration (what was changed during the fairy godmother appearance). While some of the cast were good actors, they didn't really deliver. Helena Bonham Carter (Fairy Godmother) was forgettable and Stellan Skarsgard (Grand Duke) was kind of just there. The stepsisters (Sophie McShera and Holliday Grainger) were both lackluster with characters that usually work for comic relief.

Overall: It's hard to mess up Cinderella. This take stays mostly true to the original, which combined with some dull supporting performances, keeps it from being great. However, the main cast is very good and it has the charm that makes a Disney Cinderella film work.