Penelope (2006) User Reviews

Charming

[Smells_Like_Cheese · 7/10 · 5 March 2008]

I didn't know what the heck Penelope was, I only saw the trailer once and it looked very strange, I only saw the poster more than a few times and it again, didn't really catch my interest. But my friends and I decided to check it out and I'm actually glad that I saw it. As silly story that it is and a bit predictable, it's a good movie. Most romantic comedies tick me off because they are so predictable and the it's the same formula each time, Penelope is close to the same formula, but instead adds a fairy tale twist. It has the same moral of the story as most films of having to accept yourself, but Christina Ricci made it more charming and lovable. The cast was perfect and all did a great job, the looked like they had such a good time bringing this story to life.

Penelope seems like the girl that should be living the high life, a wealthy family, part of royalty, but her life isn't perfect. Due to a shallow mistake her ancestor made, a witch cursed a face of a pig onto the next born daughter, that happens to be Penelope who apparently has to marry a man of royal blood to break the curse. But since she's not the prettiest face on the planet, every man runs from her, but Max, a spy sent by a photographer, Max learns that Penelope is a beautiful soul. Penelope runs away though to find her freedom and instead finds herself and how wonderful she truly is.

Penelope is a very cute film, I was very impressed with the story, there were some things I was a little disappointed in, like how they just abandoned some characters for no reason. But I think it's hard to fit it in a short film, still I think it could have been edited better. But Christina Ricci was a great choice for Penelope, even though she's still oddly enough not the ugliest woman I've ever seen with the nose, she did a good job and held her own well. Reese Witherspoon, small role, but she was so charming. I would recommend Penelope, it's a cute film and was a lot of fun to watch.

7/10

Worth seeing - Magical!

[me_inc · 8/10 · 21 December 2006]

I saw this at a NY preview, and it was very much worth my time.

Cristina Ricci was excellent. I thought it was brave and smart of her to take on this role, and given the make up and costume she was very expressive and genuine – eyes, eyes, eyes. If any of you have seen "Pumpkin" this character would be a polar opposite of that role, but just as tongue and cheek, and just as much fun.

James McAvoy looked great, as was his performance. Christina and James had sparks that were believable. The supporting cast was also fun and fanciful. Catherine O'Hara played an excellent zany Mom which was more believable and real, in a weird way, then her role in Beetle Juice, (a film I adore.) Reese Witherspoon, was strong as usual, even in this odd, small supporting role (given her filmography). She looked great as a lower east side character. The only disappointment was Richard E. Grant, and not by his doing. There was no chance for him to shine given the part. Something tells me he got lost on the cutting room floor. A zero role for him given his talent.

In sum, I am one for magic and fables, so for me this was a very enjoyable film. I forgot the time which is the best test of all. Bravo!

Better than expected

[JoeytheBrit · 7/10 · 6 June 2008]

What a lovely creature Christina Ricci is. Even with a pig's snout stuck to her face, I found her to be completely entrancing. She was certainly the only reason I decided to give this modern-day fairy tale a go and, on the whole, I'm fairly glad that I did. It has its weaknesses, for sure, the main one being that it can't seem to settle on a tone or to decide whether it takes place in Britain, America or some mythical amalgam of the two. The tone certainly could have been darker, even if the film is (probably) primarily aimed at teens considering its story (basically an update of Beauty and the Beast with gender roles reversed).

Ricci does a good job of holding everything together. She looks too cute to send men flying through windows in terror, and seems too well-adjusted for a 25-year-old who has never stepped outside the confines of her palatial home, but I suppose these are minor quibbles. After all, how could we root for a truly hideous princess with social interaction issues? Catherine O'Hara also scores as Penelope's overbearing mother who can't see that she is the barrier preventing her daughter from lifting the curse that has left her with a pig's snout for a nose. Other familiar names are more of a distraction than anything else: hedge-haired Russell Brand appears for one scene, an increasingly chubby Lenny Henry in another few. Producer Reese Witherspoon even makes an appearance late on.

One character I liked a lot was that of Lemon, played by Peter Dinklage. Not only does Dinklage provide probably the strongest performance in the film, thanks to a well-written role, the script wisely refrains from spelling out the similarities between his character and Penelope that lead to his pulling back from the pursuit of her. Anyone with a little insight can understand the reason for the casting; it doesn't need to be spelled out, but how many other films would keep hammering home the point until even the thickest viewer caught on?

Not a pigs ear!

[simonparker1990 · 7/10 · 4 February 2008]

It was only very recently I actually found out about Penelope, it was also actually yesterday I did a bit of research and realised how long ago Penelope was made, in fact it was made in 2006! When I discovered this I began to worry a bit about seeing it, despite a reasonably decent trailer the fact it had been delayed so long meant something was probably wrong with it. Well I saw it tonight, and while it isn't perfect the film is still a charming and thoroughly entertaining film. In many ways it reminded me slightly of one of my favourite films of all time, Edward Scissorhands. Unfortunately its nowhere near as good, but it does have its moments. I actually kind of wish that Tim Burton had got his hands on this movie as this really is the type of film he could make perfect. The film is a nice, family friendly flick, that while a bit cutesy at times has a genuine heart and some decent performances. Unfortunately the movie does have its problems, the ending comes on a bit sudden and the movie does start to struggle slightly in the middle section. But the film is guaranteed to give you a big smile and I definitely feel you can do a lot worse than see this film this half term.

Okay lets start with the performances, which in my eyes was one of the best aspects of Penelope. Most prominent is Christina Ricci as Penelope, the girl with the face of a pig. Okay that last statement is very much an over statement, despite her prosthetic pig snout she does not look remotely ugly at all. On the contrary I found her better looking than 80% of the average girls you meet, so you never truly believe people will jump out of windows just to get away from her. However Ricci's performance is truly brilliant, she's so sweet and innocent, and the scenes where she speaks to McAvoy via a mirror is just pitch perfect. It truly displays Ricci's talents and makes you realise how she has come a long way since The Addams Family. James McAvoy pops up at the main man in the movie, also displaying an American accent that actually never really suits him. Nevertheless, despite his ever so slightly distracting accent he delivers a great performance, as he always seems to do. He has great chemistry with Ricci and any scene they share together just sees the screen light up. Catherine O'Hara steals the movie as the over the top mother who I suppose does genuinely mean well. She's funny but also brilliant, and O'Hara seems to be having a blast. Simon Wood is the only weak link in the movie, he plays the villain, the one who finds out about Penelope and tries to get a picture taken of her. Unfortunately he just seems irritating and camp, he's not a funny characters and he at times seems more an annoyance than a plot point. Oh and Reese Witherspoon is wasted, she's in the film I think for a grand total of ten minutes.

Penelope also has problems with the middle section, the opening is absolutely brilliant and the ending works in some odd way, but the middle, and second third, is just bland and feels like it is treading water. The introduction of Witherspoon's character just seems like a novelty more than anything else and the lead up to the final third just feels like a waste of an opportunity. Also just before the final ten minutes the movie seems to speed over an important event in mere seconds! Thankfully these faults with the film never make the film a bad film, the film is always watchable and you do genuinely seem to enjoy the film. Also the film never feels over-long, it feels a perfect length, which is nice as I believe if the film got boring in the end then the film would eventually collapse. While I did enjoy the film its also something I doubt I'll ever watch again as it just doesn't have that re-watchability factor. Nevertheless this is a good film for kids and in a time when kids will watch rubbish like Underdog, it would be a lot better for the kids to be taken to see a well made if slightly underachieving film that has a great moral.

Penelope is hardly the disaster I assumed it would be due to its release being pushed back, but neither it a masterpiece. Its a sweet, entertaining little movie that is worth watching.

With Penelope it's great; without Disney its better.

[Cinema_Fan · 6/10 · 5 February 2008]

Fairy tales are wide spread, with witches and curses they have, they are all too familiar with their poor damsel in need of rescue by the Charming Prince. The same can be said for poor Penelope, played by the essence of beauty and intelligence that is Christina Ricci. Famed for her roles as Wednesday Addams in the Addams Family movies, then "Kat" Harvey in Casper and during an Ice Strom she was Wendy Hood, hey, she's even dated a lesbian Monster and been chained up in Black Snake Moan. This, too, is the second in a row movie that consists of her taking a curse, the previous being John Carpenter's light horror werewolf flick Cursed (2005). You name it she has done it, and with perfection. Now all grown up she is playing the titular role of her 2006 movie Penelope.

Filmed in London, and with a high level of English actors too, and cast as an American fairy tale, this is the unlucky story of a witches curse on the first-born daughter of the Blue Blood (aristocrat) family, the Wilhern's. The only way to break said curse is to find her Charming Prince who shall love her for all her worth, pig nose and all. Yep, her curse is to be born with the nose and ears of a pig, poor girl. Kept away from others for all her childhood and youth by her grieving parents, played with relish by Richard E. Grant and the lovely Catherine O'Hara adding a touch of very hyper stressed and neurotic motherly love. Who could ask for more? Well, more is what we get here, more fun, more sad reflection and more diversity from the standard tale of woe. With its witty players from said Grant and O'Hara, we also get the very talented James McAvoy and the nemesis that is Lemon, the evil News Reporter, Peter Dinklage, hot on her tail for revenge. Having done "Lassie" (2005), "Death at a Funeral" (2007) and in the pipeline "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian". Excellent actor.

Funny in parts, and poignant in others, not an epic but not a waste of time either. A story of self believe and how one can learn to love oneself and then be loved in return, in any way, shape or form. Simple I know, but in this case, it works, with all the surrounding American accents sometimes rubbing the wrong way, we can easily dismiss the poor adaptations.

This ugly duckling fable will warm to your hearts and tingle you with delight, with a charming narrative and distinctive feel good factor, and if Disney had gotten their hands on the project, it just might have come across as over sappy, over benevolent and over too soon. And it's a good job they didn't, wasn't it?

An uplifting tale with something for everyone.

[toddy_aus · 9/10 · 24 February 2007]

I 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 !

Fairy tale 'Penelope' has vaguely happy ending

[gregeichelberger · 6/10 · 28 February 2008]

In 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 (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 offending 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.

A Beautiful Film!

[rrigby19 · 9/10 · 21 June 2007]

I saw "Penelope" at the US premiere at CineVegas last week. It has a very sweet message about self-acceptance that we could all use a little more of these days. I loved the hyper- real, brightly colored, Tim Burtonesque look of the film, it helped to accentuate the fairy tale aspect.

I also thought all of the performances, especially Christina Ricci and Katherine O'Hara, were excellent. Reese Witherspoon as a leather wearing, gum chewing, scooter riding messenger girl seemed a bit miscast, but she was actually good and had one of the funnier lines of the film.

While there's nothing laugh out loud funny, this sweet story makes you smile again and again.

I would recommend this film for audiences of all ages because I don't think you're ever too old for it's message and it doesn't talk down to an adult audience.

Simple modern-day fable, diverting and watchable in its unambitious way.

[barnabyrudge · 6/10 · 15 February 2008]

You remember that ever-so-slightly well-known story called Beauty And The Beast, don't you? You know, the one where a mean-spirited prince is cursed to appear as an ugly beast until he learns to love another and is loved by her in return? In the modern day fable "Penelope", a similar concept is given a gender reversal and a few plot trimmings of its own. The result is a decent little film, engaging enough to be worthy of a look despite its unambitious and fairly predictable narrative.

An ancient family curse results in Penelope Wilhern (Christina Ricci) being born with the face of a pig. Her parents Franklin (Richard E.Grant) and Jessica (Catharine O'Hara) are horrified and do everything in their power to hide Penelope away from the world, even faking reports of her death and subsequent cremation. Unscrupulous journalist Lemon (Peter Dinklage) tries to get a photo of the mutant child, but is attacked and blinded in one eye by her furious mother. Many years later, Penelope is a grown-up young woman still living a sheltered life in the confines of her grand house. Her parents believe that the curse can be broken if they find a husband of aristocratic blood for her, but every potential suitor seems to run away in horror upon seeing her disfigured face. The latest would-be suitor, Edward Vanderman (Simon Woods), is no different. Upon being introduced to Penelope he flees in terror and reports the encounter to the disbelieving police. Vanderman's story is ridiculed and he is locked up for the night. Upon getting out he decides to clear his name, and teams up with the eye-patched reporter Lemon to bring shame upon the Wilherns and their grotesque daughter. The dastardly duo hire a broke gambler, Max (James McAvoy), to get close to the girl and get damning photographs of her. But against all odds, Max finds himself falling in love with the pig-faced girl…..

The film is pleasant fare, with Ricci holding it together quite well as the titular character. She never appears as disgustingly ugly as the people around her suggest (which makes the moments where men literally dive through windows in the family mansion to escape her attention a bit hard to swallow). However, Ricci makes the character agreeable and gives us genuine reason to empathise with her. The other memorable performance in the film comes from O'Hara as Penelope's insensitive mother, so obsessed with ending the curse that she never gives a moment's thought to her daughter's actual feelings. The rest of the performers do OK, though their characters are generally conventional types. The moral of the story – about finding beauty and happiness from within - is as old as time (even "Dumbo", and some less well-known films that pre-date it, are essentially about the same thing). Nevertheless it's hard not to suppress a smile of satisfaction as Penelope learns to live and be happy with her face, ultimately getting her man and living happily ever after. As simple feel-good fables go, this one is effortlessly watchable in its minor way.

Even with a snout, Ricci ain't a pig!

[BA_Harrison · 5/10 · 8 November 2008]

Saturday night is family DVD night at the Harrison household, and so, once a week, I get to watch some wholesome, child-friendly fun rather than my usual diet of death and depravity. This weekend we chose Penelope, a romantic fairy tale starring Christina Ricci.

Ms. Ricci plays the titular character, a rich young woman with the nose and ears of a pig—the unfortunate result of an ancient family curse that can only be broken if the poor girl is loved by one of her own kind: a blue-blood. However, finding a suitor of the right pedigree proves to be rather difficult, since no man can even bear to be in the same room as the porcine Penelope.

Despite the film's rather clichéd morality—that it is important to love yourself, no matter how strange you look—Penelope is a rather enjoyable tale: well written, well directed and quite charming. However, there is one thing that stops it from being a success: Ms. Ricci!

Don't get me wrong... I'm a big fan of the actress (her being in the film might have even swayed my decision to rent it somewhat), and she gives a great performance, but the fact that Christina looks completely adorable, even with a snout, makes the whole film fall flat on its little, piggy face. It's a fundamental flaw that means that, although there is much to like about the film, I cannot bring myself to give it any more than a rating of 5/10.

Beauty and the Beast turned on its Nose

[MadMaxiMum · 10/10 · 18 September 2006]

Loved! Loved! Loved this Movie! One of the last movies I caught at the Toronto Film Festival....and by far my FAVORITE!!!!! Penelope is an original and uplifting story that reminds us of life's most fundamental truth -- that our beliefs lock us into a particular reality. It is packed full of excitement, surprises, laughs, heartfelt pangs and soaring joy. Christina Ricci is radiant as Penelope and in the face of daunting circumstances she inspires us to not only persevere but to dare to break free. It is a treat to see Reese Witherspoon portraying an edgier gal than norm and James McAvoy is a heartthrob! Oh, and the performance of Simon Woods is absolutely delightful and unforgettable! This movie is important, but I would give away the ending if I told you why!!

Had good potential but didn't work out

[kelsey-41 · 6/10 · 5 April 2009]

At first I was not too interested in this movie but the rest of my family sat down to watch it on DVD and I had nothing better to do so I ended up watching it. As the movie went on I really started to like it. It was different and interesting and I loved the cast. But the plot line just simply didn't make sense. Penelope was under a spell that she thought could only be broken by marrying a "blue blood" yet when she had the chance she decided not to because she had accepted who she was and realized that she wasn't really in love. But then by accepting the curse the curse was broken and she was happy to have a real nose. She doesn't fall in love with her true love until after she looks "normal". What kind of message is that? I think that the movie would have made MUCH more sense if she had the made the choice to be with/marry Johnny even though it meant keeping her pig nose instead of marrying a blue blood and getting rid of it. That would've shown she was truly happy with how she looked rather than after she accepts the way she looks *poof* the curse is gone. That's not the way it works in the real world.

A balloon tied to a lead weight

[keiichi73 · 2/10 · 1 March 2008]

So, I was sitting there watching Penelope, and the mental image of a balloon with a lead weight tied to the end of it kept on appearing in my mind. Much like that balloon, this is a movie that wants to take off and fly, but is constantly held to the ground. In this case, the lead weight is the script provided by Leslie Caveny (TV's Everybody Loves Raymond). For a movie billing itself as a modern day fairy tale and romantic comedy, there is a surprising lack of magic in the story, and even less romance thanks to two leads that never generate any sparks together. Penelope is a case of a cute idea that should work, but it's brought down by its underdeveloped screenplay.

The title character (Christina Ricci) is a young woman who was born to wealthy parents (Catherine O'Hara and Richard E. Grant) and seemed destined to have it all, if it weren't for the fact that her father's side of the family is cursed. It seems that years ago, her father's family angered a local witch, who placed a curse on them that the next woman born into their family would be born with the face of a pig. Indeed, Penelope was born with the snout of a pig, and the curse can only be broken if she finds true love. Her parents have sheltered her from the outside world all this time, but this hasn't stopped them from trying to find a man for their daughter that can break the curse. Unfortunately, every guy who lays eyes upon her nose goes diving out the window in terror. (A visual gag that is cute the first time the movie uses it, but tiresome the 30th.) Penelope eventually decides to run away from home and experience the outside world, wrapping a scarf around the bottom part of her face to hide her abnormality. There might be someone out there who can break the curse, and that someone just might be Max (James McAvoy), a penniless piano player and gambler who initially is working for a sleazy tabloid photographer (Peter Dinklage) to snap a picture of the fabled and often rumored "pig girl", but starts to fall for her the more time he spends around her.

Despite the support of Hollywood star, Reese Witherspoon (who not only produced the film, but also has a small role as a woman who befriends Penelope after she heads out on her own), Penelope has been sitting on the studio shelf for a little over two years. My guess is the recent success of Disney's modern day fairy tale, Enchanted, inspired the studio to try its luck. Penelope is no Enchanted, however. This is a surprisingly dull and lifeless film that doesn't even seem interested in its own premise. Here is a movie that cries out for a light, funny, magical touch, but the pace of the final product on display is leaden and uninspired. It takes almost an hour for the story to finally reach the outside world, which means we have to sit through a good 50 minutes or so (and this is a 90 minute movie) of Penelope isolated in her own home, and the gag of people throwing themselves out the window or running away over and over for far longer than necessary. Even after the lead character finally sets out, and the movie looks like it's finally going to pick up, things remain the same. We never get to truly experience Penelope discovering the world, as most of this aspect of the story is pushed aside in music montages. The most we get is Penelope sitting in a bar, sipping a beer mug from a straw, so that no one can see what's beneath her scarf. Here is a movie that could have been spirited and uplifting, but its so concerned with the mundane aspects, it never takes advantage of its own potential.

The love story that is supposed to be at the center of Penelope is also curiously lacking, due to the fact that the romantic leads spend so little time together, and the few scenes they do spend together are completely dull and lifeless. We never get a sense that a real relationship is building between the two, not only because the movie gives them nothing to do together, but they come across as complete opposites in terms of performances. Christina Ricci is plucky and likable in her portrayal of Penelope, so much so you wish her performance was inhabiting a better movie. James McAvoy, on the other hand, is a lifeless bore, who never comes across as anyone the audience can get behind. Not even the usually reliable Catherine O'Hara can escape from the film's sloppy writing. Her performance as Penelope's mother runs the range of being sympathetic and sweet, to being a screaming harpy who is insensitive and shrill. Her character fits whatever the story requires her to be, so sometimes she comes across as being sensitive to her daughter, and sometimes she is treated as the villain. Her relationship with her husband, and the strain the curse must have placed on their relationship all these years, is also completely ignored. It's ignored so much, Richard E. Grant may as well have not even bothered to show up as her father, as he's given little dialogue, and even less to do with anything that happens in the movie itself.

As is often the case when I'm stuck watching a movie that doesn't grab my attention, I found myself asking a lot of questions. Here's a good one to ponder. If Penelope's parents have been keeping her locked away from society all this time, how do they explain to the people hired to replace the numerous broken windows in their house about why they need their windows replaced so frequently? That could have been a funny scene, but the movie completely skips over this obvious idea.

Very Good

[Michael_Elliott · 3 April 2008]

Penelope (2006)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

Cute fairy tale has a young girl (Christina Ricci) born with the nose of a pig after a witch puts a curse on her family. The curse can only be lifted if someone can fall in love with her the way she looks but this is going to be hard to do since every guy who comes in contact with her runs off in fear. One man (James McAvoy) gets paid to pretend he likes her but will his feelings change once he gets to know her? I really wasn't sure what to expect from this film but it turned out to be a very funny and often times touching fairy tale that tries to tell a message about how people should be happy with the way they are. I think the ending, while touching, is a tad bit hypocritical but I won't ruin it for you. What works best are the wonderful performances with Ricci showing that she can do more than just play dark characters. This is a really light movie and Ricci's performance is perfect and really captures the fairy tale quality of her character. Catherine O'Hara turns in a good performance but I really had a problem with her character who I thought was simply too mean for the film. I know stories like Cinderella always have the bad person but I think O'Hara's character crossed the line too much in the film. Reese Witherspoon only appears in the film for twenty-minutes or so but she delivers another fine performance. The real standout here is McAvoy who was also in Atonement. I had never heard of this actor before seeing the previous film but after witnessing that and this film I must say that I can't wait to see what he does next. He gives another terrific performance here and he's certainly an actor I'll be keeping an eye on in the future. In the end, this is a very cute film that should appeal to kids and adults.

Yet another modern fairy tale...

[AlsExGal · 7/10 · 16 October 2021]

... this is definitely designed as a romantic fantasy targeted to tweens, but I liked it too.

Penelope is a young wealthy gal who is the recipient of a family curse, born with a pig nose & ears (although you never see her ears hidden under her long hair) The curse can only be reversed once she is truly loved, along the same lines of Snow White/Sleeping Beauty. Right there, we ALL KNOW how the story will play out, so any (adult's) enjoyment of the movie is going to be in the "telling" and I thought it was told quite well.

Christina Ricci absolutely carries the entire film. The Mom is played by incredibly talented Catherine O'Hara who does her best with a relentless nag cartoon role. Father is played by the also wonderful Richard Grant, but he has hardly any lines! The love interest is adorable James McAvoy, and Reese Witherspoon plays Penelope's only friend.

While predictable, the story is fun and more importantly leaves the viewer with a heartfelt message. We see Penelope evolve from cloistered child to young adult taking charge of her own life and her triumph over her "curse". The "message" is a strong and essential one for young tweens to learn from this example....totally opposite from those Disney princesses. Penelope reminded me of Winona Ryder's character in BEETLEJUICE.

Of course, there's a few twists to the predictability of the story, but I can't reveal them here or it would spoil it for you.

This was filmed at Pinewood Studios with great sets & costumes- a visual treat for the eyes for sure. I really liked the props and attention to detail-I doubt many would appreciate Penelope's toy piano was a vintage Schoenhut, but I noticed. The top notch photography looked great and helped with the pace of the rather basic story. My only criticism was the lousy, cloying musical choices.

Those of us who love classic film always wish they'd make them like they used to, and this simple, cute story is right there in my opinion.

Could have been more subversive

[xherridea · 6/10 · 14 July 2020]

It's a nice, modern fantasy film with a twist. I like how Penelope has to learn to love herself, it's fairly predictable but it's executed well. I think they could have made her uglier but that's just a Hollywood thing to give an otherwise very pretty girl and give her a minor deformity and then call her hideous throughout the story. I think it's alright film to watch with family or young girls, to teach them that self love is not dependent on a mans affections.

Fantastic fresh fairy tale for teens and adults

[BFitzhomey · 9/10 · 24 March 2007]

I saw this movie last year at a screening, but it has taken me awhile to submit a comment on here.

I LOVED THIS MOVIE!!! It is a wonderful story with a great message that needs to be heard in this modern age.

I assume it will be targeted toward teens, but as a 36 year old, I really enjoyed it. It might be one of Ricci's best performances, as good as Black Snake Moan, but completely different roles. James McAvoy is charming. Catherine Ohara, Reese Witherspoon and Peter Dinklage are nice surprises and always funny when they appear. Overall, very enjoyable. It is somewhat predictable, but it has to have a happy ending.

A perfect love story

[stefanozucchelli · 7/10 · 17 July 2022]

Simple but perfect love story with a pinch of magic.

A scammer pretends to be in love to get money from a girl who is the victim of a spell. It is an imitation of beauty and the beast but with the genres reversed and some changes in dynamics. The little girl must be loved for what she has inside and not for her external appearance. Let's say that nowadays and with the age of the girl it is a request as difficult as it is to carry out but the witch had a not indifferent sadistic streak since she cast a spell on a descendant of the person who had offended her and who had not to do with the matter, in fact it was not even born.

There are not enough "Penelope"s in the world

[napierslogs · 9/10 · 10 July 2010]

"Penelope" opens with Christina Ricci narrating the story to us of how she, Penelope, was born with a curse - a pig nose. The film may seem childish and too fairy tale-like but Ricci speaks with such a soft pleasing manner that she reminds us of the best kindergarten teachers reading to us so we relax and settle in and comfortably enjoy the film.

Then we meet Penelope's mother (Catherine O'Hara) she is everything that Penelope is not: high-strung, over-bearing, intolerant. Of course she's just being a protective mother but she's painted in such a light so the audience can relate more and laugh with Penelope. Most of the supporting characters are cliché but they are done over the top so they are actually funny. At this point I should make a caveat, I am a James McAvoy votary. Such that I would be glowing about his role and performance no matter what, so I will be conspicuously quiet on McAvoy to not over-colour this review.

Listed as a modern-day fairy tale for the entire family, I actually found the movie much more slanted towards young adults (a few jokes would go over kids' heads). This would probably explain the casting of twenty-something and 30-year-old popular actors. I, for one, am glad that they made a film for me with no violence, vulgarity, action or effects and instead filled it with light-hearted, romantic, feel-good messages about loving yourself. And they somehow did that with out being saccharine or sappy.

Nice family entertainment

[annette-20749 · 6/10 · 6 April 2017]

This is a charming family movie with many strengths: good pacing, well- timed humour, strong acting performances, lovely whimsical sets. The coat with the many different buttons deserves a special mention. Penelope and Johnny are endearing, the mother suitably annoying and Edward makes you want to kick him.

Where it falls down is when the main premise doesn't convince. We are told that Penelope is horrifically ugly, but she isn't. She looks cute. Weird, yes, but not ugly and certainly not scary. Why would grown men run from her in terror? It would have been more credible (and made very little difference to the plot) if they had burst out laughing.

Tasteless, predictable, stupid.

[frida_berntsen95 · 1/10 · 3 March 2012]

This movie is absolutely not worth watching. Through the entire movie I couldn't help thinking of how stupid the story was. A girl sheltered away from the public by her own mother because her nose was a bit out of shape, and somewhat larger than others. And because of that nose, she had no friends, no education and no experience in life? What..? It was also very tasteless and predictable, and so very unoriginal.

This movie should not be seen by anyone to be honest. The story is telling us that you can not live a happy life unless every bit of you is how the society expects you to be. It is sad to see many great actors going to waste.

As you all can see, there is lots of high rated reviews but I guess they are all written by teens that do not even use their head when they stumble upon a love story. The writer must have been either really stupid, or have smoked some pot. I do not think she even thought through her story and how the audience would interpret before she made her story public.

The most brilliant movie

[satinshoes · 10/10 · 14 February 2007]

The movie is truthful, honest, funny, and amazing. Although I don't believe that there is an Oscar potential for this, I do believe Golden Globe awards for this. Christina Ricci's performance in this was delightful. While I was watching the movie, however, when Reese Witherspoon popped up, I was delighted! Although it wasn't very long, it was pleasing to see her in a very different role from others that she took.

Honestly, I just wanted to comment on this and Reese's funny lines. But the movie should be watched; it's a comedy that can change the world's opinions of what's really beautiful, and that the outside does not matter.

Heartwarming, Funny, and Sweet

[jaddison383 · 6/10 · 10 March 2008]

In a year (2008) that has thus far been awful at the cinemas, Penelope comes along like a beacon of hope. This lovely fairytale of a girl cursed with a pig snout for a nose is more than just your everyday whimsy tale. It's actually a good film.

Christina Ricci comes back to leading roles with flair, playing titular character Penelope with both sweetness and spunk. The rest of the cast is all top-notch as well. Catharine O'Hara is delightful as the unintentionally self-centered mother, and James McAvoy is absolutely adorable as Penelope's love. And at last a respectable role for Peter Dinklage! Then there's Reese Witherspoon, fabulous as always...

The entire family will delight in Penelope (the girl and the film), with it's inviting visual style and witty script full of great characters. It is at the same time both a lovely fairytale romance and a modern comedy that is not above laughing at itself. This film deserves success, so tell all of your friends! A wonderful film to brighten your poor-movie-season blues. 8/10 stars!

Jay Addison

A multifarious oddity,

[angelshalz · 4/10 · 18 July 2008]

"Penelope" is a multifarious oddity . It might be a flowery fairytale from the surface, but it tends to paint some subduing and gritty pictures, especially when we see the hero (James McAcvoy) constantly gamble away his money at a shady bar. Also, there are witches and curses in the beginning, but as the plot untangles, we are stuck witnessing a world where there are no wireless phones and headlines are downsized to report petty things like 'a girl who looks like a pig says "hello"'. Now that I mention it, the story is about a girl who has the snout of a pig. Funny thing, because at the movie's inception, we are made to believe that she also has the ears of a pig, but the movie conveniently decides to not show us that part. Anyways, the reason why I keep on mentioning the beginning is because that's the only part of the movie I truly enjoyed. The beginning is so different than the middle and the end. Well, that's because the upcoming love story is too awkward and the background characters (Reese Witherspoon and that other bar guy) are too random and unnecessary. Penelope would not seem that atrocious in our world, where I am sure there are people with more severe and turgid facial problems. So excuse me when I say, that this movie does not cut it.

A charming modern day fairy tale

[Gordon-11 · 30 March 2008]

This 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.