The Princess Diaries (July 30/04)

It's not hard to figure out why The Princess Diaries was such a big hit. The film's premise - a gawky teenager discovers she's actually the Princess of a small country - represents the ultimate in wish fulfillment for young girls, and star Anne Hathaway undeniably makes for an engaging and charismatic heroine. But the film's overlong running time, combined with an abundance of unnecessary subplots, prevents The Princess Diaries from becoming anything more than a mildly entertaining showcase for Hathaway's obvious talent.

Hathaway stars as Mia, a socially awkward 15-year-old who suffers from an inability to talk to boys and fears public speaking. After meeting with her grandmother (played by Julie Andrews) one afternoon, Mia learns she's the last remaining blood heir to the throne of a country called Genovia. Lessons on how to properly behave as a Princess follow, while Mia must decide whether or not she even wants to accept the position.

The Princess Diaries has been directed by Garry Marshall, who's covered this sort of terrain before with Pretty Woman. The two films feature a crass heroine being transformed into a dignified and stylish woman, while Hector Elizondo is prominently featured in both as a sympathetic father figure. Marshall's predilection for the obvious is particularly noticeable this time around, exacerbated by a ridiculously inflated running time. All the clichés that one expects out of a story like this are here - gee, wonder if Mia will conquer that fear of public speaking? - but because the movie goes on much longer than it has any right to, overlooking the film's many trite moments becomes exceedingly difficult.

Yet there's an easy-going charm to The Princess Diaries, making it far less of an ordeal than one might suspect. Screenwriter Gina Wendkos peppers the story with a few surprisingly humorous sequences, while the supporting cast - which includes Heather Matarazzo and Caroline Goodall - tries their best with the material (Mandy Moore seems right at home in the cheese, though).

The Princess Diaries could've been worse, I suppose, but the film really doesn't hold much appeal for those outside its target audience.