A CINDERELLA STORY

US, 2004, 95 minutes, Colour.

Hillary Duff, Chad Michael Murray, Jennifer Coolidge, Dan Byrd, Regina King, Lin Shaye, Mary Pat Gleason, Paul Rodriguez, Whip Hubley, Kevin Kilner, Simon Halberg.

Directed by Mark Rosman.

The Cinderella fairytale is about young adults, popular, well-known, so why not a transferr to the US, 21^st-century, families, schools, dances, Prom King’s and Queens?

This is also a star vehicle for Hillary Duff who had made an impression in the Lizzie Maguire Film, later to be a successful television series, her music videos, Disney appearances, further films… She won awards in 2004 (but also was awarded the Razzie acting).

2004 was actually the year of the release of the very successful Mean Girls. Here is another variation on the theme. Plenty of mean girls in this high school and quite a number of arrogant Jocks.

The film opens in fairytale land but it is the story that Sam is being read by her father (Whip Hubley). He encounters Fiona who has two daughters and marries her. But, an earthquake, Sam’s father dead, then being dominated as we expect, by her wicked stepmother and her obnoxious daughters. Part of the enjoyment of the film is the fact that the stepmother is being played by Jennifer Coolidge who had already established something of a reputation as Stifler’s Mom in the American Pie films. (20 years later she was still making an impression especially in the television series The White Lotus.) Jennifer Coolidge is able to play obnoxious characters and send herself up, plenty of opportunity to be the wicked stepmother.

Sam’s father left a diner which Fiona now manages where with Sam works. On the lookout for the fairy godmother, she is played by Regina King (later to win an Oscar for If Beale Street Could Talk). And there are some veterans like Paul Rodriguez and Mary Pat Gleason also on the staff there.

And Prince Charming? The local football star, Austin, played by Chad Michael Murray, being pressurised by his ambitious father for him to stay as a football star and work for his company.

Social media, Sam and Austin communicate anonymously through a chat room – which leads them to the dance, the possible revelation of identities, a lost mobile phone instead of a shoe, Austin seeking Cinderella, and the humiliation of her being exposed through the evil Mac nations of her stepsisters.

But, romance will out, Fiona concealing Sam’s entry to Princeton, but the true will found in the old fairy tale book and comeuppance for Fiona and her daughters.

Lots of references to contemporary culture, the Fast and the Furious…  enjoyable supporting eccentricity from Dan Byrd as Sam’s close friend and a young Simon Helberg as a very odd space preoccupied student.

1. The popularity of the Cinderella story, transferred to the American high school, 21^st-century?
2. The popularity Hillary Duff, Lizzie McGuire on screen and television?
3. The opening, the suggestions of the fairytale, the book, the transition to the US, the American town, the family, happy father and daughter, the earthquake, his death, the marriage to Fiona, her two daughters? Her inheriting everything? The later discovering of the wheel in the fairytale book? And her comeuppance?
4. Fiona, vanity, the daughters, Sam, growing up in servitude to Fiona and the sisters, their demands, Fiona and her vanity, the salmon diet, the girls in the pool, their behaviour? Time passing?
5. Sam, her age, at school, her friendship with Carter, his eccentricities, Shelby and the mean girls, Austen and his friends on the jocks? Their behaviour? Sam working at the diner, Rhonda and her friendship and support? The other members of the staff? The customers? Shelby and Austin and the rest is customers, their behaviour?
6. Sam, online, texting, the anonymity, the sharing of ideas and ideals?
7. Austin, his demanding father, expectations, football, Austen wanting his life? The domination of his father, at work?
8. The invitation to the dance, the preparations, stepdaughters preparing, Fiona making Sam work? Rhonda, like a fairy godmother, the dress, the mask, Carter as Zorro, at the dance, the infatuation? Her going to the spot at 11 o’clock? The eccentric student and his space preoccupation? Austin, the conversation, the walk, not revealing, the time, dropping the phone, the drive with Carter, Fiona and the daughters, the chase, the erratic driving? Sam behind the counter?
9. Austin, the notices, the search for Cinderella? Shelby, her attitude towards Austin, drinking, the episode with Carter, the next day…? Sam at school, Austen not recognising her?
10. His coming into the diner, Sam not telling him, Fiona intervening?
11. The sisters, spying on the computer, telling the disc jockey, the news around the school? The football match, her going with Carter? Her leaving? The football match, important for Austen, his father’s pressure, his leaving and following Sam? Everybody mocking her at the match?
12. The meeting, the reconciliation? The future? His father coming around?
13. Fiona concealing the letter of acceptance to Princeton? Dominating Sam? The discovery of the will, everybody walking out on Fiona? She and the daughters having to work?
14. 21^st-century happy ever after?