Ever After: A Cinderella Story (1998)

Number Rolled: 50

Movie Name/Year: Ever After: A Cinderella Story (1998)

Genre: Romantic Drama

Length: 121 minutes

Rating: PG-13

Director: Andy Tennant

Writer: Susannah Grant, Andy Tennant, Rick Parks, Charles Perrault

Actors: Drew Barrymore, Anjelica Huston, Dougray Scott, Patrick Godfrey, Megan Dodds, Melanie Lynskey, Timothy West, Judy Parfitt, Jeroen Krabbe, Lee Ingleby

Ever After is by far my favorite telling of the Cinderella story. I imagine that if it were a true story, this is what it would be like. It’s almost an adult version of the story. Not adult as in sex; adult as in mature.

If one were to create a list of all the Cinderella-based movies out there, I can imagine the list would be in the high triple digits. It’s a famous story that is a big deal in many childhoods. However, most of the movies on that list would be geared toward children. Hell, the Disney channel makes a new one every year or so.

Not only are most of the renditions geared toward children, but there really aren’t all that many different ways to tell the same story. Girl and father are close. Father remarries. Father dies. Stepmother treats girl badly. Girl grows up as servant. Girl falls in love with Prince. Prince returns love but doesn’t realize she’s a servant. Stepmother learns of love and locks up girl. Prince frees girl. Girl and Prince live happily ever. Oh, and there are always a ball/dance and some fancy shoes involved. It’s a classic and doesn’t need changing really.

Although “Ever After” does follow most of the rules in the outline for Cinderella, it offers it in a fresh new way. Introducing Gypsies and Leonardo da Vinci into the mix and coming up with what – in my point of view – is a much better ending than the cookie-cutter version.

Overall Opinion – 4/5