The Princess Diaries

Gary Marshall wanted to dedicate this film to teenagers. I don't know what his reason was. It could be seen as a more moderate response to the wave of teen films where everything possible happens, but you know those ingredients well. However, the tendencies of the creator of romantic comedies like Pretty Woman and Runaway Bride are evident in it. Marshall suffers from directorial schizophrenia. The constant struggle between entertaining teenagers and not offending the adults drives the audience crazy. Marshall's 2 (that's two) gags were really good. But what about the rest of it, which takes a whopping two hours? Perhaps the runtime is the film's biggest problem. In two hours, a lot can be accomplished, or it can also be a time for boredom and dragging on. The Princess Diaries unfortunately fulfils the latter. And to be honest, it's hard to speak of any wasted potential here. The very subject is ridiculous enough (but it can be gotten over somehow). A script that piled one banality after another is also not the pinnacle of intelligence. A 15-year-old outsider suddenly learns that she is to ascend the throne of a small European kingdom. I've already mentioned the director's cluelessness. Of course, there will be people who will dismiss what I wrote above by saying that I am too preoccupied with filmmaking flaws and that I don't let myself be carried away by the film and simply enjoy it for a so-called one-time use. But The Princess Diaries doesn't even meet that criterion. There’s no comfort to be had here. The movie is too rigid and the cast is very disjointed. Julie Andrews as the Queen does give off a majestic and authoritative air, but that's about it. Anne Hathaway also delivers a strong performance only once. That's in the scene where the ugly duckling becomes a beautiful young woman. At that moment, I, too, turned my attention to the TV, and the otherwise bored look on my face was replaced for a moment by the hint of a... er, lusty smile. The charming ladies’ man and driver Joseph, portrayed by Hector Elizondo, is excellent, and his character is at least worth noting. The Princess Diaries is a (un)surprisingly dull and boring mishmash that, without any proper explanation, robs the audience of TWO! hours of their time. (17/04/2005)

It doesn't take any great art or originality to make a film entertaining, to make you cry and like it. This film is proof of that. I have the most fun with relaxing films like this. (29/04/2011)

Big American bollocks, but watchable nonetheless. Maybe it's because they show movies like this on TV all the time and I've grown up a bit on them, but I don't have the heart to throw this teenage schlock down the garbage disposal. I like Anne Hathaway and have some respect for Marshall for Pretty Woman, so I'll do them the favour of never watching their work together again and stick with a pretty high rating. (14/01/2013)