Enchanted
by Catherine Lee

Stories that take us down a rabbit hole or through the looking glass into another world usually go from the "real world" into a fantasy land. Enchanted turns this formula on its head by starting in a fantasy world and tumbling into the real world. A funny, clever and delightful mix of fairy tale and making fun of fairy tales, this Disney picture riffs on Disney classics and lives up to its title. You will leave the theater enchanted.

Enchanted begins in the hand-drawn sugar-colored world of old-fashioned Disney animation, with the soothing voice of Julie Andrews narrating the story of Giselle, a beautiful young woman living in a beautiful house in a tree. She is surrounded by woodland creatures to whom she sings sweet songs and who help her with her household cleaning and other chores. 

She is dreaming of a prince who will come and win her heart with "Love’s True Kiss." She’s building a statue of the man who haunts her imagination as she sings this song, which is a frighteningly catchy tune. The music in Enchanted, by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz, is delightful, and as I look into my crystal ball I see Oscar nominations for song and score. The wooden prince reminded me a bit of Pinocchio. Nearly every scene in Enchanted incorporates some bit of a fairy tale or fantasy borrowed from somewhere. You could get dizzy trying to keep up with all the references. This will make Enchanted a fun film to own on DVD. For a first viewing I recommend just letting the clever conceits of the film tickle your fancy.

Giselle’s prince is coming. His name is Edward, and he’s almost as wooden-headed as his statue. His stepmother is Queen Narissa, and she keeps Edward busy hunting trolls and away from women. Edward hears Giselle singing and rushes to her to join in her song. For Edward and Giselle it is love at first song, and they make a plan to marry the next day and live happily ever after.

Queen Narissa cannot let this happen. She disguises herself and lures Giselle to a wishing well and then pushes her in. Giselle falls down and down and then up and up. When she lands it is under a manhole cover in Times Square. Queen Narissa has vowed to send her to a place where dreams never come true, which just shows how little she knows, because New York City is just the kind of place where dreams come true. Bright and beautiful young things have run away to New York to seek fame and fortune since before the movies began.

Giselle has become flesh and blood, and Amy Adams is as beautiful as any idealized drawing of a beautiful girl. In a performance that has to be perfect to make us cheer for Giselle and make Enchanted work, Adams is perfection. She sings and dances and charms. She’s a talented comedienne. She makes Giselle sweet, lovely and idealistic, but not a fool.

Giselle is confused at first. She doesn’t know what has happened to her, but like all heroines she believes in herself and in the good of others. While trying to beat down the door of a billboard of a castle she is spotted by Morgan and her dad, Robert. Morgan takes one look at the big hair and big dress and knows Giselle must be a real live princess.

Morgan has just been told by her dad that he’s going to get remarried. She isn’t crazy about the idea, so dad is vulnerable to her entreaties to take Giselle home. Morgan is played by Rachel Covey, and her dad is played by Patrick Dempsey. Casting “McDreamy” as a divorce lawyer steeped in cynicism and disappointment is a perfect touch.

Even in this world Giselle can command the creatures with a song. When she wakes up and sees the mess Morgan and Robert live in she calls out the window, and rats, pigeons and cockroaches come running, creating one of two show-stopping musical numbers. Giselle knows only the world of fairy tales, so she makes dresses out of curtains and knows Edward will come for her.

Robert can’t resist helping her – despite the disapproval of his fiancé, Nancy. There’s just something about Giselle that is irresistible. They wander around New York. He explains “dating” to her. She explains true love to him. “That’s How You Know” is the centerpiece of Giselle’s lesson to Robert, and the most delightful Central Park song-and-dance sequence ever. It is old-school big and elaborate, but oh so fresh, since we don’t see this kind of joyous spectacle at the movies much anymore.

When Edward does come after her he is followed by the Queen’s evil henchman, in the real world played by a perfectly cast Timothy Spall and one of Giselle’s chipmunk buddies. In our world Edward is played by James Marsden, and he has great fun flaunting his princely handsomeness.

Giselle faces a crisis when she begins to understand that she has conflicting feelings about her handsome prince and Robert and Morgan. As the time approaches for her to return to her own world with Edward a crisis looms, and so does a costume ball. Giselle must attend! All problems are solved at the ball. Any would-be princess knows that.

“I don’t know where I’d find a fairy godmother at this hour,” Giselle says. Morgan has the modern-day equivalent, and the two ladies go shopping. 

Because this is a fairy tale there are happy endings for all at the ball. (Hoosier alert: Yes, that’s Anderson, Indiana native John McLaughlin singing at the ball.) The wicked Queen shows up in the scary persona of Susan Sarandon to try to wreck the proceedings, but not to worry.

Bill Kelly’s script is cleverest when balancing wide-eyed princess ideals with the kind of understanding of self that is considered more modern but isn’t really incompatible with genuine princess instincts. Director Kevin Lima makes the movie flow confidently between animation and the real world – and in the real world between big production numbers and quieter, more intimate scenes. Rated PG, Enchanted is a movie the whole family can see together and enjoy. There is a little kissing, which may turn off kids averse to mushiness. Enchanted is great holiday fun.