I have watched this movie more than thirty times. When asked what my favorite movie is I usually say Good Will Hunting, but in all honesty, it’s probably Princess Diaries. It brings me back to my childhood and is centered around a goofy girl that I can relate to deeply. I have always liked how Mia (Anne Hathaway) evolves throughout the story and goes from being shy and quiet, to being brave and using her voice for good.
As I have grown older, I do have some issues with the movie. I do not like how Mia goes from having poofy, voluminous hair, to having straight hair. And how she goes from having glasses, to wearing contacts. While I like the internal transformation she goes through in the movie, the physical one is something I have a slight issue with.
Someone with glasses can still be a princess. Someone with voluminous hair that is not stick straight can still be a princess. I do not like the precedent that is being set with these transformations, as if the Mia ‘before’ was not good enough for the crown.
However, in a way I do understand the physical transformations. As a writer, I can understand that they help convey the changes Mia is going through internally. They also help show the rigorous standards there are for people in the spotlight, especially royalty. I especially like how her best friend, Lilly (Heather Matarazzo), points out these changes and voices her disproval. If Lilly did not voice her thoughts, I imagine this movie would have been very different. It’s always great to have a best friend that keeps you on track.
Overall, I love this movie for all it’s funny moments and the life Anne Hathaway brings to Mia. She has these mannerisms that add to the character and truly make the character come to life. Hathaway was only eighteen when this movie was filmed and her acting talent is already very tangible.
9/10
*Disclaimer: Making a movie is hard. Sometimes you have an idea and it is not interpreted how you intended it to be. All directors, producers, writers, and everyone on set should be proud at what they created and I do not want to diminish that. I just want to share my opinions so we can learn from movies and see what works and what didn’t.
Aloha Arianna 