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A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song
- Review Date: September 6, 2011
- PG
- Genre: Family and Kids
- 2011
Common Sense Media says
Entertaining tween fairy tale has obvious happy ever after.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this is the third take on a familiar tale, A Cinderella Story. Like the first two movies, this one follows a talented-but-put-upon Cinderella stand-in who lives under the tyrannical rule of a mean stepmother. The teen romance is mild and only includes two sweet kisses, but the protagonist endures quite a lot of emotional -- and verbal -- abuse from her humorous-but-cruel parental figure. The stepmother character, however, gets hers in the end, and at the very least, this Cinderella has unexpected allies who help her triumph.
What's the story?
Katie Gibbs (Lucy Hale) is a gifted singer-songwriter, but before she can head off to music school for college, she must endure one final year under the emotionally abusive supervision of her "evil stepmother" Gail (Missi Pyle) and bratty stepsiblings. Gail, who's the headmistress of Katie's private school, has landed a star transfer pupil, Luke (Freddie Stroma), the handsome son of a billionaire music producer. A condition of his attendance is that Luke produce the school's annual talent show. When fame-hungry Gail realizes that Katie is much more talented than her own daughter, she forces Katie to sing songs that stepsister Bev (Megan Park) will lip-sync during the big show. Katie agrees, but watching Bev and Luke get cozy over her own songs nearly breaks her heart.
Is it any good?
This third installment in Warner Bros.' popular Cinderella Story franchise is as sugary sweet and entertaining as the others -- which is to say, fluffy and cute, not deep and enduring. Tween girls will delight in Hale (star of Pretty Little Liars) and Stroma's (who memorably played the cocky Cormac McLaggen in Harry Potter) attraction at first listen, and parents will approve of how their relationship develops in an almost Cyrano de Bergerac fashion -- a meeting of like-minded artists, not teens in hormonal overdrive.
Unlike other Cinderella adaptations, Katie's stepsiblings aren't always cruel, but the stepmother is completely cold-hearted. Pyle is definitely the movie's top scene-stealer, with her pinched smile and narrowed eyes. She's the kind of character actress who deserves a starring comedy or sitcom role but instead has to settle for these supporting gigs. Pyle's love-to-hate-her performance, combined with Hale and Stroma's adorable leads, makes this a perfect sleepover pick for girls who haven't graduated to PG-13 romances.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about how family relationships are portrayed in this story. Does Katie have a healthy home environment? How does her stepmother treat her? Are kids sometimes treated this way in real life?
If you've seen the previous movies, how does this new installment compare to the other Cinderella Story films?
How does Katie's family differ from the original Cinderella tale? Why do you think the stepsiblings are portrayed in a slightly more sympathetic manner?
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AGE
Third Installment Actually Good
This third installment of the Cinderella Story series is a great romcom that you will enjoy. Hale's take on the lead character is sweet but sassy, and Pyle's stepmother was pretty good. Also, I think the story was genuine! I was so frustrated at the step mother basically blackmailing Hale's character, that is a great way to get audiences to side with the films "Cinderella". But I must say I felt a that this third film is a bit more dirty than the other two, and the ball-scene was a bit of a let down, but it was definitely comical .
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AGE
kids teens adults we can all watch iy yay!
this is a great movie i think for children all ages i just recently purchased the dvd btw nice movie so yes kids you can watch it don't worry parents its not a bad movie no its a good movie!
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AGE
B word is not needed
This was a WONDERFUL movie with a WONDERFUL soundtrack, but it does use the 'B' word. I don't know why in the world they had to do that. I think the movie would have been even better without it. Still pretty good, though. I don't think that six year olds should listen to the b word, but I had to rate it on everything else, not just one bad word. And the part where the little brother takes her cloths is also not needed, but funny for older audiences.
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Kid, 12 years old
January 1, 2012
AGE
PG? REALLY?!?!
THe whole story is obvious, so u wont miss much if you don't watch this. They say the B word a few times, and the mom makes countless orders to get her some kind of acohol.... I personally hated it. THere was one seen where the younger brother steals the girls clothes, forcing her to walk around in the buff, and is even seen by some guy while wearing a welcome mat.
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AGE
Too wordly, bad example for children.
I'm not sure how the sexual innuendos have escaped people so far, but I noticed them and my husband and I did not appreciate them. We don't have kids, but would not have allowed them to see this film if we did. One line I remember is when the stepmother is telling her daughter that if she is successful, she can get a pool shaped like Colin Farrell, and then she can see ALL of him. It is said in a very suggestive way. The music is nice, even sassy, and the voices are really great. That's about all I was able to enjoy. Good moments in the film were quickly ruined by rampant Hinduism (though a bit fake and made fun of), bare bellies, and a lead guy who can't tell the difference between a blonde with green eyes and a brunette with brown eyes. I was offended by the unnecessary scene of the girl getting locked out of the house naked and then welcoming the lead guy character with a welcome melt around her. He seems so sweet, except that he says her appearing like that is (another innuendo) a "Gift from God," and then promptly forgets about her when her stepsister ushers him inside the house and closes the door on the "Gift from God." He is too quickly interested in the stepsister, which makes me wonder at his moral character. I think the scene that offended me most besides the naked scene was the ball scene. This is a high school dance! And the boys were, of course, fully clothed while the girls were mostly in bikini-type tops with bare middriffs and belly dance pants and skirts starting at their hipbones. The dancing was quite sexy in parts and highly inappropriate for a PG-rated movie. The alcohol use was over the top, but it was portrayed negatively. I must say that I did like the ending. I thought it was a great way to end the film, as the music was the best part of the film.
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AGE
nicely done!
i actually liked this one. its cute and the girl can totally sing. such a beautiful amazing voice . wow great Cinderella movie it really is!
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AGE
I've met one of the extras
/i know the guy that sings in the bathroom and wears the purple hat.He Goes to my church
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| Topics: | princesses and fairies |
| Studio: | Warner Bros. |
| Director: | Damon Santostefano |
| Cast: | Lucy Hale, Megan Park, Missi Pyle |
| Genre: | Family and Kids |
| Run time: | 85 minutes |
| DVD release date: | September 6, 2011 |
| MPAA rating: | PG |
| MPAA explanation: | language and some crude and suggestive content |
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