Tim Burton-Like Fairy Tale
Director Mark Palansky obviously would cite Tim Burton as an influence, and that's not a bad thing. I'd rate this film as "if you loved Big Fish, you'll probably love this film, too". The script is severely underdeveloped, and the film would probably be subpar were it not for the FANTASTIC performances by all the actors involved. Catherine O'Hara (Beetlejuice?), Richard E. Grant, Peter Dinklage and James McAvoy pull in some amazing performances (considering what they had to work with), but it's Christina Ricci who truly shines. Even with the badly applied prosthetic nose, she charms with such a natural beauty that it's hard to believe all of the blue blood suiters who run away screaming couldn't JUST see underneath that nose to the wonderful person she is. Ricci's acting has definitely improved over the years, and she needs to sink her teeth into something worthy of her talent and beauty. A cute movie for the whole family...and Ricci and McAvoy fans. Even with it's major flaws, I couldn't help but be charmed.