Where I Watched it: Disney Plus

English Audio Description Provided By: Deluxe

Narrated By: Marsha Bartenelli

Perhaps you chose this review expecting me to tell you how I’ve loved this film for all of it’s years. Sadly, despite this film having its own following, I must admit that i did not see this until just now.

not that there aren’t a dozen Cinderella stories out there, starring anyone from Hilary Duff to Camilla Cabello. If there’s one thing that doesn’t need a retread, it’s probably this phoenix that rises from her ashes every couple of years in a new iteration. However, I will give some props to this for being a lot better than I assumed it ever could be.

Why Ever After is set apart is because it chooses to frequently go its own way as often as possible, while still keeping a friendly charm for families. Our Cinderella is the same orphaned girl forced to be raised by her stepmother, and two highly grating stepsisters. But, where this story differs is in its attempt to make this a real thing that actually happened, as the whole thing is being told by a long lost relative of the star crossed pair to the Brothers Grimm, and further grounds it by having Leonardo DaVinci as an actual character.

There isn’t a fairy Godmother here, or friendly mice for her to befriend. Everything is personified, or given a real life foundation for how something could occur. if the material is too whimsical that it defies possible logic, it is eliminated, and Ever After goes its own way. Whether it’s Drew Barrymore having to literally carry her Prince away with her in order to save his life, or a particularly heartbreaking scene between her and Anjelica Huston where she asks if her wretched stepmother ever loved her, there are so many beats here that feel unique to this version, while it’s also freakishly similar.

Last year, I gave mostly positive notes to Sneakerella for reinventing the story, and gender flipping, because the story was so stale after all the adaptations. However, after seeing this, I’m convinced that you don’t always need to modernize, or gender swap, or bring in a hip hop soundtrack to stand apart. Sometimes, you just have to bring not just a fresh coat of paint, but consider reconstructing the material given. Instead of assuming the same old wooden fence just needs a fresh coat of paint, why not build a brick wall in place? Same general function, and a classic look to boot.

Ever After takes something old, and doesn’t make it new by transporting us to the current time period, but rather by making new choices that work perfectly for this tale. Barrymore’s British accent isn’t half bad either. We’ve heard a lot worse.

The audio description here is delightful, though with a lot of focus constantly on clothing, especially since this is period, perhaps I would have paid more attention to more of the various garb. There are a few pieces selected, as they are of higher importance, but still, we are best transported when immersed in what the film is trying to present. And for this fairy tale, it is as old as time.

Delightful, fluffy, and charming. I would watch this again, and I recommend it.

Final Grade: A-