A musical that brings your favorite fairy tale characters together for a different kind of story.
—
A film that brings familiar fairy tale characters together in the film version of the popular musical got the #2 spot and made $19 million this last weekend. Audiences enjoyed this movie gave it praise. With great songs, a stellar cast and a wonderful plot I can see why.
The movie takes place in a small village where many familiar characters live. There is Red Riding Hood who is on her way to visit her grandmother, Jack who has to sell his cow to get money for him and his mom, and Cinderella and her wicked stepmother and stepsisters. There is a simple baker and his wife who want nothing more than to have a child, and an evil witch who will grant them this request, for a price. If they can find hair as yellow as corn, a cloak red as blood, a slipper as pure as gold and a cow white as milk in three days, their wish will be granted. So into the woods all of these people go.
In these woods Red Riding Hood meets the Big Bad Wolf, but he is not how you remember him. Jack also meets the baker and gets duped into selling his cow for five beans, with no idea how extraordinary they really are. It is a film that shows viewers how tough these characters lives are, and they blend together well. They all have things that make life rough, whether it is poverty, bad family ties or being held against their will by someone who claims to be protecting them. Even the witch has a rough past, but it will make audiences relate to her and feel pity for her. There are a number of heroes here, and some obvious villains. The movie also has some people who seem to jump from good to bad and then back again. There are people here who are dreamers, and those who are naive to the ways the world really works.
This is a great film with songs like Agony (sung perfectly by Chris Pine and Billy Magnussen), Hello Little Girl ( sung with the perfect blend of desire and terror by Johnny Depp), It Takes Two ( a joyous duet with James Corden and Emily Blunt), Stay with Me ( an amazing performance by Meryl Streep) and Your Fault ( a number that is sung by James Corden, Daniel Huttlestone, Lilla Crawford and Anna Kendrick). All of these songs do a wondeful job of letting people know of the emotions the characters are feeling and just what is going on in their minds. It is one of the reasons I really enjoyed this film, although I had not originally wanted to see it when it came out.
James Corden and Emily Blunt are the perfect pair as the baker and his wife. Corden’s character is the average guy, wanting to finish all of the tasks by himself so he can be the hero, but Blunt’s character breaks the mold of the wife you see in so many of these stories. She is strong, fearless and willing to do anything it takes to make their wishes come true. They play off each other very well, and have some touching moments and times that I am sure many married couples can relate to. For all of their dreams to come true, they must do it together, no matter what risks have to be made along the way. They are people who are easy to root for, and they both have twists that keep the movie interesting.
Meryl Streep is a great fit as the witch. She holds this film together and many times keeps the suspense and excitement moving when things slow down or get dull. Her character is not your average witch, and although she may seem evil in truth there are layers to this poor woman. It is hard to imagine anyone else in this role, this performance was the best I have seen by her in years. . She brings the emotion perfectly, and I found myself wanting the best for the witch by the end. Go out and see this movie, and you will understand exactly what I mean.
I really liked Johnny Depp as the wolf. Although his character is minor, it is no secret he had a blast doing this role. He brings a vocal performance I have not seen the likes of since Sweeney Todd. I agree some artistic license was taken with how the wolf looks, but I think it worked in this movie. He plays this villain well, and truthfully it is impossible to ever feel sorry for anything that happens to him. By the end, things go as people would expect them to.
If you enjoyed the Broadway musical, you should run out to see this film. If you are a fan of darker musicals, this is a film you must go see. It has a clever soundtrack, brilliant lighting and cinematography and a cast that does a splendid job of bringing this world to life.I had no idea Meryl Streep could sing, and was impressed by how well her voice is. Go run out and see this with your friends, it is sure to bring a chuckle and I guarantee they will thank you for it.
Check out the teaser below: