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Penelope
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Metascore
48 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 29 Critics What's this?

User Score
7.3 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 29 Ratings

Your Score
10 out of 10
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  • Starring: Christina Ricci, James McAvoy
  • Summary: Penelope is a magical modern-day fairytale about love and self-acceptance. Penelope Wilhern, born to wealthy socialites, is afflicted by a secret family curse that can only be broken when she is "loved by one of her own kind." Hidden away in her family's estate, the lonely girl is subjected to meeting a string of blue bloods through her parent's futile attempts to break the curse. Each suitor is enamored with Penelope (and her sizable dowry)...until the curse is revealed. Lemon, a mischievous tabloid reporter, wants a photograph of the mysterious Penelope and hires Max to pose as a prospective suitor to get the shot. The handsome down-on-his-luck gambler finds himself falling for Penelope, but not wanting to disappoint her, he disappears. Fed up with this latest betrayal and determined to live life on her own terms, Penelope breaks free from her family, venturing into the world alone. She finds friendship, adventure, and becomes the person she was meant to be out on her own. And, as in all good fairytales, she manages to find her Prince Charming to live happily ever after. (Summit Entertainment)… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 29
  3. Negative: 6 out of 29
  1. Film Threat
    Reviewed by: Jamie Tipps
    80
    An extraordinarily charming movie.
  2. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: Nick Pinkerton
    60
    Ricci is appealingly human, and some acknowledgement of the importance of female friendship, in addition to romance, is faintly touching.
  3. Rolling Stone
    Reviewed by: Peter Travers
    38
    Penelope is dead on arrival.

See all 29 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 14
  3. Negative: 1 out of 14
  1. EGoR.
    10
    A beautifully enchanting movie with real heart. Christina Ricci has never been more charming.
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  2. ChristianP.
    5
    An okay movie I guess I was forced to see the movie with my girlfriend. It's not a bad idea to make a fairytale to take place in modren day but I wish the story could be more decent. I don't mind if they make a sequel which they won't but I rather stick to this medicore movie usually romance is not my thing it's the funnies but I was forced to see this movie.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. ChadS.
    2
    This is the film your plastic surgeon wants young, impressionable girls to see. Your daughter won't shudder at the sight of Penelope(Christina Ricci), who's one nose job away from being pretty; they will shudder, however, at Penelope's suitors exiting her room like amateur stuntmen. Rhinoplasty is deemed to be a surgical impossibility in "Penelope", but the lifting of the curse functions as rhinoplasty's metaphor. Penelope accepts herself but the film doesn't allow her to savor the moment. The curse is lifted. Talk about mixed-messages. There's a disconnect between the character and the narrative. Penelope likes her snout; she likes who she is, but "Penelope" doesn't. The screenplay turns into a scapel. "Penelope" only pretends to be a film about beauty being skin deep. Max(James McAvoy) fell in love with Babe, not a babe. He was going to marry Penelope in spite of her deformity. The new nose isn't really for Penelope, or Max, or anybody within the diegesis. It's for you.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes

See all 14 User Reviews

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