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Penelope

Name: Penelope
Genre: Fantasy, Comedy, Romance
Released: February 29, 2008
Duration: 104 min
Rating: 48
Cast: Christina Ricci, James McAvoy

2008

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 29 Critics

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 132 Ratings

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8.7

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8.7	Your Score
8.7	User Score Universal acclaim based on 132 Ratings

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PENELOPE

Movie Details & Credits

Summit Entertainment | Release Date: February 29, 2008 | PG

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 herPenelope 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

Director: Mark Palansky

Genre(s): Fantasy, Comedy, Romance

Rating: PG

Runtime: 104 min

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Critic Reviews

Jamie Tipps

An extraordinarily charming movie. Read full review

Peter Rainer

This half-baked fairy tale always seems to be on the verge of becoming charming but despite a good cast it never quite succeeds. Read full review

John Anderson

Anyone willing to tolerate the tortured premise of the story will be paid off handsomely by several winning performances and a moral that makes most of the absurdity worthwhile. Read full review

Nick Pinkerton

Ricci is appealingly human, and some acknowledgement of the importance of female friendship, in addition to romance, is faintly touching. Read full review

Lawrence Toppman

There are usually good reasons why a movie gets shelved for more than a year, however well-acted it may be and however well-meaning its message. Many are on view in Penelope. Read full review

Walter Addiego

Surprisingly pedestrian. Read full review

Owen Gleiberman

Is there anything more dull than an ineptly cynical fairy tale? Read full review

SEE ALL 29 REVIEWS

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User Reviews

EGoR.

Mar 1, 2008

A beautifully enchanting movie with real heart. Christina Ricci has never been more charming.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

lizv

May 4, 2008

I think this was an amazing movie. I like the way everything was, and how everything turned out. It was a great "fairy tale" movie and I would recommend it to anyone.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

rlwright34

Sep 5, 2014

The film isnt perfect, but it is a sweet little romcom. Both leads are very good with nice chemistry. Certianly deserved a better response from the critics.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

AshlyG.

Mar 2, 2008

As hokey as it is, Penelope is "cute".

0 of 0 users found this helpful

JohnathanF.

Mar 10, 2008

I expected this movie to be terrible and it just wasn't.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

LuisG.

Mar 2, 2008

for once i will disagree and defend a small film like penelope yes it was a little cynical but it was a grown up fairy tale the one u wish you could get away with and ricci and mcavoy shine ... i loved it .. a small simple and sincere picure..

0 of 0 users found this helpful

ChadS.

Mar 3, 2008

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 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 found this helpful

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