Movie Review: 'Beastly' is likable modern day spin on popular fairy tale
The film "Beastly," currently playing at the Casino Fadango Galaxy multiplex in Carson City is a modern version of the fairy tale "Beauty and the Beast." It's set in a high school context with Vanessa Hudgens a Lindy Taylor (the Beauty) and Alex Pettyfer (the Beast).
Pettyfer is popular, rich and just elected to president of the Green Society, and in nasty egocenteric speech tells the rest of the student that he is superior to them. He makes the mistake of offending Kendra Hilferty (Mary-Kate Olsen) who turns him into a much besmeared youth (witchcraft, you know) with suitable talk bout beauty skin deep.
Alex holes up in his father's digs where the maid Zola (Lisa Gay Hamilton) sees to his needs He also has a blind tutor Will (Neil Patrick Harris), courtesy of his uncaring father.
As he story develops Alex runs around in a black hood checking on Lindy, whose father is an addict, putting her in danger. He brings her to his pad and showers her with gifts, even building a house atop the penthouse. Lots of flowers there and some also on his arm (they bloom according to the actions he takes.)
Since we know how the fairy take turns out no surprises await us, but getting there is kind of leisurely fun. Hudgens is attractive and has a nice smile and kind of dimple. Peattyfer is sufficiently handsome to make the story hold together and whoever did the makeup on him used a lot of imagination — no beast look, as in Disney's version of the tale, but complex enough rot merit an Oscar next year.
Not a prize winner of movie but by putting it in a teen scene it does hold together well. Just kind of easy enjoyment if you're not too critical.
— Sam Bauman
Cast and crew:
— Vanessa Hudgens as Lindy Taylor, the main female character of the story.
— Alex Pettyfer as Kyle Kingson/Hunter, the handsome man with an ugly streak who gets transformed when he ditches a girl at his school.
— Mary-Kate Olsen as Kendra Hilferty, the eccentric girl behind Kyle's transformation.
— Neil Patrick Harris as Will Fratalli, Kyle's blind tutor
— Lisa Gay Hamilton as Zola, the Kingsbury's maid
— Peter Krause as Rob Kingsbury, Kyle's father
— Dakota Johnson as Sloane Hagen
— Erik Knudsen as Trey Madison
— Regina King as Letisha
— Roc LaFortune as Lindy's father
— David Francis as Dr. Davis
— Brian Eastman as Dan Granburg
— Gio Perez as Victor
Directed by: Daniel Barnz
Produced by: Susan Cartsonis and Roz Weisberg and Michael Flynn
Screenplay by: Daniel Barnz
Based on: Beastly by Alex Flinn
Music by: Marcelo Zarvos
Cinematography: Mandy Walker
Editing by: Thomas J. Nordberg
Running time: 95 minutes
Rated PG-13