"THE PRINCESS DIARIES"
(2001) (Anne Hathaway, Julie Andrews) (G)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Mild	None	Heavy	None	None
Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Mild	None	None	None	None
Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Minor	None	Mild	Moderate	Mild

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QUICK TAKE:

Drama/Comedy: A socially awkward teenager finds her life turned upside down when she discovers that she's really the princess of a European principality.

PLOT:

Mia Thermopolis (ANNE HATHAWAY) is a social awkward teen who lives with her artsy single mom, Helen (CAROLINE GOODALL), and is invisible to most everyone at her San Francisco high school except her best friend, Lilly Moscovitz (HEATHER MATARAZZO) and her brother, Michael (ROBERT SCHWARTZMAN). Wishing she could be the girlfriend to Josh Bryant (ERIK VON DETTEN), the most popular boy in school, rather than Lana Thomas (MANDY MOORE), Mia realizes that's highly unlikely, especially when she can't get up the nerve to speak in public during a debate class.

All of that changes when her mom informs Mia that her grandmother, Clarisse Renaldi (JULIE ANDREWS), is in town with big news for her. Arriving at the Genovian embassy, Mia meets Clarisse and her assistant, Charlotte Kutaway (KATHLEEN MARSHALL) and discovers that not only is Clarisse the queen of Genovia - a small European principality - but also that Mia's late father - that she never met -- was the prince, thus making her a princess.

While Mia thinks all of this is a big joke, Clarisse informs the teen that if she doesn't accept the throne that's her birthright, Baron Siegfried von Troken (GREG LEWIS) and Baroness Joy von Troken (BONNIE AARONS) will take over rule of the country. Accordingly, Clarisse, her assistant Joseph (HECTOR ELIZONDO) and a flamboyant makeup artist (LARRY MILLER), attempt to teach Mia about the finer things in life and transform her into a poised and beautiful young woman.

From that point on, and as Mia tries to draw the attention of Josh while oblivious to the fact that Michael is perfect for her, she must deal with her sudden fame and decide whether to remain a typical 15-year-old or accept the responsibilities and duties of being a teenage princess.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?

For those who like ABC's Sunday night Disney movies or are fans of anyone in the cast (including pop star Mandy Moore), it's a good bet they probably will.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: G

For not containing material to warrant a higher rating.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:

ANNE HATHAWAY plays a socially awkward teenager who suddenly finds herself thrust into the spotlight when she's informed that she's actually the princess of a small European principality.

HEATHER MATARAZZO plays her best friend who doesn't like the way Mia changes once she receives that news, but still remains her friend once she gets over that.

JULIE ANDREWS plays her grandmother, the Queen of Genovia, who tries to help Mia become a more dignified and stately young woman.

HECTOR ELIZONDO plays her assistant who helps her with that quest.

ROBERT SCHWARTZMAN plays Lilly's brother who's sweet on Mia but must contend with her being more interested in Josh.

ERIK VON DETTEN plays that most popular boy in school who only becomes interested in Mia after she becomes popular and famous.

MANDY MOORE plays his girlfriend who doesn't like Mia.

CAROLINE GOODALL plays Mia's artsy, single mother who kept Mia's royal heritage a secret to protect her, but then encourages her to do the right thing in choosing her future.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

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Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

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OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

Here's a quick look at the content found in this G-rated film. Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes, including a group of girls who constantly make fun or and/or attempt to undermine the protagonist. While no profanity is present, some slightly colorful phrases are, while a boyfriend and girlfriend briefly make out at school and a teenager is briefly seen with just a towel around her after a prank.

Various instances of slapstick style comedy are present (including pratfalls and people being accidentally hit, etc.), as is some drinking at royal events where one man appears a bit intoxicated. Beyond a few tense family moments (a teenager upset at her mother for keeping a secret from her and some talk of that teen's never met father dying a few months before the story begins), the rest of the film's categories have little or nothing in the way of additional objectionable content.

Nevertheless, should you still be concerned about the film and its appropriateness for anyone in your home, we suggest that you more closely examine our detailed content listings for more specific information regarding what's present and occurs in the picture.

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ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE

A lord at a reception is carrying some brandy and appears a bit intoxicated. Charlotte tells him to be easy on the schnapps, reminding him of some previous event where he must have been drunk.

People appear to have wine in front of them with their royal dinner.

Some people have champagne at a reception.

BLOOD/GORE

None.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE

Throughout most of the film, Lana and her clique constantly make fun of Mia. Such moments include laughing at Mia for freezing up during her classroom debate speech as well as because of her frizzy hair; making fun of her new look (accusing her of wearing a wig); she lies about being Mia's good friend while being interviewed by the press; and she and her friends act like they're helping Mia, but only do so in an effort to make her look bad (by pulling down a changing station at the beach, hoping to expose her nude to the press).

We learn that Helen kept the entire princess matter secret from Mia (but was trying to look out for her daughter's own good).

Lily initially has a bad attitude toward Mia's new look, accusing her of selling out and trying to fit in with Lana and the others.

We learn that a makeup and hair stylist, supposedly sworn to secrecy, spilled the beans about Mia's secret identity to get fame for himself (for having given her a makeover).

Mia drives Clarisse around San Francisco in her car without a valid driver's license.

Mia agrees to go on a date with Josh, thus blowing off her earlier plans with Michael as well as her promise to appear on Lily's cable show.

Josh develops a bad attitude toward Mia, first kissing her in front of the press (for exposure for himself) and then making fun of her playing softball.

Various students make fun of Mia at school (after her picture appeared on the front page of the city newspaper kissing Josh), calling her "Princess pucker up," and then make fun of another student in front of Mia.

A man tries to take an urn from the embassy, but we later see someone putting it back (suggesting they caught him).

FRIGHTENING SCENES

None.

GUNS/WEAPONS

None.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR

Phrases: "Idiot(s)," "Look at that frizz-ball" (a comment about Mia's frizzy hair), "She's going to barf/hurl" (how students refer to someone who looks like they're going to be sick), "Shut up" (meant like "wow"), "Freak," "Oh my word," "Nutcase," "Sucks," "For the love of God" (said by a nun in a non-religious fashion), "Freak out," "Dorky" and "You're such a freak."

Various students repeatedly make fun of Mia's looks and behavior.

Mia and Lily do some secret handshake where they do all sorts of things with their hands and then hock up something and spit it out (or at least make the sound of doing so).

Mia and her mom make some "modern art" by throwing darts that puncture small balloons partially filled with paint and attached to a canvas (that when popped spread paint onto the canvas).

Mad at Lana for making fun of another student, Mia takes her ice cream cone and smears it all across Lana's cheerleader outfit (causing other students to repeat, "Lana got coned").

JUMP SCENES

None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)

None.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)

None.

PROFANITY

None.

SEX/NUDITY

We see several instances of Lana and Josh kissing while at school (including her blowing a bubble and him popping it with his mouth).

We see Mia holding just a towel around her after Lana and others pull down a changing tent hoping to expose Mia nude to the press.

SMOKING

None.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES

We learn that Mia's mom and dad have been divorced for a long time and that she never physically met her father who died two months before the story begins.

Mia gets a bit upset with her mom about the latter keeping the whole princess matter a secret from her up until this point.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT

What you would do if you suddenly discovered that you were someone important/famous and how you'd handle the ensuing changes and pressures in your life.

The message from Mia's father that states, "The brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all," that she'll be traveling the road between "who you think you are and who you can be" and that the "key is to allow yourself to make the journey."

The message the film seems to give that the more beautiful and poised one is, the more popular they'll be (here, once Mia is given her beauty makeover, everyone notices her and she doesn't return to her old look).

VIOLENCE

Some slapstick style material includes Mia trying to throw a softball back to the pitcher and accidentally hitting the batter (their coach) in the back of the head; Mia accidentally breaks a finger off a statue; Mia falls from her chair to the floor as she tries to position her legs like a "real lady"; Mia repeatedly slips off the seat in a limo and is tossed around, banging her head on the ceiling while trying to change clothes in the back as the limo goes over the hilly roads of San Francisco; Mia slams into Joe as he teaches her how to dance; Mia slips on the bleachers at school and lands on her behind; Mia accidentally catches the sleeve of a man's jacket on fire (it's quickly put out) and breaks an expensive dinner glass by tapping on it with her knife and then accidentally causes a man to trip over her, sending people and food flying everywhere; and after Josh makes fun of Mia's softball playing skills, she hits a pitch that sends the softball flying into Josh's gut, doubling him over.

A hair and makeup stylist purposefully breaks Mia's glasses (by snapping them in half) so that she'll be forced to wear her contacts.

Mia loses control of her Mustang and it rolls backwards down one of San Francisco's hills until it slams into the side of a passing trolley car (no one is hurt).

After Josh suddenly kisses her in front of the press, Mia hits him with his shoe and then uses it to ward off members of the press.

Reviewed June 25, 2001 / Posted August 3, 2001

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