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(About Our Ads) "PENELOPE" (2008) (Christina Ricci, James McAvoy) (PG) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Moderate Minor Heavy Mild None Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Mild None Minor None Mild Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Mild Mild Moderate Moderate Mild QUICK TAKE: Comedy: An aristocratic young woman, cursed with a pig's snout for a nose, must contend with her mother's attempts to marry her to another blueblood in hopes that doing so will break the curse. PLOT: Penelope (CHRISTINA RICCI) is the only daughter of Franklin (RICHARD E. GRANT) and Jessica Wilhern (CATHERINE O'HARA), aristocrats who've kept her hidden away her entire life from the likes of photographer Lemon (PETER DINKLAGE) who wants to get a picture of the girl and her alleged pig's snout for a nose. It seems she's the recipient of a generations-old curse placed on the family long ago. Until one of her own will love her for who she is, she'll possess the facial protuberance. Accordingly, her mother, along with matchmaker Wanda (RONNI ANCONA), has long been trying to fix her up with some nice young man from society, such as Edward Vanderman (SIMON WOODS). Unfortunately, he and all of the other young men routinely flee in terror at the sight of her. When Edward gets in trouble for reporting her appearance that no one believes, he teams with Lemon to get a photo of her. Since neither is welcome in the Wilhern manor, they hire compulsive gambler Max Campion (JAMES McAVOY) to do the deed. He's reluctant, but having gambled away all of his money, he's short on cash and thus agrees. Sensing he's different, Penelope doesn't initially reveal herself in person to him, in hopes that her appearance might not shock him if they've already established a relationship of sorts. From that point on, and as Penelope eventually gets out of the house and befriends local courier Annie (REESE WITHERSPOON), she hopes that one day her curse will be lifted and she can be just like everybody else. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Some might be drawn in by the modern-day fairy tale element, while fans of anyone in the cast might be interested as well. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG For thematic elements, some innuendo and language. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: CHRISTINA RICCI plays a young woman who's afflicted with a pig's snout for a nose and thus can't find a suitor who might marry her and thus break that curse. Accustomed to living behind closed doors as well as constant rejection from young men, she hopes that perhaps she's found the right guy in Max. She also eventually gets out of the house and explores the world, which includes drinking and becoming intoxicated. JAMES McAVOY plays a compulsive gambler who's living a life that's not his, and thus agrees to act as a potential suitor of Penelope's just to receive a payment from Lemon and Edward for getting a photo of the girl and her nose. Once he "meets" her (not face to face), he has a change of heart. He drinks some. CATHERINE O'HARA plays Penelope's overbearing mother who's obsessed with finding a young man for her, not only to break the spell on Penelope, but also the social effect it's had on her family. RICHARD E. GRANT plays her husband who's more resigned to the fact that the curse likely won't be broken. PETER DINKLAGE plays a photographer who's long obsessed about getting a photo of Penelope and thus teams with Edward to do so by hiring Max as their inside man. SIMON WOODS plays a young aristocrat who becomes obsessed with getting a photo of Penelope to prove his questioned account about her appearance. REESE WITHERSPOON plays a courier who befriends Penelope out in the real world and drinks some with her. RONNI ANCONA plays a matchmaker employed by Jessica to find a suitor for Penelope. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE 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). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: Here's a brief summary of the content found in this PG-rated comedy. Profanity consists of a handful of minor expletives (and an incomplete "s" word), while various colorful phrases are present, as is some innuendo. Varying amounts of cleavage are seen, one sexual encounter is noted (that led to a pregnancy long ago) and another is implied (also in the past) and a young couple briefly kiss. Violence includes a brief flashback of a young pregnant woman flinging herself off a cliff (played very lightly), some brief hitting, and some brief slapstick style material (some of which might be enticing for kids to imitate). Various characters have varying degrees of bad attitudes, while thematic elements and tense family material are also present. One imagined scenes might be frightening to the youngest of viewers, while some characters smoke and/or drink, with the protagonist briefly appearing somewhat intoxicated. If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. For those concerned with bright flashes of light on the screen, there's some of that from camera flashes. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE In an imagined scene in France, some miscellaneous people have wine. Several scenes feature people drinking or having drinks in front of them, including Max, in a gambling establishment. Max asks Penelope if she's ever had a beer. She says she has but not on tap, with him then adding that she's never really had a beer. He then invites her to join him at a pub, but she says maybe later. We see a beer bottle on top of Max's piano. Penelope has a beer in a pub where others drink, but she must consume hers with a straw in order to keep her scarf around and thus covering her nose. When Annie shows up and has a beer, we see many empty mugs in front of Penelope, and it's noted that she's intoxicated. Annie has a beer and one is placed in front of Penelope in a pub, but she faints backwards (for reasons other than drinking -- we don't see the impact). People drink in a pub. Champagne is poured at a wedding. People have drinks at a party. BLOOD/GORE Thinking Penelope might call, Jessica says in despair to her husband that she has to pee, but can't leave him alone with the phones. About his pending marriage to Penelope, Edward says he thinks he's going to throw up. Annie lies to Max that her friend (Penelope in a Halloween type mask) has to pee, just so that she can get Penelope into Max's place. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE A voice-over narration comment by Penelope about her mom (and a knowing smile by another man seen in a flashback) suggests that Jessica had a fling in the past. Jessica wants Penelope to find and marry a suitor to lift the curse, not just for her daughter's sake, but also, it seems, for her own reputation in high society. Various scenes feature young, upper-class men reacting in horror at the sight of Penelope and then fleeing in terror (played for comedy, but still exhibiting bad attitudes). For those opposed to such behavior, Max has a gambling addiction, and we see him and others gambling in several scenes. Max agrees to work for Lemon and Edward in getting a photo of Penelope, all for $5,000 of gambling money. He then reneges on that deal. Not realizing he's being watched through a two-way mirror, Max tries to steal a book from Penelope's home (presumably to be sold for gambling money). Later, she tells him to wait until she's gone so that he can take the most valuable one (he does, but is really just testing her). Rather than letting the young people have private time together (despite Max not yet having seen Penelope), her family watches them on surveillance TV, hoping for the best but also viewing that as some form of entertainment. Some viewers might not like Penelope saying that if the curse isn't broken (by getting married), she'll kill herself. When a cop asks Penelope's parents for a description of their missing daughter, her dad says, "Think pig," prompting the cop to reply, "So she's a fat girl?" Despite Penelope now being the darling of the press, Edward says about her, "That woman...that thing, belongs in a cage." Edward's father is upset with him over his public bad attitude toward Penelope, but that's more about the possible effects on the father's publicly traded company rather than being mean toward Penelope. After being outed, Max confesses that he's been living someone else's life. Jessica is upset when she learns she could have broken the curse on Penelope long ago, but then immediately comments that Penelope could use a nose job (despite now looking "normal"). An old witch puts a curse on Jessica, robbing her of the ability to talk. FRIGHTENING SCENES While not scary, Penelope's appearance (pig snout, pig-type ears briefly seen on her as an infant, etc.), might be unsettling for some viewers. Edward imagines a sudden view of a monstrous looking Penelope at a van window, snarling with sharp teeth and wild looking eyes. Later, we see a sketch of the same. GUNS/WEAPONS None. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "I'll rip your guts out, one gut at a time," "Ah, crap," "Read 'em and weep, losers," "Just going to make a pig of yourself?" "Shut up," "Listen to me, you little worm," "Are you out of your mind?" "For crying out loud," "What the hell /were you thinking/you been chasing all these years?" "Think pig" (followed by, "So she's a fat girl"), "You're getting your freak," "She's not some freak payday," "Creep," "Your own damn fault," "You are crazy," "Are you freaking out, or what?" and "Rich people stink." We see a montage of upper-class young men leaping through closed windows (thus shattering the glass, etc.) in reaction to catching site of Penelope (played for laughs, with no impact seen below). JUMP SCENES None. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) A little bit of suspenseful music plays early in the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 1 incomplete "s" word, 4 damns, 2 hells, 1 crap, 3 uses of "God" and 1 use of "Oh my God." SEX/NUDITY In Penelope's voice over narration, we learn that her high society ancestor had a fling with a servant girl, resulting in the latter becoming pregnant. We then see flashback footage of that young woman flinging herself off a cliff (a successful suicide, but no impact below is seen). This is played in a light, fairy tale fashion. A voice-over narration comment by Penelope about her mom (and a knowing smile by another man seen in a flashback) suggests that Jessica had a fling in the past. Jessica shows varying amounts of cleavage, including a lot while leaning over. We see a montage of Penelope trying to guess which musical instrument Max plays (most of which he's horrible at). When her father says that Penelope is "finding his instrument," Jessica sarcastically asks that isn't that something a man should do himself (presumably some masturbation innuendo). Penelope shows a little cleavage. When Penelope comments on a plant bloom popping up without asking anyone, Annie replies, "Like my ex-boyfriend...you know what I mean." Some could view that as meaning simply showing up, while others might see it as an erection reference. Wanda shows cleavage. Penelope shows some cleavage. Penelope and Max passionately kiss while clothed and standing. SMOKING Several scenes feature one or more people smoking while playing poker or otherwise gambling. TENSE FAMILY SCENES In flashback, a witch must contend with her daughter's suicide (from being pregnant). Jessica wants Penelope to find and marry a suitor to lift the curse, not just for her daughter's sake, but also, it seems, for her own reputation in high society. That constant pressure puts some strain on their relationship. We hear that Jessica and Franklin faked Penelope's death (to get the press off their backs) and we even see a small casket in a crematory. From that point on, Penelope grew up and played by herself in the family mansion. After sneaking out of the house (as a young adult), Penelope calls her mom and says good-bye forever (although they're later reunited). Edward's father is upset with him over his public bad attitude toward Penelope, but that's more about the possible effects on the father's publicly traded company rather than being mean toward Penelope. Jessica is upset when she learns she could have broken the curse on Penelope long ago, but then immediately comments that Penelope could use a nose job (despite now looking "normal"). TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT How one should react when meeting someone who looks different from others. Max has a gambling addiction, and we see him and others gambling in several scenes. Jessica wants Penelope to find and marry a suitor to lift the curse, not just for her daughter's sake, but also, it seems, for her own reputation in high society. Nose jobs and other plastic surgery. Jessica telling Penelope, "You're not your nose." We hear that Jessica and Franklin faked Penelope's death (to get the press off their backs) and we even see a small casket in a crematory. From that point on, Penelope grew up and played by herself in the family mansion. The comment that it's not the power of a curse, but rather the power you give the curse. VIOLENCE In Penelope's voice over narration, we learn that her high society ancestor had a fling with a servant girl, resulting in the latter becoming pregnant. We then see flashback footage of that young woman flinging herself off a cliff (a successful suicide, but no impact below is seen). This is played in a light, fairy tale fashion. After finding Lemon hiding in a cabinet with a camera to get a tabloid photo of young Penelope, Jessica repeatedly hits him with something, including in the face, with him grabbing his eye (he wears an eye patch many years later). This is played for comedy. We see a montage of upper-class young men leaping through closed windows (thus shattering the glass, etc.) in reaction to catching site of Penelope (played for laughs, with no impact seen below). In one instance, the butler chases after and tackles one such young man, while one man tries the leap, but bounces off the newly installed Plexiglas window. A delivery boy throws a newspaper that accidentally hits Edward on the head. No longer wanting to work for Lemon, Max throws the hidden camera he's been wearing to the street, breaking the device. Jessica faints backwards, but we don't see the impact (played for comedy). Penelope faints backwards bit we don't see the impact. Reviewed February 15, 2008 / Posted February 29, 2009