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Ella Enchanted

Play trailer Poster for Ella Enchanted PG 2004 1h 41m Kids & Family Romance Comedy Fantasy Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
51% Tomatometer 114 Reviews 57% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
As a baby, Ella (Anne Hathaway) receives a visit from Lucinda (Vivica A. Fox), her fairy godmother, and is bestowed with a magical talent that requires her to obey anything that she is told to do. This proves to be more of a curse than a blessing, particularly once her mother dies and she is forced to live with the cruel Dame Olga (Joanna Lumley). Eventually, Ella embarks on a journey to find Lucinda and break the spell, accompanied by the handsome Prince Charmont (Hugh Dancy).
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Ella Enchanted

Ella Enchanted

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Critics Consensus

Hathaway is a charming heroine, but the simple storyline gets overwhelmed by silly gimmickry.

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Critics Reviews

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Nell Minow Common Sense Media 12/24/2010
4/5
Endearing, enduring, with just a few bits of crude humor Go to Full Review Steven D. Greydanus Decent Films 09/16/2004
B
Avoids a misstep common among girl-empowerment flicks, which often emasculate the male lead to make the heroine truly heroic… manages to make both leads appealing. Go to Full Review David Rooney Variety 04/27/2004
A thoroughly charming performer with a bracing freshness about her that carries the film, [Hathaway] establishes credible chemistry with Brit thesp Dancy. Go to Full Review Steve Warren Southern Voice (Atlanta) 05/07/2023
3.5/4
The result isn’t consistently enchanting, but it is quite amusing in spite of its unevenness. Go to Full Review Eddie Harrison film-authority.com 10/13/2022
3/5
…For kids bored with repeated viewings of Frozen and Tangled, Ella Enchanted is a worthy next step; chunky and easy to watch, it’s got some hidden depths well worth exploring… Go to Full Review Cole Smithey ColeSmithey.com 05/04/2009
C+
Anne Hathaway is the cheery spark in this glitzy girl's fantasy story from screenwriters Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith ("Legally Blonde"). Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Sidney B @siddyb 1d My favorite movie of ALL TiME See more HameZz O @HameZz Jul 31 I liked it as a kid, so it must be relatively entertaining... but maybe just to kids. See more Zamya F Jun 14 Best childhood movie ever! See more Apr 9 This is my childhood movie! I literally grew up with it and I’m so happy that I did ! See more Ralph R Jan 5 Ella Enchanted is a whimsical fairy tale that manages to stand out, even if it doesn't quite reach perfection. The first act does a great job introducing the characters, setting up the plot, and establishing the unique charm of this world. The second act keeps a solid pace, building on the adventure and humor, and it all leads to a satisfying climax in the final act. While the cinematography and editing aren't flawless, they don't detract from the experience either, they're just there, doing their job without standing out. What really sets this movie apart is its message about consent, autonomy, and freedom. These themes hit differently today than they did in 2004. Sure, the whimsical elements might feel over-the-top or gimmicky at times, but they also give the movie a unique personality. It's a fun watch that knows exactly what it's trying to say and follows through on that. For a film directed by Tommy O'Haver, who doesn't have a big name or portfolio, it's a respectable effort. See more Cudalbu R Jan 3 Simple but at the same time charming in it's way. See more Read all reviews
Ella Enchanted

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Cast & Crew

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Tommy O'Haver

Director

Anne Hathaway

Ella

Hugh Dancy

Prince Charmont

Cary Elwes

Prince Regent Edgar

Vivica A. Fox

Fairy Lucinda

Joanna Lumley

Dame Olga

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Ella Enchanted

(L-R) Anne Hathaway, Hugh Dancy. (L-R) Anne Hathaway, Hugh Dancy, Aidan McArdle. Anne Hathaway. Anne Hathaway and Hugh Dancy in Tommy O'Haver's ELLA ENCHANTED. (L-R) Anne Hathaway, Tommy O'Haver (Director). Top to Bottom) Jim Carter, Anne Hathaway, Aidan McArdle. View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis As a baby, Ella (Anne Hathaway) receives a visit from Lucinda (Vivica A. Fox), her fairy godmother, and is bestowed with a magical talent that requires her to obey anything that she is told to do. This proves to be more of a curse than a blessing, particularly once her mother dies and she is forced to live with the cruel Dame Olga (Joanna Lumley). Eventually, Ella embarks on a journey to find Lucinda and break the spell, accompanied by the handsome Prince Charmont (Hugh Dancy).
Director
Tommy O'Haver
Producer
Jane Startz
Screenwriter
Karen McCullah, Laurie Craig, Jennifer Heath, Michelle Wolff, Gail Carson Levine
Distributor
Miramax Films
Production Co
Blessington Film Productions, Miramax Films, Jane Startz Productions, Momentum Pictures
Rating
PG
Genre
Kids & Family, Romance, Comedy, Fantasy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Apr 9, 2004, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Dec 17, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$22.9M
Runtime
1h 41m
Sound Mix
Surround, Dolby SRD, DTS, SDDS
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)
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