Visually stylish, what might have been a cute fantasy becomes tedious due to its banal script and a relentless overload of pig-jokes.
Comment
08/29/08
Penelope (2008)
50
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:121
Fresh:61
Rotten:60
Average Rating:5.5/10
Consensus: Though Penelope has a charming cast and an appealing message, it ultimately suffers from faulty narrative and sloppy direction.
Runtime: 1 hr 42 mins
Genre: Comedies
US Box Office: $9,841,968
Synopsis: Like Tim Burton's EDWARD SCISSORHANDS and the TV show PUSHING DAISIES, PENELOPE is a modern fairy tale, complete with candy colors and whimsical cinematography. PENELOPE begins with a... [More]
Starring: Christina Ricci, James McAvoy, Catherine O'Hara, Reese Witherspoon
Director: Mark Palansky
Reviews for Penelope
Top CriticClick to read the article
04/23/09
I can truthfully say that watching this abysmal fantasy-comedy is less rewarding than being slapped across the face with a large wet fish.
10/18/08
Top CriticClick to read the article
10/18/08
Click to read the article
10/18/08
Watchable but patchy fantasy romance that doesn't quite work, despite strong performances from Ricci and McAvoy.
10/18/08
A modern-day fairytale, the film is tarted up like a hyperactive five-year-old's lurid fantasy of interior decor.
10/18/08
Top CriticIt's too bad that the second half turned out to be a drag, because I very much enjoyed the first half.
07/22/08
A diligent ensemble can't lift the film to anything higher than a shallow fairy tale with only worthy intentions.
07/19/08
With only a DNA witch's curse pig's snout compromising Ricci's otherwise exceedingly alluring physical assets, it doesn't make a lick of sense that prospective suitors are jumping out of windows after catching a glimpse of her disfigured beak.
07/12/08
Penelope is adorable and easy to watch thanks to the charms of its leads Ricci and McAvoy. But it's too much a mainstream Hollywood product and not enough of a spunky indie spirit to really win audiences over.
07/09/08
Is this meant to be dark comedy? It's hard to tell.
06/25/08
Penelope is a sweet trifle, a great kid's movie, and not surprising, given its subject matter a film gay audiences will find familiar and comforting. That's because, more than anything, this is a story of acceptance of one's true self.
05/22/08
It's not eccentric enough to be as otherworldly as it wants to be, but it's too self-consciously quirky to perform on its own merits.
05/01/08
Maybe I've got some subconscious porcine fetish thing going (or something) but I think Christina Ricci looks kind of cute with a pig's snout where her nose should be...
04/02/08
A sweet but clumsy fable that's pleasing without being particularly distinguished.
03/16/08
After I saw the intriguing trailers that trailed off a couple years back, I wondered why this movie was wallowing somewhere on a shelf.I'm still not sure. Although I do know one thing: Had this been a Christmas-time release, it would have been seen by lot
03/09/08
Produced according to a formula for squeezing the maximum amount of cloying charm out of the minimum investment.
03/07/08
It's Ricci, with her princesslike innocence and Keane-painting eyes, who provides the movie's abundant charm.
03/07/08
Despite Christina Ricci's charming performance, Penelope is trapped in a twilight zone between fairy tales and play-it-safe romantic comedies.
03/07/08
Latest News for Penelope
July 12, 2008:
With only a DNA witch's curse pig's snout compromising Ricci's otherwise exceedingly alluring physical assets, it doesn't make a lick of sense that prospective suitors are jumping out of windows after catching a glimpse of her disfigured beak. 
More...
February 28, 2008:
Box Office Guru Preview: Semi-Pro Set To Slam Dunk The Competition
A triumvirate of films opens this weekend, but all will bow to the power of the mighty Will Ferrell and his latest outrageous comedy, Semi-Pro. More...
February 28, 2008:
Critics Consensus: Semi-Pro is Semi-Good, Boleyn Girl Not Quite Movie Royalty
This week at the movies, we've got hapless hoopsters, snouted socialites, and scandalous siblings. What do the critics have to say? More...
February 28, 2008:
With only a DNA witch's curse pig's snout compromising Ricci's otherwise exceedingly alluring physical assets, it doesn't make a lick of sense that prospective suitors are jumping out of windows after catching a glimpse of her disfigured beak.
More...
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