Beastly

Beastly

Movie

Directed by Daniel Barnz

CBS Films, 2011

ASIN B0052QXAEK

3 (out of 5) STARS

Plot Summary

'Beastly' is an edgy teen romance about learning how to see past false surfaces to discover true inner beauty.

Kyle Kingson (Alex Pettyfer) has it all -- looks, intelligence, wealth and opportunity -- and a wicked cruel streak. Prone to mocking and humiliating "aggressively unattractive" classmates, he zeroes in on Goth classmate Kendra, inviting her to the school's extravagant environmental bash. Kendra accepts, and, true to form, Kyle blows her off in a particularly savage fashion. She retaliates by casting a spell that physically transforms him into everything he despises. Enraged by his horrible and unrecognizable appearance he confronts Kendra and learns that the only solution to the curse is to find someone that will love him as he is -- a task he considers impossible.

Repulsed by his appearance, Kyle’s callous father banishes him to Brooklyn with a sympathetic housekeeper (Lisa Gay Hamilton) and blind tutor (Neil Patrick Harris). As Kyle ponders how to overcome the curse and get his old life back, he chances upon a drug addict in the act of killing a threatening dealer. Seizing the opportunity, Kyle promises the addict freedom and safety for his daughter Lindy (Vanessa Hudgens) if she will consent to live in Kyle's Brooklyn home. Thus begins Kyle's journey to discover true love in this hyper-modern retelling of the classic 'Beauty and the Beast' story.

http://www.moviefone.com/movie/beastly/37954/synopsis

Critical Analysis

I always enjoy variations of fairy tales. I really looked forward to watching this movie but then thought it was only ok. I realize that a retelling of a fairy tale in some ways will always be predictable but this movie was even more predictable than I would have enjoyed. There was nothing special or unusual that made this telling of Beauty and the Beast unique or special. The change in the "beast" was not really very believable.

Other fairy tale movies that I enjoyed more are Red Riding Hood (released March 11, 2011), Tangled (released November 24, 2010) and Ever After (released July 29, 1998).

Reader’s Annotation

Another basic retelling of Beauty and the Beast set in modern time.

Information about the director

A veteran of Ivy League Yale University and the University of Southern California Film School, writer-cum-directorDaniel Barnz spent almost a decade circulating his original scripts among the studios, and culled interest from a substantial roster of A-list talent including Jodie Foster and Mel Gibson, but could never actually cross the line and get one of the scripts produced. Barnz's fortunes shifted in late 2006, when his Phoebe in Wonderland -- an offbeat drama about a troubled young girl drifting ever more deeply into a fantasy world of her own design -- received a greenlight from executive producers Chris Finazzo and Doug Dey, with Barnz himself attached to direct.

http://www.moviefone.com/celebrity/daniel-barnz/2380177/biography

Genre

fantasy.

Curriculum Ties

N/A

Booktalking Ideas

N/A

Reading Level

rated PG-13

Challenge Issues

This movie is fairly tame. However, there is some violence, underage drinking, and kissing.

It is best to be prepared for a book challenge before it is challenged. It is important to read the book all the way through and to have read both positive and negative reviews of the book from professionals and teens as well. Be aware of the library’s collection policy. Also check for any awards the book may have won. It would be beneficial to see how other library’s may have handled challenges for this particular book in the past.

*The above information also applies to movies.

Why Included?

One of the teenage girls that I interviewed said this was one of her new favorite movies.