Movie Review: Beastly

Movie Blurb: Seventeen-year-old Kyle (Alex Pettyfer) is the spoiled, shallow and incredibly popular prince of his high school kingdom. Kyle foolishly chooses Kendra (Mary-Kate Olsen), a witch masquerading as a high school student, as his latest target for humiliation. In order to teach Kyle a lesson, Kendra transforms him into someone as unattractive on the outside as he is on the inside. Now he has one year to find someone to love him, or he will remain Beastly forever. A quiet classmate he never noticed named Lindy (Vanessa Hudgens) may be his best chance to prove that love is never ugly.

Review: I have a mixed bag of emotions about this movie. It is a modern/teen version of Beauty and the Beast. In some parts the movie works really well. In others, it is very ho hum.

Kyle is a rich snotty, only pretty things deserve attention kind of a-hole. He's gorgeous and he knows it. I'm thinking his character might have been more interesting in the book, because there's no real reason why he acts the way he does, and the same goes for his father, who isn't played by anyone super attractive.

The most impressive acting in this film is surprisingly by Mary-Kate Olsen. WTF! She plays the "teenage witch" and she's no Sabrina! She's not really evil, but not really nice, she's out to prove something to Kyle when she turns him ugly. He has a year to find someone to love him, in spite of his looks or he gets to remain ugly for life!

Awww poor cute Kyle!

The other notable addition to this strange cast of characters is Neil Patrick Harris, the blind tutor. He doles out romantic advice and some other amusing quips, but sadly he comes across as a slightly watered down version of Barney, his How I Met Your Mother character. Sometimes I wonder if Neil can play another part?

Then there's our beauty, Vannesa Hudgens, most notably from High School Musical and dating Zac Effron. She's pretty enough but there's no reason why Kyle/Hunter should fall for her. In fact, we're never quite sure why he singles her out after he turns ugly. Again, I blame the change from book to screenplay.

I've not read the book, but I'm pretty sure this one didn't make the transition to film well.

It is a fun fluffy film to watch when rentals are slim, but it certainly isn't worth investing money on for keeps