We had a chance to go to the new Snow White movie last weekend - Mirror Mirror. It's an entertaining re-telling of the fairy tale, with a few twists. This is not your grandmother's Snow White!
I have a thing for evil beauties, and Julia Roberts is perfect as the wicked stepmother queen. She's obviously having a great time in this film - hamming it up, letting the evil seep from her at every opportunity. She's funny, nasty, and gorgeous - the perfect combination in this role. Since it's a fairy tale, it's impossible for her to be too far over the top.
The other characters are pretty good. Nathan Lane is always great, and this is no exception - he's perfect as Brighton, the Queen's main toady. I also liked Armie Hammer as Prince Alcott - he always tries to save the day, but usually ends up just getting his pants stolen. Far from being the helpless maiden in distress, Snow White (Lily Collins) is saucy and capable - and tougher than the prince.
In this version of the fairy tale, the real heroes are the dwarves (with an able assist from Snow White, of course). These guys are funny, while also proving that the worth of a man is not measured by inches. I particularly liked Mark Povinelli, as the love-stuck Half-Pint, and Danny Woodburn (of Seinfeld fame) as Grimm, but the whole gang is really good. Finding Snow White in the forest, the group reluctantly take her in and teach her how to take care of herself. I love tough guys with hearts of gold, and that describes the dwarves perfectly.
Don't expect to know what's coming in this fairy tale - while we all know how it's going to end, how it gets there is quite different than you may expect. This is an updated tale, after all, and there were a few (actually a lot) of liberties taken with the original story. I happen to like saucy, kick-ass girls. I also like heroes that don't look the part, especially ones that don't take any BS from idiots.
This movie has no objectionable language, nudity, or graphic violence that would make it unsuitable for young children - the kids behind us seemed to enjoy it. Children will see different humor than adults, but both can enjoy it. If you're looking for light entertainment - or a good date movie - this is worth the price of admission.
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