Enchanted (DVD)

Enchanted is the kind of movie which, while perfectly enjoyable as family entertainment, presents itself as seriously flawed when held under any kind of critical analysis. This is the kind of movie that you know exactly how you will feel about it before you push play. It is for this reason that I will not offer my typical review, which would ultimately end in a messy bludgeoning, and will focus on two performances. One of which elevates the movie, and one which practically ruins it.

Far and away, Enchanted's saving grace is Amy Adams. Playing the film's protagonist Giselle, a princess banished from a cartoon fairy-tale world by some evil witch thing (do the specifics really matter?), Adams gives an amazingly energetic, charmingly innocent performance. I've liked Adams ever since she played Katy, the insanely cute purse vendor on "The Office" (the American version, of course), and given a sizeable role like this, she's incredible. Adams is the rare actress who can simultaneously embody the doe-eyed innocence of an animated Disney princess and still come across as smolderingly beautiful. Even if you're too old to actually enjoy the movie, you'll still enjoy her. She often feels too good for the movie, and her presence alone is almost enough to make me recommend it. Almost.

The true deal-breaker forever relegating Enchanted to kiddy-movie mediocrity is "McDreamy" himself, Patrick Dempsey. I know I'm in a minority saying this, but to me, Dempsey has always looked and sounded like a rodent, and apart from that, he's a terrible actor. He plays his single-father divorce lawyer as such a screechy, annoyingly whiny nuisance it's just impossible to ever like him. This makes his eventual flirtations with Giselle seem depressing above all else, as we've come to love her so much. This is the first time a Disney romance has ever made me feel sad. I find the idea that Giselle will live "happily ever after" with someone so unlikable to be absolutely miserable, but I suppose this further compliments Adams' performance, since I have become so protective of her. Dempsey should definitely stick to TV if not quit acting altogether, and if he had not been in Enchanted, I might have actually been able to recommend it.

As far as special features go, there is nothing to satisfy anyone outside of the movie's core audience, but the featurettes and the interactive game that confuse me are sure to make those who truly love the movie and Disney in general are sure to go nuts for it.

If you're going to see Enchanted then you probably already know exactly what to expect. For those who love Disney animation this will seem like a mostly amusing, vaguely postmodern take on your old favorites, and kids are sure to love it. Thanks to Adams, it's not bad at all for a family movie, and thanks to Dempsey, it's not more than not bad.