Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #168 in DVD
• Released on: 2008-06-23
• Rating: Universal, suitable for all
• Format: PAL
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 86 minutes

Synopsis
Like Tim Burton's EDWARD SCISSORHANDS and the TV show PUSHING DAISIES, PENELOPE is a modern fairy tale, complete with candy colours and whimsical cinematography. PENELOPE begins with a generations-old curse by a jilted lover: the next girl in the aristocratic Wilhern family will be born with a pig's snout and ears. Though ages pass, the bad luck finally manifests itself in young Penelope (Christina Ricci) much to the shame of her mother (Christopher Guest favourite Catherine O'Hara). In an effort to break the curse, her mother and father (Richard E. Grant, WITHNAIL AND I) try to bring in a series of blue-blooded suitors. But when they see her face, the men all run screaming. Enter Max (James McAvoy), a down-on-his-luck gambler who connects with Penelope. But when he is exposed as a fraud, the heartbroken girl escapes into the surrounding city. Though she hides her face with a scarf, Penelope gets to experience life outside her family's mansion for the first time.
Pig nose and all, Ricci is adorable as the title character, excellent in alternating between naivete and independence. Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon succeeds in double duty as both a producer and in a small acting role as Penelope's first friend in the big city. But it's McAvoy, a standout in ATONEMENT and THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND, who threatens to steal hearts. The pair's romance is believable, and it makes the film good viewing for fairy tale fans of all ages. The PG rating should appeal to families, as should the film's message about the importance of inner-beauty and self-confidence.

Customer Reviews

This one GROWS on you.
For some time (almost 2 years) I have known about, and waited patiently for this Reese Witherspoon production; wondering if it ever would come to fruition on DVD in the U.K. On 12th August, I found it in a local Super-Market, and bought my copy there and then.

I have to say that my first thoughts when I watched it for the fist time were not very complementary. But, unusually for me after such thoughts, I let the film continue, watching it to the Happy Ending that it duly deserved. As I watched that first time, the film slowly "GREW ON ME", to the point where I couldn't walk away and forget it; I just HAD TO WATCH TO THE END.

It's a fable about a young (25-year-old) woman, Penelope, played by Christina Ricci (who I had never heard of until I watched this movie), bourne, under an ancient family curse, with a pig's snout for a nose: whoes potential Suiters all seem to have a great pair of legs for running away from her the moment she shows herself to them. All, that is, except one: a gambler employed by a news reporter to get a photograph of Penelope. After several visits to Penelope's home, the photograph is taken: but our gambling friend has, by then, fallen hopelessly in love with Penelope, and destroys the picture rather than have it published.

Penelope pleads with the gambler to marry her, promissing to kill herself if the curse is not broken. But her pleading is rejected, as the gambler knows he does not have the power to break the curse. After this, Penelope escapes the house that has been her prison, runs off to town where she meets and becomes great friends with Annie (Reese Witherspoon); but meets up, too, with the man she knows as Max, the gambler who rejected her. Max is also on hand when Penelope becomes engaged to marry the one person who has started all the bad publicity in the news-papers about her: something Max tries to put a stop to.

This film "GREW ON ME" as I watched it that first time; and has become a Nightly show for me now. I'm a succer for a good Rom-Com or Romantic Adventure: and this is Romantic Adventure AT IT ULTIMATE BEST.

Forget the SNOUT Miss Ricci carries for the majority of this movie. Just enjoy HER BEAUTY, some GREAT Acting by the entire cast, and what I like to think of as "A ROLLICKING GOOD YARN". Get to see this movie (only available on DVD). YOU'LL LOVE IT!

Sweet fairy tale - great performances from a talented cast
"Penelope" is the story of a high society girl, born with a pig's snout due to a curse. She is kept isolated by her excentric mother, who desperately tries to break the curse by finding a blue blood suitor for Penelope. This isn't easy, every man runs away after seeing Penelope's snout, until Max that is. Penelope and Max hit it off, but Max will not marry Penelope. After this rejection, Penelope breaks free into the world and goes exploring - and much follows...

"Penelope" is a sweet, little fairy tale about accepting yourself despite your pig's snout. The movie feature excellent actors and magnificant performances from all of them. The dialogue is rich and humorous. All in all, "Penelope" is the kind of movie that makes you sigh and smile and the kind of movie that will remain on my dvd-shelf for a long time and be watched again and again.

Louise

sweet
what a nice, adorable film, i certainly enjoyed this very much. I thought the cast was great, the story was great and the motto was great!!brill film which can be enjoyed again and again!!