Ella Enchanted

While I wouldn’t classify myself as a “Hatha-hater”, there are instances which can test your tolerance for her signature brand of theatre-camp kid energy, and for me my tolerance broke here many times over (the Queen sing-a-long shattered my cringe meter). Unfortunately the rest of the cast seem directed to match her energy, rather than balancing it, resulting in a strident and abrasive experience which never gives its audience a breather. I would also question the consistency of the conceit of Hathaway’s curse (at a key moment, why can’t she just ask Minnie Driver to give her an opposing instruction?) Messy and ungainly and never worked for me, but I’m wondering if my move into the higher echelons of middle age might be making me a little less tolerant of excessive noise and movement?