The Princess Diaries

Is this a G-rated King Ralph remake that has a Disney-softened coming-of-age story threaded through it? Yes. Do the tropes clank like pebbles in a tin can? Absolutely. Are most of the characters as basic as buttered toast and corn flakes? Sure are. Does this continue that late 90's and early 00's trend of taking an undeniably beautiful young actress and making her "unattractive" by giving her glasses and not wearing make-up? Unfortunately so. But, and this surprised me upon actually watching this and not passively half-experiencing it while on my phone, it's still charming as all hell. There are some genuinely fun moments and funny jokes to be found. More importantly, The Princess Diaries is absolutely carried by a marvelous cast. Julie Andrews and Anne Hathaway are excellent, delivering fantastic comedic performances while also showing a surprising amount of growth over the course of the movie. Hector Elizondo is enjoyable as the peacekeeper between the two, trying to bridge the gap between the world of royalty and the young lady who has been thrust into it. As one-note as her character is, Mandy Moore's bully character is a scenery chewing monster. Their combined charisma, and the movie's earnest sweetness, more than makes up for the movie's obvious trajectory. I never thought I'd say I enjoyed this movie, but here we are.