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Movies: Take grandma to see 'Princess Diaries' submitted by: Lisa D. source: The Newark Star-Ledger Date: August 3, 2001 BY BOB CAMPBELL, STAR-LEDGER STAFF A young girl and her grandmother are the central figures in "The Princess Diaries," as well as its ideal audience base. Garry Marshall's G-rated fairy tale is as cute as a freshly fluffed kitten and cleaner than linseed oil. His girl-granny fairy tale revolves around klutzy American 15-year-old Mia (charmingly fresh Anne Hathaway, Millburn raised and formerly of TV's "Get Real"), whose unsuspected royal grandma (Julie Andrews) abruptly offers her the crown of idyllic Genovia. Unglimpsed until the last shot, little Genovia nestles "between France and Spain." Is this a cover name for a Basque republic? "Diaries" is an old-fashioned, cherry-filled Disney bonbon. On the downside, it boasts less story content than the average coloring book and seems to last longer than the Victorian era. Marshall somehow turns San Francisco into Middle America, even while sneaking its photogenic bay into every other frame. Mia is already too old to enjoy her own movie. She and her jaundiced chum (Hathaway's fellow Jersey girl, Heather "Welcome to the Dollhouse" Matarazzo) would probably have a better time at "Ghost World," though they might not get the sex jokes. Introduced as Bohemian Bay Area preppies from fragmented families, these paper dolls make Annette Funicello's surf virgins look decadent. Mia's divorced artist mom (straightforward Caroline Goodall), whose home studio suggests a finger-painted funhouse, seems nearly as naive as her daughter. Veteran moviegoers will recognize Mia's dream of a first kiss to "make my foot go pop" as the ancient "toes curling up" gag retweaked. In the movie's most savage moment, Mia faces down one of her cartoonishly nasty classmates (pop star Mandy Moore) and snarls: "You really are a jerk!" That's as lively as Gina Wendkos' adaptation of Meg Cabot's book gets. A subplot about rival claimants to the crown is allotted roughly four lines of dialogue. The remainder of "The Princess Diaries" consists of Mia dithering over whether to accept the throne (despite her utter lack of curiosity about Genovia), Mia vacillating between a nice nerd (Beatle-coiffed Robert Schwartzman) and a sexy teen prince (storm-trooperish Erik von Detten) and Mia fending off massive, unprovoked assaults by jealous schoolmates. Andrews, who possesses a truly regal ability to appear simultaneously gracious and bored to death, wafts around smiling secretly at Mia's adorable antics. Our girl is equally adored by harmless rebel Lily (the vivid Matarazzo) and the sweetest national security chief this side of Toyland (a bland Hector Elizondo). It's a good thing that Hathaway is so likable, since Mia grows steadily less interesting. The more thoroughly that this clueless, self-obsessed girl is groomed into magazine-model royalty, the more individuality she gives up. Marshall includes insultingly numerous scenes of average Americans groveling before his candy-box royals. Where are those San Francisco anarchists when we need them? The Princess Diaries (G) Walt Disney (115 min.) Directed by Garry Marshall. Stars Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews. Opens Friday at theaters throughout New Jersey. Two stars Rating note: G for Golly! Site design by: Dolphin Webpage Designs © 1996-2001