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'Princess Diaries' is fun despite cliches, length submitted by: Lisa D. source: The Houston Chronicle Date: August 3, 2001 By BRUCE WESTBROOK Few themes are more durable than an ugly duckling turned into a swan, a guttersnipe turned into a lady - or, in the case of 'The Princess Diaries,' a geeky teen zapped into royalty. She's Mia (Anne Hathaway), a shy, frizzy-haired, unpopular girl at her San Francisco high school, despite being the daughter of a fun-loving, bohemian mom. Up pops her long-lost grandma on her deceased dad's side: Clarisse (Julie Andrews), queen of Europe's fictional Genovia, whose monarchy will end if Mia rejects her birthright. What might be irresistible to some girls is unthinkable to Mia, a wilting wallflower who moans, "My expectation in life is to be invisible, and I'm good at it." Nonetheless, she'll give the limo life a shot, training to be ladylike for a big Genovian ball. Then she'll decide. Thus ensues a charming makeover movie, partly using the mold director Garry Marshall and his steadiest actor, Hector Elizondo, applied to 'Pretty Woman.' Elizondo plays Clarisse's chauffeur here. But like the hotel manager who took Julia Roberts under his wing, he's a gently amusing, protective guide for a young woman in need of class. The gracious Andrews also sets a good example, so Mia gets a royal ride, right? Wrong - not when a story needs heavies. For them, screenwriter Gina Wendkos, working from Meg Cabot's novel, resorts to monotonous movie cliches: almost uniformly cruel classmates and a callous, cacophonous mob of media jackals. Also overstated is San Franciscans' foolish fawning over royals. You'd think this city never had seen a queen. A grasping baron and baroness stand to assume Genovia's rule if Mia backs down. But they're almost ignored. It's easier to bash teens and the press. Even so, this is family-friendly fun, with a deserved G rating and warm emotional bonding. But like many such Disney films over the years, it's too leisurely, ambling for almost two hours. And glamour's seductions aren't exploited as much as the trailer suggests. Also, for a tale about empowering courage, Hathaway doesn't show much. Her Mia has to be coddled into becoming a princess, letting rain and a stalled car get in her way. Still, she's lovable and convincing, both as a bookish outcast (in an early Liza Minnelli way) and as princess-to-be. She also shows a disarming knack for clumsy slapstick from the Inspector Clouseau school. Such humor works so well that we wish more mirth replaced her coming-of-age struggles. But Larry Miller lends laughs, stealing the show as a gonzo makeover master. It's also good to see Andrews - once Disney's brightest young star - back in the fold for a role that would make 'Mary Poppins' proud. Mary didn't stand for slouching, and neither does Queen Clarisse. But both are less a guide for the posture than for the heart. 'The Princess Diaries' Starring: Julie Andrews, Anne Hathaway, Hector Elizondo Director: Garry Marshall Screenwriter: Gina Wendkos Now showing: at area theaters Rated: G Running time: 155 minutes Grade: B Site design by: Dolphin Webpage Designs © 1996-2001