So much average

A bit overrated, but still an amazing film

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

I'll confess I like sweet movies. I'm not automatically alienated by predictability or lack of originality.Elle: A Modern Cinderella Tale is not an ambitious movie. The bad guys are painted broadly as self-absorbed celebrities. The good guys are sweet and deserving. Acting is uneven but some of it is clearly intentionally bad and meant as humor or parody. I can see how it would be annoying for many. It didn't bother me. I wasn't looking for Paul Newman in The Verdict or Daniel Day Lewis as Hawkeye. This is light Disney-esq or ABC Family style fare. I've seen far worse movies.For me, Ashley Hewitt's singing redeemed all. When Ashley's character Elle was singing she carried the story and lit up the stage or screen. The songs were both catchy and well-delivered. I found myself rewinding to the songs and replaying them. The movie ends on a musical performance high note, emphasizing that the Cinderella plot device and character development are not the focus of the movie. The music is the raison d'etre and Ashley Hewitt's voice and pretty face are enough to frame the music. It left me feeling the beat, lyrics repeating in my head, and with a smile. Not so bad. Yes, it is not the best example of film making nor a model for method acting. The producer's ambitions were low and many elements are cartoonish, but a few catchy songs sung by a pretty girl won me over. Unlike many technically better movies I'd watch it again.

This review does contain spoilers, but, trust me, I'm not really spoiling anything. This movie had a lazy plot, careless script, and sad acting. It's the Cinderella story we've all seen before. I don't know why they keep making these movies--or why we keep watching them--and this had to be the worst of them all.Someone else commented that the movie poster makes Elle look like a 40-year-old woman. She does. I'm sure the budget was low. I'm sure the graphics department got paid diddly squat, but Photoshop is not that hard to figure out.The montage of the relationship between Ty and Elle looked like it was run through instagram and smacked into Windows Live Movie Maker. Adorable, yes. Professional, no. I found myself wondering what they were saying to each other..."Oh Ty, can you believe we're getting paid for this?""Elle, they have to pay us! After this, we'll never be respected as actors!" They both laugh in unison as they pretend to eat ice cream.Alright, alright. These are all superficial things, they're not THAT bad. Sure. Hey, what about the standing ovation from the judges after Elle preforms her song at the scholarship audition? Check. The evil trio that smacks their gum and demands gourmet water? Check. The overly animated, rambunctious best friend who also smacks her gum and pushes the protagonist to go after her dream? Check. You've completed the list for worst movie ever, would you like to go for a bonus round? Just add in the judges and Uncle Allen jamming out like they're teeny boppers with the most horrifying smiles you've ever seen plastered to their faces during Elle's audition. Also, the guitarist and drummer should both know the music, even though it's an original song, so that they can do back up. Now, tell your actors to channel the type of acting that is usually left for plays instead of film acting. Their goal is over the top (in a bad way). Check? Oh no...The recorded music that Elle sang wasn't half bad, the lyrics better than other movies I've seen, such as Music and Lyrics, but that's the only thing that kept me from hitting myself in the face with the DVD case.

I watched this movie because I happened to be a fan of Sterling Knight, and I really enjoy Cinderella re-makes. Even though we know what's going to happen in most of the Cinderella based plots... this movie was just awful. 'Cinderella' was a horrible and awkward character, and she just couldn't act. I didn't find any of the scenes funny, and the antagonists/'Step-sisters' were terrible actress'; they weren't funny, they were't mean, and they also happened to be out of sync when they did that annoying clicking thing with their fingers. Honestly, I had my hopes quite high for this, because it's supposed to be 'modern' and its come out lately. But it was just horrible; the graphics were terrible in the music videos and even WORSE on the DVD cover. It seems like they got someone from the 80's to do the cover-art; it's VERY unattractive to the eye. I wasn't even going to watch it, until I thought that 'maybe it would be a better movie'; Oh boy, was I wrong.When she was auditioning for that college, and they were showing how she took the news of her parents dying; she just stumbled forward... it wasn't even believable.TERRIBLE movie. I suggest you don't watch it. I wasted an hour and a half of my life. Please don't waste yours.

This movie is mostly memorable because of the music. Not sure who wrote those songs (I believe it is the singer Ashlee Hewitt) but they are what good wholesome songwriting is all about! The movie is kind of cute, somewhat predictable, but every time that young lady picks up that guitar and starts singing this movie jumps about 3 notches. I thought Sterling Knight was good in this and the "mean girls" (Stepsisters) were very entertaining.The supporting cast beyond that was good- and my daughters loved this film - it's good wholesome fun and in today's world that is unique in itself.