It's What's on the Inside That Counts..."Beastly"

Tale as old as time...

The Story:

Kyle Kingston (Alex Pettyfer) is the rich, handsome, popular kid in school.  As he runs for student body election on nothing other than how awesome he is, he crosses paths with a witch (Mary-Kate Olsen) who slaps him with an ugly stick.  His father, aghast at what has become of his son, locks him away in a townhouse and hires a blind tutor (Neil Patrick Harris) to educate him.  Alas poor Kyle, he finds a former classmate (Vanessa Hudgens) in trouble, and makes a deal with her dad to keep her safe.  But what are the odds that she could find love with someone so...

beastly!

Bam!  How's that for a plot synopsis that ends with the title of the movie?  That's right, even I'm going to have to take a bow for that clever wordplay!

;)

This was one of the those movies that I'd never seen/heard of, and just happened to stumble across while perusing Netflix one day.  We watched it, and I have to admit...

I was impressed.

A modern day retelling that tweaked and added to the story as it saw fit, all the while staying as true as it can to the source material story.

Even better: it is never dull.

Kyle gets help from the tutor and the maid to try and woo Lindy.  Neil Patrick Harris naturally steals every minute of the movie that he is in as the blind tutor with a style all his own

As is always the case in this story, Lindy hardly finds her prince anything but charming.  Much like I lamented about the movie Penelope last month where she doesn't look nearly hideously enough as she could have, here too Kyle doesn't look too beastly, more of a tatted and pierced teenager. :)

Kyle too learns that all of his supposed friends who thought he was the best thing ever, secretly disliked him.  They only hung out with him because he was rich and popular.

Naturally, the story has to cut it close with whether the Beauty will truly love the Beast before the curse is unable to be broken.

I have a feeling you'll find the ending satisfactory.

Final Grade: B+

Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: Enjoyed it. Went out and bought a copy.  Watched it a few times since.  Good stuff!