Very disenchanted

Anne Hathaway, of The Princess Diaries, stars in this odd tale of a girl who is given the gift of perfect obedience by a fairy when young.

Tommy O'Haver's scrappily-made film has a vaguely medieval setting in which poor, enchanted Ella wrestles with her awkward gift, and comic interventions by Cary Elwes, Joanna Lumley and Eric Idle keep us spottily entertained.

Based on the best-selling book by Gail Carson Levine - a slightly off-beat version of Cinderella - the film casts Hugh Dancy as Prince Charmont and he and Hathaway do their best to turn comedy into romance. But, pretty as both are, they are restricted by little in the way of script or storyline.

The dim proceedings are made worse by cheap and cheerful production design and a general air of whimsically frolicking fantasy. This magic kingdom is about as convincing as a badly burnt Christmas pudding.

Ella Enchanted
Cert: PG