A Cinderella Story

A Cinderella Story
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Mark Rosman
Produced by	Clifford Werber Ilyssa Goodman Hunt Lowry Dylan Sellers
Written by	Leigh Dunlap
Starring	Hilary Duff Chad Michael Murray Jennifer Coolidge Whip Hubley Regina King Madeline Zima Andrea Avery Dan Byrd Julie Gonzalo
Music by	Christophe Beck
Cinematography	Anthony B. Richmond
Editing by	Cara Silverman
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date(s)	July 16, 2004 (2004-07-16)
Running time	95 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$19 million[1]
Box office	$70,067,909

A Cinderella Story is a 2004 American romantic comedy film. The film stars Hilary Duff, Jennifer Coolidge, Chad Michael Murray and Regina King and was directed by Mark Rosman. The film's plot revolves around two Internet pen pals (Duff and Murray) who meet at a school dance and fall in love but two different worlds keep them apart. It received negative reviews from critics, but was a commercial success.

Plot

In Summer,1974 9 year old girl name Samantha "Sam" Montgomery (Hilary Duff) lives in the Town Called Pope County,Idaho with her widowed father Hal (Whip Hubley), who runs a popular sports-themed diner. Hal meets and eventually marries a vain, self-absorbed woman named Fiona (Jennifer Coolidge).a good twin of fiona named Sheriff Flora Jameson. When the earthquake strikes, Hal is killed when the roof caves in on him. As he supposedly left no will, Fiona receives all of his belongings, including the diner. She reveals her true hatred for Sam, and banishes her to the attic room, spoils her own daughters, and forces Sam into becoming little more than a servant.

Eight years later,In 1982 17 year old Sam is employed to work at the diner and tormented by Fiona and her two dim-witted daughters, Brianne and Gabriella who aren't really as talented, or as well-liked as they think they are. Fiona is so self-absorbed that she uses more water than necessary despite the fact that the San Fernando Valley is in the middle of a drought. Brianne and Gabriella constantly try to play up to all of the popular students. A running gag that occurs throughout the film shows Sam's stepsisters taking lessons in Synchronized Swimming for which they are found to have absolutely no talent. Sam struggles to cope socially at Pope County High School, where queen bee cheerleader Shelby Cummings (Julie Gonzalo) also torments her, like her stepmother and stepsisters, and calls her names such as "Diner Girl."

Sam confides in her letter, who shares her dream to attend Princeton University. Little does Sam know, "Nomad"'s true identity is Austin Ames (Chad Michael Murray), the popular - yet unhappy - quarterback of the school's football team and Shelby's boyfriend (although he breaks up with her, she chooses to overlook that). "Nomad" proposes that they meet in person at the school's Halloween dance. Initially reluctant, Samantha is convinced by her aspiring-actor friend Carter Ferrell (Dan Byrd) to go to the dance and meet her mysterious online friend.

On the night of the dance, Fiona forces Sam to work the night shift at the diner, then leaves to drive Brianne and Gabriella to the dance. Carter and Rhonda (Regina King), Sam's amiable co-worker at the diner, take Sam to find a costume for the dance. Sam, wearing a mask and a beautiful white dress, meets "Nomad" at the dance, and is surprised and shocked to learn that he is Austin. The two decide to leave the party to walk alone and get to know each other. After sharing a romantic dance together, Sam and Austin begin to fall in love. But just as Austin is about to kiss her, Sam's cell phone alarm goes off, warning her to return to the diner before Fiona comes back at midnight. She leaves without revealing her identity to Austin, and drops her phone on her way out.

Austin picks it up and begins a desperate search to figure out who his "Cinderella" really is, the result being that every girl in school claims to be the mysterious owner of the phone. Carter, dressed as Zorro, rescues Shelby from the unwanted amorous advances of Austin's friend, David (Brad Bufanda). Shelby falls for "Zorro" not knowing who he is and Carter resolves to tell her who he really is the next day.

Later, Brianne and Gabriella discover Sam's Mail Letter to Austin and realize that Sam is Cinderella. They later present them to Shelby and convince her that Sam persuaded him to leave Shelby to be with her. To retaliate, Shelby, Brianne and Gabriella perform a mean-spirited skit at a school pep rally where the Mail Letter are read aloud and Sam's identity is revealed to Austin. Carter even experiences some humiliation when he sees Shelby and her friends lounging by the pool. He reveals that it was he who was dressed as "Zorro" and Shelby, showing her true colors, denies that anything ever happened between them at the dance.

Sam, who (like Austin) had been accepted to Princeton University, was then duped by Fiona into believing she was rejected. Shortly after, fed up with Fiona's persistent emotional abuse and her schoolwide humiliation. Sam confronts Fiona about the mistreatment she's given her, quits her job at the diner and moves out to live with Rhonda.Brianne moves out too she turn good stepsister of sam. Simultaneously, Rhonda and the rest of the diner's staff quit along with Sam and Brianne, having put up with Fiona's abuse for Sam's sake all those years. The customers, who watched the entire scene, leave the diner as well.

Before a school football game, Sam confronts Austin about his cowardice and lies. Before the final play of the game, he sees Sam making her way out of the stands, and finally faces up to his father that he wants to attend Princeton rather than simply play football all his life. He hands his helmet to Ryan, then chases after Sam and apologizes. She accepts his apology and they share their first kiss as rain falls over the drought-plagued valley.

Soon after, Sam finds her father's will hidden in her childhood fairytale book, which stated that all of his belongings would go to her. Sam sells her step-family's fancy cars so that she can pay for college, and Fiona, who signed the will as a witness, is arrested after being chased through the front yard of what is now Sam's house by the deputy sheriffs.

Fiona and her daughter Gabriella are made to work off the money they stole from Sam at the diner, which is restored to the way it was before Hal's death by its new owners, Sam and Rhonda. Sam then finds out that she was, in fact, accepted by Princeton after her acceptance letter was found in the garbage by Gabriella.

Things also work out in the end for Carter as he makes a commercial for acne medication. After being dumped by Austin, Brianne then makes a play for Carter only to be spurned in favor of Astrid, the school's DJ. Next Year Later 1983,After Graduation Day Brianne,Carter,Sam and Austin begin a relationship and attend Princeton together (After Austin's Dad approves his son's choice). The film ends as they drive away together towards New Jersey.

Cast

• Hilary Duff as Samantha "Sam" Montgomery – The main character and the "Cinderella" of the movie. She is the daughter of Hal Montgomery and stepdaughter of Fiona. She has a chatmate known as "Nomad" who is actually Austin. They fall in love and they go to Princeton together. She also owns her father's diner, house and property which were thought to be Fiona's at first.
• Chad Michael Murray as Austin Ames – Sam's love interest and the "Prince Charming" of the movie. His dad wants him to attend a different college than Princeton but lets his son in the end. He is Sam's chatmate only known as "Nomad". He falls for her and they go to Princeton together. Rupert Grint was originally set to play the role of Austin Ames but had to drop out due to filming Harry Potter and Prisoner of Azakaban.
• Jennifer Coolidge as Fiona Montgomery – Sam's stepmother and Flora's Evil Twin and the "Stepmother" of the movie. She gets the diner and house after her husband, Hal, dies. She is vain and self-absorbed. She makes Sam's life miserable by ordering her around and Sam does it since she needs money for Princeton. In the end, she works her debt off at Hal's under Rhonda's supervision.
• Regina King as Rhonda- Sam's friend at the diner and later her partner. She is the "Fairy Godmother" of the movie. She cares for Sam and puts up with Fiona just for Sam. She is tough shown when she tries to beat up Fiona. She had attempts down the aisle mentioned when she was showing Sam the dress she was saving for the occasion. In the end, she becomes Sam's partner at the diner.
• Madeline Zima as Brianne Montgomery- the youngest twin. She is the smart one.she turn good with sam. In the end she goes Princeton too.
• Andrea Avery as Gabriella Montgomery-the eldest twin by a minute and 26 seconds. She is smarter than her twin.
• Dan Byrd as Carter Ferrell- Sam's best friend. He had a crush on Shelby Cummings but then started dating Astrid in the end. He is a method actor and he lands a commercial about a pimple cream.
• Julie Gonzalo as Shelby Cummings- Austin's ex-girlfriend. She is a cheerleader and a snobby person.
• Aimee-Lynn Chadwick as Astrid, the school DJ
• Jennifer Coolidge as Sheriff Flora Jameson - Fiona's Good Twin the "Female Captain of King's Guard" of the movie.
• Brad Bufanda as David
• J.D. Pardo as Ryan Henson
• Simon Helberg as Terrence
• Erica Hubbard as Madison
• Kady Cole as Caitlyn
• Mary Pat Gleason as Ellenore
• Lin Shaye as Mrs. Wells
• Whip Hubley as Mr. Hal Montgomery
• Kevin Kilner as Mr. Ames
• James Eckhouse as Mr. Ferrell
• Hannah Robinson as Young Sam
• Rory Thost as Young Carter
• Carly Westerman as Young Brianne
• Lilly Babb as Young Gabriella

Reception

Box office

In its opening weekend, the film grossed $13,623,350 million in 2,625 theaters in the United States and Canada, ranking #4 at the box office, behind I, Robot, Spider-Man 2 and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, was the best debut for an Teen film that week. By the end of its run, A Cinderella Story grossed $51,438,175 domestically and $18,629,734 internationally, totaling $70,067,909 worldwide.^[1]

Location

1272 E Calaveras St. Altadena, California, USA George's 50's Diner - 4390 Atlantic Avenue, Long Beach, California, USA Monrovia, California, USA San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, California, USA

Reception critical

Although critics did praise Duff's performance, reviews were mostly negative.^[2] On Rotten Tomatoes the film has a "Rotten" rating of 11% and calling it an "An uninspired, generic updating of the classic fairy tale."^[3]

Soundtrack

Main article: A Cinderella Story (soundtrack)

Sequels

The first sequel, entitled Another Cinderella Story and starring Selena Gomez and Drew Seeley, was released in 2008. Another sequel, A Cinderella Story: Once Upon A Song, is currently in production and stars Lucy Hale and Freddie Stroma.

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "A Cinderella Story (2004)". Box Office Mojo. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=cinderellastory.htm. Retrieved 14 February 2010. 
2. ^ A Cinderella Story (2004)
3. ^ A Cinderella Story (2004) Rotten Tomatoes

External links

• Official site
• A Cinderella Story at the Internet Movie Database
• A Cinderella Story at AllRovi
• A Cinderella Story at Box Office Mojo
• A Cinderella Story at Rotten Tomatoes
• A Cinderella Story at Metacritic