Retro Rom-Coms: Revisiting A Cinderella Story
Plot:
“A Cinderella Story”(2004) is a rom-com that gives the well-known Cinderella fairy tale a modern twist. Sam (Hilary Duff), a wallflower high schooler, ends up living under the roof of her greedy and demanding stepmother, Fiona (Jennifer Coolidge), and stepsisters after the unexpected death of her father. Her friends, Carter (Dan Byrd) and Rhonda (Regina King), help Sam to break out of her shell, attend a school dance against her stepmother's wishes and eventually win the heart of her own prince charming, Austin Ames (Chad Michael Murray).
Memorable quote:
“Waiting for you is like waiting for rain in this drought. Useless and disappointing.”
Sam says this to Austin after he witnesses some jealous classmates publicly shaming Sam and doesn’t do anything to defend her. She barges into the boys’ locker room as he’s preparing for a football game and lets Austin know exactly how she’s feeling and why his lack of support is unacceptable to her.
Rhonda (Regina King, left) serves as a modern-day godmother and guides Sam (Hilary Duff, right) to her fairytale destination. Image Source
The quote is significant in how it shows Sam’s overall character transformation in the film. Whereas in earlier scenes she hesitates to even say a word when her stepmother mistreats her and classmates ridicule her, by the film’s close she is not afraid to speak her mind, even when it means possibly losing someone she cares about.
More important to her now is her own self-worth and not what others want or expect from her, but what she expects from them.
Sam and best friend, Carter, (Dan Byrd) navigate high school together throughout the film. Image Source
Fun Facts:
The role of Austin Aimes was initially to be played by “Harry Potter” star Rupert Grint, who had to leave the project as he was committed to filming the third film in the Potter franchise, “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.”
Hilary Duff was only 15 years old at the time of filming and would spend time off-camera practicing for her driver’s license test.
A large reason Hilary Duff accepted the lead role of Sam was due to the fact that “Cinderella” was her favorite fairy tale as a kid.
Evil stepmother Fiona (Jennifer Coolidge) serves as the central villain in the 2004 film. Image Source
What Makes It Unique:
“A Cinderella Story” is a rom-com favorite for a reason. The film boasts an all-star cast in Regina King, Jennifer Coolidge, and Hilary Duff, and balances just the right amount of classic Cinderella references while incorporating modern nods. An example of this is the anonymity of Sam and Austin’s initial meetings, which take place via phone texts and emails; something that everyone can relate to in today’s tech-savvy era. Beyond this, it’s a truly nostalgic piece for anyone who grew up on 2000s TV and cinema, and it’s a great movie for family-friendly viewing.
Where to Watch It Now:
“A Cinderella Story” is available to watch on YouTube, Amazon Prime, and DIRECTV Cinema