BeastlyMovie Reviews

Poster art for "Beastly."

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Avg. Critic Score: 40 out of 100 Mixed or average reviews Metascore® based on all critic reviews
Information for Parents:
14 OK for kids 14+
Read Common Sense Media review

Critic scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 75
    Orlando Sentinel | Roger Moore

    Witty, warm, well-cast and often wickedly funny. Read full review

  • 75
    Miami Herald | Howard Cohen

    Beastly, for all its potential pitfalls, works better than it has any right to. Credit Barnz, who keeps his young characters contemporary in a world of text messaging and status updates and yet also gives them depth. Read full review

  • 75
    San Francisco Chronicle | Mick LaSalle

    I liked this movie, maybe more than I should have, and would be happy to see anything this director wants to do next. Read full review

  • 70
    Los Angeles Times |

    The idea of transformation, that people can change and learn from their mistakes, growing to be better, makes Beastly not just sweetly romantic but also quietly hopeful. Read full review

  • 70
    The New York Times | Manohla Dargis

    This is the kind of cornball entertainment that rainy afternoons were made for. Throw in a cozy sofa too. Beastly will size down well on your television. Read full review

  • 50
    Washington Post |

    Getting teens to look past the superficial may be a noble goal, but when they're staring at the pretty but talentless Pettyfer, it's a hard lesson to take seriously. Read full review

  • 40
    Variety |

    A kiss may cure the monster, but not even campy performances from Mary-Kate Olsen and Neil Patrick Harris can save this ugly snarl of cliches. Read full review

  • 40
    New York Daily News | Joe Neumaier

    There's less to Beastly than meets the eye - and what meets the eye is no great shakes, either. Read full review

  • 38
    USA Today | Claudia Puig

    It's dogged by awkward dialogue, a ridiculous plot and lackluster performances, especially by the leads. Read full review

  • 16
    Entertainment Weekly | Adam Markovitz

    Spectacularly poor judgment in everything from acting to costuming (Olsen's Harajuku-troll get-up is scarier than her curse) puts Beastly right on the cusp of the so-bad-it's-good Hall of Shame. Read full review

View more reviews for Beastly on Metacritic

Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says OK for kids 14+ Lackluster romance is heavy on lessons about superficiality.
What Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that this take on the classic Beauty and the Beast story (which is based on the novel by Alex Flinn) is aimed squarely at teens who love all things Twilight. But those drawn to the movie by its stars (High School Musical's Vanessa Hudgens and "it" boy Alex Pettyfer) and basic romantic supernatural storyline might be disappointed by what ends up feeling more like a toothless high school popularity contest movie. Plus, unlike Twilight, this film has some strong language (including "s--t") and underage drinking, as well as kissing, sexual innuendo, and plenty of label-dropping. Witchcraft plays a role in the plot.
  • Families can talk about why the witch puts a curse on Kyle when other people at school are superficial and mean, too. How can behavior like that be addressed in real life?
  • How does the behavior of the teens in this movie compare to how kids treat each other in reality? Does the fantasy element make it seem less hurtful?
  • What would you say the movie's message is?
The good stuff
  • message true2 Positive messages: The movie is ultimately saying that beauty isn’t skin deep, and valuing the outside above all else can make your insides ugly.
  • rolemodels true0 Positive role models: Lindy is earnest and caring, but she seems to be the only character who's genuinely kind and gentle -- though Kyle does undergo an emotional and physical transformation that teaches him about what’s most important.
What to watch for
  • violence false2 Violence: A man shoots another man off screen and kills him; the body is later seen. Another man threatens another’s child. A high school boy ridicules a classmate repeatedly.
  • sex false2 Sex: Tender kisses between the movie's stars; a couple paws each other at a party. Several close-up shots of the main male character shirtless. A few sexual innuendoes.
  • language false3 Language: Words include "s--t," "ass," "crap," "slut," "skank," "bulls--t," "WTF," and "bitch."
  • consumerism false3 Consumerism: Some label-flashing and name-dropping, including Ducati, Forbes, D’Agostino, Duane Reade, Coke, Footlocker, Jujyfruit, and Bulgari.
  • drugsalcoholtobacco false2 Drinking, drugs and smoking: Some underage drinking at a party; drug references.
An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology. © Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.

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Dave White

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