PenelopeMovie Reviews

Poster art for "Penelope."

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So-so
Avg. Critic Score: 48 out of 100 Mixed or average reviews Metascore® based on all critic reviews
Information for Parents:
10 OK for kids 10+
Read Common Sense Media review

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

  • 70
    The Hollywood Reporter | Kirk Honeycutt

    The result is an entertaining comedy for young girls and older girls who still like a good romantic fable. Read full review

  • 70
    Washington Post |

    Anyone willing to tolerate the tortured premise of the story will be paid off handsomely by several winning performances and a moral that makes most of the absurdity worthwhile. Read full review

  • 63
    USA Today | Claudia Puig

    Though the film has a strong cast, humor and a satirical take on celebrity culture, the story is spotty. Read full review

  • 50
    Los Angeles Times | Gene Seymour

    There's no real rigor or craft applied to this story -- just mood, tone, neo-gothic imagery and frantic attitude. If only Penelope knew what it truly wished to be and how to go about it. Which is probably what this overly coy fantasy's modestly appealing title character wishes as well. Read full review

  • 50
    San Francisco Chronicle | Walter Addiego

    Surprisingly pedestrian. Read full review

  • 50
    Variety | David Rooney

    The whimsical ugly-duckling fable becomes more uneven as it proceeds, straining too hard to manufacture its quirky charms. Read full review

  • 38
    Rolling Stone | Peter Travers

    Penelope is dead on arrival. Read full review

  • 30
    The New York Times | Stephen Holden

    A hopeless jumble of visual and linguistic styles. Read full review

  • 30
    Wall Street Journal | Joe Morgenstern

    Penelope was in a trough of trouble before the oink on the script was dry. Read full review

  • 0
    Entertainment Weekly | Owen Gleiberman

    Is there anything more dull than an ineptly cynical fairy tale? Read full review

View more reviews for Penelope on Metacritic

Information for Parents
Common Sense Media says OK for kids 10+ Offbeat romantic comedy is sweet but lightweight.
What Parents Need to Know Parents need to know that this fairy-tale-like film has a lot of heart. There's not much iffy content (a bit of drinking and innuendo is the bulk of it), and the main character is devoted to discovering her own identity and making peace with her circumstances, though it's sometimes hard for her to overcome her shame. Her parents -- especially her mother -- can't seem to accept her as she is, which could be upsetting for some younger viewers. But in the end (naturally), everything wraps up nicely.
  • Families can talk about how this movie is like a fairy tale. What does it have in common with more traditional "once upon a time" stories? How is it different? What lesson do Penelope and her family learn from their curse? Are the men's reactions to Penelope understandable or reprehensible? What shapes their expectations of how a woman ought to look?
The good stuff
  • message true0 Positive messages: Men -- and most of society, for that matter -- shun a woman for looking different. A man lies to get the chance to make money to pay gambling debts. A reporter devotes himself to digging up dirt that destroys a family. A main character runs away, hurting those left behind. A mother fixates on her daughter's looks. All of that said, though, the film has lots of heart.
What to watch for
  • violence false0 Violence: Men are cruel to Penelope when they see her face to face, and a guard has to tackle some of the suitors who run away. Max has a screaming fight with Lemon, who, in an earlier scene, gets injured for being too zealous at his scandal-seeking job.
  • sex false0 Sex: Lots of romance, but no sex (at least none shown). Some innuendo and kissing.
  • language false0 Language: Rare use of words like "damn" and "hell."
  • consumerism false0 Consumerism: Not an issue
  • drugsalcoholtobacco false3 Drinking, drugs and smoking: Some beer drinking in a bar (Penelope has her first taste and enjoys it) and elsewhere. Incidental smoking.
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.

Looking for more reviews? Movies.com Critics Say:

Dave White

3.5

Dave White Profile See Dave White's Profile

… raspberry-filled and covered in gooey ganache. Read full review See Dave White's on MOVIENAME on Movies.com

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