Ever wonder how the Beast felt? Bringing the classic tale "Beauty and the Beast" into modern day is not an easy feat. However, Vanessa Hudgens and Alex Pettyfer achieve this effortlessly in their new movie, "Beastly."
Based on "Beauty and the Beast," the film traces the story of Kyle (Pettyfer), a guy who thinks that only attractive people succeed in life. Focusing on the power of love, "Beastly" is a successful romantic movie with comedic elements throughout.
The movie begins in a typical high school setting: the popular are worshipped and the unpopular are shunned. Elections are being held for the school's Green Committee and Kyle is running for president; not that he cares about "Going Green," but rather it is one more thing he can win by being the most popular person in school.
During elections, Kyle meets Lindy (Hudgens), who is running for treasurer of the Green Committee and is unfazed by Kyle's popularity and pompous attitude. However, there is one person who is deeply troubled by Kyle's manner, the school's outcast, Kendra (Mary-Kate Olsen). It turns out that Kendra is a witch, and she casts a spell on Kyle, causing him to become as ugly on the outside as he is on the inside—essentially a beast.
Kyle retreats into seclusion, and is only seen by his blind tutor Will, played by Neil Patrick Harris, and the housekeeper Zola, played by Lisa Gay Hamilton. Both serve as confidantes for Kyle who is trying to regain his former appearance.
Focusing on the power of love, "Beastly" is a romantic movie with comedic elements throughout. After Kyle is turned into a beast he is told he has one year to earn the love of another or stay hideous forever. Even though this is difficult enough, the true challenge is to see if Kyle can show that he cares more about others than himself. When Lindy unexpectedly comes to live with him, Kyle is given the chance for this love. The question is: Will she fall in love with him before there is no time left?
The film highlights the fact that by learning to love others you can learn to appreciate yourself and the things that matter in life, not just the superficial. Most importantly, the movie succeeds in reminding us that "love is never ugly."
Catherine Chidiac can be reached at catherine.chidiac@student.shu.edu.
