Review: Amazon's 'Cinderella' is Fun, Nutty, and Highly Entertaining

Unlike her beautiful ball gown and the coach she rides in that disappear after a mere few hours, the story of Cinderella and the public's fascination with it have lasted an extremely long time –centuries! In books, plays, and films, the story has been adapted, parodied, musicalized, modernized, cartoon-ified, and gender-switched. In the same year that England has debuted an original stage musical version with an Andrew Lloyd Webber/David Zippel score, here comes a spiffy, sassy new movie version of "Cinderella" with humor and heart, featuring familiar (but attitude-adjusted) characters and townspeople singing repurposed pop hits of yore, introduced by the likes of Janet Jackson ("Rhythm Nation") and Madonna ("Material Girl"). Are you in?

It's a little nutty – in a good way, in a contemporary way, in an also old-school musical comedy way, and (significantly) in a fun, entertaining, high-energy way to have antique characters we've known since childhood fairytale exposure burst into 20th century rock anthems. Like the plot-crucial glass slipper, some songs fit better than others. As has happened when other projects recycled famous songs, the lyrics just can't hope to be specific enough to characters or to advance the plot much, and the recognition keeps pulling us out of the story rather than into it. But, hey, it's all a kind of big wink. We all acknowledge the concept and conceit of it all and go along for the ride. And there's some original stuff, too, like rap numbers for the town crier's announcements.

Opulent optics and opportunistic sarcasm are assets, with some sweet moments permitted, and a star-rich cast that rises to the occasion more than occasionally. Original touches are sprinkled into the well-known plot points.

The uber-glam/flamboyant factor deluxe comes with Billy Porter hilariously sashaying as this version's version of what we'd known as the wand-wielding fairy godmother who makes magic and make-overs – glass footwear for the titular heroine, etc (It's disappointing that the script couldn't manage a Porter pop-up later.)

Notable, and perhaps heavy handed, is a feminist woke element; as written directed by Kay Cannon and played feistily by Camila Cabello, this Cinderella is not a wimp, a cheerful doormat, or a tunnel-visioned marriage-mad maiden. As Queen Beatrice (yup, the "Queen Bea"), Minnie Driver drives home her right to be a royal pain in demanding respect and renewed appreciation from stubborn hubby king (Pierce Brosnan). We witness their female child ignored while the male heir to the throne gets their focus (and father's fury and frustration) when that petulant prince is marriage-resistant.... until he meets you-know-who. In the princely role, dashing Nicholas Galitzine brings an endearing romantic element and some, dare I say.... reality. Despite some puzzling character inconsistency, Idina Menzel brings requisite bitchiness as the condescending stepmother, but, disappointingly Cannon doesn't give the stepsisters the expected chances to be broadly buffoonish and bossy. James Corden, one of the producers, shows up as one of the trio of Cinderella's BFF nice mice, temporarily turned human, adding spice... although one line expressing his glee in urinating as a man is a small crass, cross-the-line misstep.

In fleeing the ball at midnight, Cinderella doesn't accidentally lose her shoe, but throws it angrily. As we wait for the plot to play out and the other shoe to drop, we've already seen that, despite all the changes and cheekiness, there's a fondness for the story and the hope of happily-ever-afters of magnetic love that lovingly comes through in this new "Cinderella."

"Cinderella" steams on Amazon Prime.starting September 3.