Mia Thermopolis: Anne Hathaway	Queen Clarisse Renaldi: Julie Andrews
Lilly: Heather Matarazzo	Helen: Caroline Goodall
Joe: Hector Elizondo	Charlotte: Kathleen Marshall
Lana: Mandy Moore	Vice Principal Gupta: Sandra Oh
Michael: Robert Schwartzman	Director: Garry Marshall
Producer: Whitney Houston

30 Second Bottom Line: A 15-year-old girl who lives in San Francisco learns she is a European Princess. She has to decide if she will leave the life she knows and move to Genovia, her principality.

Story Line: Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) lives with her mom Helen (Caroline Goodall), a free spirited artist, in an old remodeled firehouse. Mia is a smart but shy kid, who has little to no eye hand coordination, but is great sliding down the firepole or scaling a rock climbing wall. At school she's regarded as a klutz as she does poorly in team sports. Mia gets so nervous when she has to present a debate issue that she becomes physically ill. She hardly seems the material to be a princess.

Mia knows that her grandmother Clarisse Renaldi never liked Helen and their contact has been infrequent. So it is a surprise when Grandmother phones and asks to meet with Mia. A bigger surprise to Mia is discovering that her grandmother is Queen Clarisse of Genovia and that she is a princess. The information was kept from her because her father was in line to rule the small principality until his accidental death. Queen Clarisse is royalty by marriage but Mia is by blood and she needs to assume the crown so that the right to rule is not delegated to another family.

Over the course of a few weeks, Mia will learn how to sit, stand, walk, dine, speak and look like a princess. She must decide if she will honor her grandmother's request to move to Genovia and become a princess or stay in San Francisco and fulfill her dreams of being a popular kid in school.

Queen Clarisse's assistant Joe (Hector Elizondo) becomes Mia's chauffeur and advisor. She and her best friend, a smart kid named Lilly (Heather Matarazzo), are soon having a lot more fun in school. All is not well however, as both are envious of the cheerleaders who have fun on the beach and kiss boys in school. One of the cheerleaders is Lana ( Mandy Moore ), Mia's nemesis, who seems to have it all. Lilly's brother, Michael (Robert Schwartzman) likes Mia, but both are shy, they may never do anything other than just acknowledge that the other exists.

Mia's mother and grandmother soon are able to help her make the transition from a self-conscious introverted klutz to a young lady who walks tall and speaks with authority.

Tell Me More About It: Some may not be thrilled with the perpetuation of the ruling classes and other privileges that are accorded kings, queens and their relatives. And, of course, there's the well-worn cliché "the fairy tale princess." While the film is charming, I found it somewhat offensive, but not so much that I would suggest that young girls not see the film.

The story involves a young woman about to turn 16 years old, but it's aimed at girls in the 12 and under bracket. It's a super cute movie and other than Josie and the Pussycats and Shrek, most films for children have been aimed toward teenage boys or are cartoons in the tradition of old Disney films like Atlantis: The Lost Empire. Parents Alert: this is the only major G rated film of the summer, so for those of you that have been asking for something with less of an edge, here it is.

The film does convey that it's OK for a young girl to be whatever she wants to be. Everybody fits in. It's just fine for Mia to like to climb rocks or Lilly to be a brainy kid who looks like the antithesis of a model for Vogue. It's not required that one be a cheerleader or spend time kissing boys to be an acceptable young woman.

From the perspective of young girls, Princess Diaries has a lot going for it. For adults that view it, the film can be a little tiring. Some cast members are reunited from Pretty Woman to perk up our interest (even one line of dialogue if you pay very close attention); the two films are brought to you by the same folks. For this teenage subject matter, the film is a little long for an adult at almost a two-hour running time. For a parent, the film is extremely predictable. For a 10-year-old, the suspense may be genuine.

Julie Andrews is appropriately charming and not too stuck up for a Queen. Anne. Hathaway perfectly fits her role and it's great to see a fresh face. Too many movies are focused on too many stars (e.g., America's Sweethearts). This film is better by not having a well-recognized face such as Kirsten Dunst, Natalie Portman or Julia Stiles.

Anne Hathaway has loads of charm, a radiant smile and seems quite likable. I was glad it was over when the credits rolled, but the young girls in the audience applauded. The Princess Diaries is not a home run, but it's a good solid double.

Anne Hathaway: Get Real -TV	Julie Andrews: On Golden Pond-TV
Kathleen Marshall: Runaway Bride	Caroline Goodall: Trust-TV
Hector Elizondo: The Other Sister	Heather Matarazzo: Company Man
Robert Schwartzman: The Virgin Suicides	Garry Marshall: Pretty Woman