"The Princess Diaries" was a film released in 2001. The plot is centered around the rise of Mia Thermopolis from social underdog to European royalty. But you have already seen the movie, haven't you? Of course you have! We all have, at least 30 times each. Let's get right to the juice: my top six reasons why I think the movie is one to be remembered.
1. The movie starred Julie Andrews as a QUEEN.
Julie Andrews is absolutely one of my heroes. Ever since seeing "Mary Poppins" at a young age, I was obsessed. Being an adolescent and having the chance to see her age magnificently and show outstanding grace as the Queen of Genovia was life-changing.
2. It was Anne Hathaway's first big role.
It was during this movie that we all first fell in love with Hathaway as an actress and rising star. The way she pulled off the quirky teenager as well as the sophisticated young woman made her a likable and versatile young actress, bound for success. After this movie, she took off and has starred in many types of films, from musicals to comedies.
3. The film is a modern and relatable take on the classic Cinderella story.
Every young girl wants to be a princess, right? It's one thing to hope to be like Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty, animated classic princesses. However, it's another to see a character they can relate to, a young high school girl who's just under the radar, become a princess. This gave many tweens hope that they, too, could rise and shine and be treated like royalty, either literally, or just with love and respect. Most importantly, the film rallied us to believe in ourselves and in each other.
4. It exposes teen foibles and follies in a humorous light.
Ah, stereotypes and archetypes in teen lives. We've seen them all through "Grease," "Degrassi," "Zoey 101," and even in real life. There's the cute but dense heartthrob, the mean and shallow cheerleader, the hardcore and invincible mom, and the supportive best friend. Exposing some of the weaknesses makes this film even more relatable. We see Mia crush on the heartthrob for no reason other than that he's popular and attractive, but he ends up being awful, and romance blossoms with the "good guy" of the flick. Allowing us to gawk and laugh at these teens lets us root for the good and even see how these types of characters play in our own lives.
5. It shows us that true value comes from friends and family, not tiaras.
Sure, everyone wants to be royalty or just treated as such. The grandiose lifestyle and glamour associated with classic Disney "happily-ever-afters" is ingrained in our minds. However, this movie showed audiences the value in between the lines: the relationships and lessons Mia went through to become royalty. It became more about the journey and less about the destination, which is something we should all take away and appreciate in our own lives.
6. It was produced by Whitney Houston.
Whitney Houston. Need I say more?
