Ever since the success of the live-action version of Cinderalla,Disney has turned their focus on retelling the stories of princesses. Their latest project, Beauty and the Beast, was going to be difficult. Retelling a beloved story can cause some backlash. With the "change" of Le Fou playing for the other team, some became hesitant of the movie, worried the tale they loved would be bombarded with a new story line that didn't look like what they had always known.(But can we take a moment to see that Le Fou was always a little gay. Like, c'mon, just a little). I was not deterred. As I sat in the theater Thursday night, I was anticipating the same story I had always known, just a little more real. What I got was more than I could ever have hoped.
As the story starts, it opens on the castle, pre-curse. Although it is lively and beautiful, there is something missing. Love. Anyway, as the story goes, Adam is turned into a beast and the curse is set in motion. And everyone's favorite opening number comes on. The audience is introduced to Belle, played perfectly by Emma Watson. As the opening scene comes to a close, we see the first interaction with Belle and Gaston. When Gaston tries to invite himself over, Belle tells him no. When he asks for a reason, she walks off. That is the moment I knew that this version was going to be great. It is teaching girls that you can say no. You can say no to a guy and you don't owe him anything. It also is a great example of living your life how YOU want to, not how anybody else wants to.
As the story goes on, the audience sees a proactive Belle, smart and kind, while also being headstrong. When she's locked in the room, she takes a moment to be sad, but immediately tries to plan her escape. No more damsel-in-distress collapsing on the bed. She is smart, constantly trying to make the world a better place, whether by inventing an easier way to do laundry or teaching a little girl to read. Belle is the princess that little girls need.
Dan Steven's portrayal of the Beast is magnificent. The change in him is apparent. You can see how their relationship grows more and more. You start to understand who he was before the curse and how he became the selfish, spoiled prince. Live action allows the viewer to see Steven's face behind the beast. The eyes really are the same. Live-action definitely benefited that part of the story-line.
And Gaston. Played by the gorgeous Luke Evans, it becomes kind of hard to dislike him at first. He is very attractive and he is all substance. However, there is a moment that happens that turns the audience against him(I won't tell, I promise). He slowly becomes the villain, but there is a lot of depth to him.
Overall, this movie relates to society today, even though it is set centuries ago in France. This movie will make you laugh, cry, and will leave you wanting to see it again
