Penelope was in a trough of trouble before the oink on the script was dry.
1 Comment
02/29/08
Rate this Movie 
Penelope (2008)
50
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work
Reviews Counted:121
Fresh:61
Rotten:60
Average Rating:5.5/10
Consensus: Though Penelope has a charming cast and an appealing message, it ultimately suffers from faulty narrative and sloppy direction.
Theatrical Release:Feb 29, 2008 Wide
Box Office: $9,841,968
Synopsis: Like Tim Burton's EDWARD SCISSORHANDS and the TV show PUSHING DAISIES, PENELOPE is a modern fairy tale, complete with candy colors and whimsical cinematography. PENELOPE begins with a... [More]
Starring: Christina Ricci, James McAvoy, Catherine O'Hara, Reese Witherspoon
Director: Mark Palansky
Get This Movie
Reviews for Penelope
Top CriticClick to read the article
10/18/08
It's not eccentric enough to be as otherworldly as it wants to be, but it's too self-consciously quirky to perform on its own merits.
05/01/08
A precocious fairy tale made for and starring people too old for whimsy
03/02/08
More tart than sweet, this contemporary fairy tale provides a worthy vehicle for the fearless Christina Ricci.
02/28/08
Is this meant to be dark comedy? It's hard to tell.
06/25/08
Penelope is an odd concoction -- a witch's gentle brew of modern-day fairy tale, feather-light romance and slapstick comedy. It's not a knockout potion, but it goes down smoothly and is harmless enough to serve to the kids.
02/29/08
It's too bad that the second half turned out to be a drag, because I very much enjoyed the first half.
07/22/08
The most successful films in this genre rely heavily on production design, but unfortunately director Palansky decides to play it fairly straight here. Luckily, the film has an interesting story, for which all credit should go to writer Leslie Caveny.
01/18/08
Penelope is adorable and easy to watch thanks to the charms of its leads Ricci and McAvoy. But it's too much a mainstream Hollywood product and not enough of a spunky indie spirit to really win audiences over.
07/09/08
Click to read the article
04/23/09
Resembling the kind of tale Aesop might spin after one too many vats of homemade Ouzo, Penelope plods along on a desire to endear. All it really does is infuriate.
02/28/08
There is an underlying sweetness to Penelope, a root-for-her vibe that's only slightly diluted by the predictable story.
02/28/08
Click to read the article
10/18/08
Unfortunately, Penelope only masquerades as a film about self-acceptance and liking ourselves for who we are.
02/29/08
The success of Juno has re-set the bar for whimsical tales of headstrong, intelligent young women grappling with life difficulties.
03/06/08
I suppose Penelope would be pleasurable if the title character looked more like a pig and less like a burn victim.
02/28/08
Just another stab at modern fantasy with some fatal filmmaking flaws that are all-too-real.
02/29/08
If you're looking for something a little bit offbeat, Penelope won't send you diving out any windows to escape its quirky humour and gentle moralizing.
02/20/08
A diligent ensemble can't lift the film to anything higher than a shallow fairy tale with only worthy intentions.
07/19/08
Latest News for Penelope
July 12, 2008:
With only a DNA witch's curse pig's snout compromising Ricci's otherwise exceedingly alluring physical assets, it doesn't make a lick of sense that prospective suitors are jumping out of windows after catching a glimpse of her disfigured beak. 
More...
February 28, 2008:
Box Office Guru Preview: Semi-Pro Set To Slam Dunk The Competition
A triumvirate of films opens this weekend, but all will bow to the power of the mighty Will Ferrell and his latest outrageous comedy, Semi-Pro. More...
February 28, 2008:
Critics Consensus: Semi-Pro is Semi-Good, Boleyn Girl Not Quite Movie Royalty
This week at the movies, we've got hapless hoopsters, snouted socialites, and scandalous siblings. What do the critics have to say? More...
February 28, 2008:
With only a DNA witch's curse pig's snout compromising Ricci's otherwise exceedingly alluring physical assets, it doesn't make a lick of sense that prospective suitors are jumping out of windows after catching a glimpse of her disfigured beak.
More...
What’s Hot On RT
Fresh Links
Featured
History of Disney Animation
MSN Movies offers a little background on the success of Disney Animation.
90 Years of Screen Vampires
TIME takes a look back at the history of vampires on film.
Virtuoso Vistas of Lovely Bones
Techland examines the visual splendor of Peter Jackson's upcoming film.
Recent Headlines as TV Movies
AOL put together a list of 10 recent news items that would be perfect as TV Movies.
The Death of Original Thought
Hollywood.com's C. Robert Cargill explores how remakes and reboots have warped our thinking.
Promos
Follow RT on Twitter
Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!
IGN RSS Feeds