A Cinderella Story (2004)
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Two internet pen pals navigate the complexities of high school life and a mysterious identity at a Halloween dance.
The story
In the San Fernando Valley, 17-year-old Sam Montgomery works at a diner to fund her dreams of attending Princeton. She finds solace in an online friendship with a pen pal known only as 'Nomad.' When the pair decides to meet in person at their high school's Halloween dance, Sam is forced to navigate the challenges of her overbearing stepfamily while hiding her identity. Unbeknownst to her, 'Nomad' is actually Austin Ames, the school's popular but unhappy quarterback. As the dance approaches, the two must navigate their secret connection while dealing with the pressures of their social circles and the expectations of those around them.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Sam Montgomery lives with her stepmother Fiona and her step-sisters after her father's death. She works at a diner and maintains an online friendship with 'Nomad,' who is revealed to be the school's popular quarterback, Austin Ames. At a Halloween dance, they meet while Sam wears a mask and a borrowed gown. Austin later searches for the 'Cinderella' who wore the dress. After a series of events where Sam's identity is exposed by her step-siblings and a public humiliation occurs, she stands up to her family and moves out. Austin eventually realizes his feelings for her, publicly rejects his girlfriend, and follows her. In a final twist, Sam discovers her father's will and finds out she inherited the diner and house, leading to her legal victory over her stepmother. Austin and Sam begin a relationship and plan to attend Princeton together.
- First release year
- 2004
- Runtime (minutes)
- 95
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Mark Rosman
- Writers
- Leigh Dunlap · writer
- Cast and characters
- Hilary Duff · Sam; Chad Michael Murray · Austin; Jennifer Coolidge · Fiona; Regina King · Rhonda
- Genres
- teen romantic comedy; romance; comedy
- Themes
- empowerment; identity; self-belief
- Tone and mood
- romantic; whimsical
- Setting
- San Fernando Valley, present day.
- Premise and plot tags
- modernized fairy tale; high school; secret identity
- Source material / true-story basis
- Cinderella folklore
- Franchise connections
- A Cinderella Story
- Reception
- Initially panned by critics, the film subsequently developed a cult following.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 11% · scale: 100% · review count: 102; Metacritic · score: 25 · scale: 100 · review count: 30
- Awards and nominations
- Kids Choice Awards · Favorite Movie Actress · win; Teen Choice Awards · Choice Movie Blush Scene · win
- Production trivia
- It inspired multiple straight-to-video films.; It was featured in Time as one of the top 10 worst chick flicks ever made.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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