Belle may be rated PG, but it has more going for it than just the squeaky clean Disney-esque rating would suggest. Don't get me wrong, there's plenty of heaving of corseted breasts, just no actual bodice ripping. In fact, the two female leads seemed to be competing to see who could show more breast, shove or heave it higher. However, it turns out this is more of a political film than a mere chick flick or period piece. Think of it as Lincoln meets Sense & Sensibility, no let's go with the weaker Emma.
The established actors in this movie (Emily Watson, Tom Wilkinson and Miranda Richardson) bring needed depth, but are basically wasted in this movie. However, it was fun to see the conniving characters from Harry Potter brought back to life in the mini reunion between Miranda (Rita Skeeter) and Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy). I really thought at any moment that Mr. Felton was going to spit Harry's name on accident. Unfortunately, the lead actress doesn't bring much but a pretty pout and pretty cry to the role, which I suppose is suited to the PG rating and is sufficient to get the point across.
The movie starts off as the story of the lead character who is actually referred to by her first name, Dido, throughout the movie. Her early years are almost comically curtailed into a very choppy and lacking reminiscence of missed opportunities that could have helped support the storyline better along the way. However, after we arrive at the present day of the heart of the film, that's when the screenplay shines. Dido's coming out as a young woman coincides with her crashing into the real world of repressed and racist slavetime England. As she develops as a young woman and an independent mind, it becomes clear that this is the thread of the story that is why the movie was made. The politics of slavery in England was new to me and since this is based on a true story, kept my interest, while the typical Jane Austen style romance and societal issues go on in the background.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
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