By Jeff Swindoll Feb 22, 2008, 15:54 GMT
Penelope (Christiana Ricci) is a gal with a problem – she’s got the nose of a pig. Not that she’s as ugly as one of those barnyard denizens, but that she’s literally got the nose of one of them.
A family curse causes her to be born with a snout. Her parents (Richard E. Grant and Catherine O’Hara) lock her away from the world in their family manse so that she won’t be hurt but he snoopings of a reporter (Peter Dinklage) threaten to expose Penelope. She does eventually make friends with a delivery girl (Reese Witherspoon) and might also find love (with James McAvoy).
Seeing the trailer for Penelope recently it struck me how Burton-esque (as in Tim) that it seemed. It also appears to be in some way homaging that Tim since the opening score (‘The Story of the Curse’ by Joby Talbot) reminded me mightily of Edward Scissorhands in theme.
There are also tunes by Schuyler Fisk & Dave Bassett (‘Waking Life’) and James Greenspun (‘You’re Disguise’). That being said such familiarities are sometimes like the warm blanket or the worn easy chair, we like them because they’re comfortable and Talbot does provide a charming score.
After listening to the soundtrack, I can only say that I’m very interested in seeing Penelope (no matter what farmyard proboscis she happens to sport) and it does look like a charming, uplifting film.
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