Netflix Summary:
Held captive in an enchanted castle where clocks and candlesticks come to life, a brave young woman clashes with a beastly but good-hearted prince.
FYA Summary:
A bookish if slightly snobby girl from the French countryside rescues her eccentric father from captivity when she makes a deal with a beast to stay in his place. The beast, who is running out of time to reverse the curse that turned him into a monster, must convice her to fall in love with him, with the help of his eccentric band of living household objects.
Familiar Faces:
Emma Watson as Belle
Bless this beautiful nerd.
Dan Stevens as Beast
You probably know him as Matthew from Downton Abbey, or David from Legion. I will admit I was skeptical when this casting news was announced, BUT the moment I heard Dan doing his Beast voice in a table read, I was so on board. That low rumble is spot on.
Luke Evans as Gaston
A quick glance at his IMDB page tells me he’s one of those actors that you probably recognize from something, but just can’t place. (Hint: probably one of the Fast and the Furious movies.)
This was probably my only casting complaint. Luke did a great job with the material, but he was just a little too small and not nearly douchy enough to make my skin crawl the way that cartoon Gaston always did. I’m pretty sure my revulsion for Gaston is more responsible for the type of man I’m attracted to now than any attraction I might’ve felt for a Disney prince.
Josh Gad as LeFou
Was Josh Gad born to play this role y/y?
Kevin Kline as Maurice
Everyone’s favorite weird dad!
Ewan McGregor as Lumiere
Whew boy, I do not envy the man who had to fill Jerry Orbach’s shoes. My man Jerry made the best candle any man has ever made! But Ewan was a worthy replacement, and he did it justice.
Ian McKellan as Cogsworth
True story when I was in London last year, I passed Ian McKellan on the street and we bumped shoulders and I glanced over and said, “Oh, sorry” as I kept walking, then realized who it was and had a miniature freak out behind his back.
Emma Thompson as Mrs. Potts
This is another role that I would never want to play, simply because Angela Lansbury as a teapot is ICONIC. But then again, so is Emma. Win, win.
Couch-Sharing Capability: Girls’ Night
I actually saw this in the theaters with the other members of LRFYABC, and if I were to do it over again, I’d invite them all over to my house for a second viewing (minus the obnoxious GROWN WOMAN who sang every song very loudly next to us).
Recommended Level of Inebriation: Bust Out The Bubbly
But only the real stuff. Everyone knows it’s not real champagne unless it’s from the Champagne region of France. And we’re honoring Belle’s roots here.
Use of Your Streaming Subscription: Princess Party
Thank heavens for Disney understanding that grown women walk a fine line between wanting to enjoy the princesses of our past while also knowing we can’t just sit around watching cartoons all day. If you’re about my age (early 30s) and reading this blog, Belle is right in your wheelhouse – she was the “it” princess when we were prime princess-loving ages, and she loved BOOKS, you guys! Her boyfriend gives her a library and keeps her hidden away so she doesn’t have to talk to other people! That’s a dream situation!
And I know we can all get a little huffy about our childhood faves being remade, but this one more than lived up to my expectations. TBH, my biggest complaint is what they did to Dan Stevens’ hair once he was supposed to be back to his handsome prince form. So gather your fellow book nerds, don your princess dresses, and indulge your inner child for an evening. You deserve it.
