Walt Disney Studios has made a triumphant return to the genre that it invented with The Princess and the Frog, a glorious and magical film that evokes the best of Disney's heyday. The film follows Tiana (voiced by Anika Noni Rose) as she struggles to scrape together enough money waiting tables to open a restaurant, a dream that she has been pursuing since her childhood. Tiana's father is long gone but her mother (voiced by the Queen herself, Oprah Winfrey) continues to encourage her and tell her that she can make her dreams come true.
However, Tiana kissing an enchanted frog, which she believes will turn into a handsome prince after the kiss, derails all those plans. An evil voodoo doctor who has his own agenda has put the frog under a spell. When Tiana kisses him, rather than him transforming, she does, as she turns into a frog. The two frogs then embark on a journey through the swamps of New Orleans as they try to dodge the wildlife and such in pursuit of a cure for their condition. Along the way, they meet the usual eccentric sidekicks, such as a lightning bug and a gator who just wants to play jazz music. The film contains plenty of tuneful songs encompassing all the genres of music but especially that unique New Orleans jazz sound. Oscar winner Randy Newman composed all the songs and he uses the full range of his talents. While the songs are not that memorable and I did not leave the theatre humming them, they have an infectious energy that may result in dancing in your seat. The film is a joyous experience that never lets up its enthusiasm and energy for the whole time it is on screen. It is proof that Disney has not lost their magic and still knows how to make a good hand-drawn animated film.
I must also say that it is refreshing to see a movie in which the heroine's ultimate goal is not to land a man. In fact, Tiana does not seem to care at all about landing a man. Her ultimate goal is just to open her own restaurant and that was definitely a departure for Disney films. In addition, much has been made of the fact that Tiana is Disney's first black heroine. While I think it is important to acknowledge how historic this is, I also do not think that that is even the most notable aspect of the movie. The movie itself doesn't even really ever point it out or make note of it, which has been one of the big complaints people have lodged against the movie: the fact that it makes light of Tiana's ethnicity and doesn't emphasize the struggles that black women would have faced in 1930s New Orleans. I just think that is people grabbing at straws and ignoring everything else in the film that is so good. The intended audience for the film is kids, so it does not have to be a history lesson. Hopefully, after the movie, parents will use the issues and themes presented here as a springboard for further discussion. This should especially be happening among black families.
The Princess and the Frog is a remarkably well-made film that will please adults and their children. It contains high-energy music, hilarious supporting characters, a great villain, and, most especially, a high-spirited and independent young heroine who wants more than just to be married to a prince. I think people who choose to see this movie will not be disappointed in the slightest. Disney has managed once again to make an animated film that will delight all moviegoers. It recalls the glory days of Disney animation when films like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King dominated the marketplace and received both critical and audience acclaim. Finally, Disney has lived up to those lofty expectations after several years of duds.
See this one and bring the kids if you can. It is the perfect holiday movie!
