August 1, 2001 -- "The Princess Diaries" is Hollywood's version of fairy tales similar to "Cinderella" or "Sleeping Beauty." There's a princess in there somewhere. All you really need to bring it out is a makeover. It is a charming bit of fluff, aimed at younger audiences, but there is not much cleverness to it and it is sloppily constructed.

A 15-year-old girl, Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway of the TV series "Get Real") learns one day that she is princess of a small country called Genovia. She has a matter of weeks to decide if she wants to rule this country, or stay in the U.S. She is an outcast at school, where the other students are unaware of her secret identity. She's a klutz, ignored by most people. She has bushy eyebrows, dark-rimmed glasses and big, bushy hair to hide her good looks. Only her best friend, Lilly Moscovitz (sounds like a character out of "An American Tail"), really understands her. Lilly is played by Heather Matarazzo of "Company Man." Mia is also liked by Lilly's brother, Michael (Robert Schwartzman-Cage of "The Virgin Suicides"), but she wants high school hunk Josh Bryant (played by Erik von Detten). Her main enemy is the arrogant Lana Thomas (recording star Mandy Moore).

Mia first finds out about her royal blood lines from her grandmother, Queen Clarisse Renaldi (Julie Andrews of "The Sound of Music"). She also gets some help from bodyguard/driver Joe (Hector Elizondo of "The Runaway Bride"). Mia is hurt that her mother never told her that her father belonged to a royal family. Mia reluctantly agrees to undergo training and to attend a royal ball before deciding whether or not to accept the throne of Genovia. Will she decide to become a real princess? Will she finally see that she ought to be with Michael, not Josh? Some suspense.

The movie is obviously a tried-and-true formula, but it is not carefully constructed. Hathaway is very good in the lead role, but she is obviously not 15 years old, just as many her classmates appear to be college age. It is a common problem with Hollywood romantic comedies like this, kids looking and acting older than their characters are supposed to be. The movie is also loaded with tired stock characters, like the incredibly shallow, stupid and insensitive Josh and Lana. There is the prissy makeover stylist, stupid school teachers and administrators, and even Mia'a mother, Helen, (Caroline Goodall of "Schindler's List"), seemed like she was zoned out most of the time. Good comedy requires good characters. This comedy relies too much on slapstick humor to really make the grade.

The best adult parts are those characters played by Julie Andrews and Hector Elizondo. The queen has her own worries, to be sure, but she is no self-centered dummy. She is genuinely concerned for Mia's happiness. Andrews, a fine actress, deftly portrays a range of emotions denied the bulk of the cast. Elizondo reprises a character very similar to the one he played so well in "Pretty Woman." In that film, he played a sensitive, compassionate and wise hotel manager who helps people within the rules of his job. In "The Princess Diaries" he plays a sensitive, compassionate and wise limo driver, who is also a confidant of the queen. In addition to helping Mia cope with her new status, he teaches her to dance (Elizondo was once a professional dancer). In this film, he helps himself, as well as helping Mia. It is a nice role, if not entirely believable. It is one of only three truly adult roles in the film. Hathaway does a fine job in the lead role. She seems to have one of those rubber faces like Jim Carrey. Some of her best scenes are of her clowning around, making faces at other people.

The central theme of the movie revolves around the anachronistic idea that kings rule by divine right. One does not achieve wealth and power by enterprise and ideas, but one inherits these things by birth. It would seem to be an idea out of step with the fundamental beliefs of most Americans, but then again, look at President George W. Bush, son a former president, and brother of a couple of governors. Also note the strange fascination with some royal figures like the late Princess Diana. Maybe we're not all that tied to the belief of all people being created equal. There is no royalty in America, but maybe people have a need for it. This film rates a C.

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