This is a Rob Reiner film, and so the satirical/silly parts go without saying. The difference between this and, say, ‘Spinal Tap’ (Where Reiner goes for all-out satire) is that not only does the movie totally succeed as a satire on the pretensions of D+D movies that have been dreadful since the dawn of time itself, but it also totally succeeds when it becomes wry, romantic, touching, menacing, dramatic, uplifting, *insert adjective that it goes for here*.
It’s a beautiful, nearly perfect film. Cary Elwes plays a role that IS Cary Elwes, as he’s proven (sometimes unintentionally and unfortunately) in countless movies since: quick-tongued, charming and yet annoying at the same time, overly dramatic, and hopelessly over-acting. But here, it WORKS…it’s like if Jim Carrey ever found a movie whose sole intention was to extol the virtues of talking out of your a$$.
Robin Wright is perfect as the perfectly Pure Princess “Buttercup” (Yes, it’s meant to be a silly name). Chris Sarandon is excellent as the Evil yet Stoopid Prince Humperdinck (Yes, it’s meant to be a silly name). Even Andre the *BEEP* Giant is good in his role…
However the two absolute standouts are Mandy Patinkin and Christopher Guest, who fittingly have a confrontation near the end of the movie that is without a doubt the climax of the movie and one of the most moving scenes in a non-pure drama that I have EVER seen. And this is seeing it 24 *BLEEPIN* years later!
If you don’t know the script by now, look it up somewhere. Actually, don’t. It’s a PURE Fairy Tale…quaint, charming, understated, fun, funny. A truly great film. Enjoy.
Inspirational Quote: “I want my father back you sonofab1tch!”
Grade: A+