Beastly

In New York City, Kyle Kingson is a popular and attractive high school student who cruelly mocks and embarrasses one of his teachers, Kendra. As punishment, Kendra, who is secretly a witch, casts a curse on Kyle, transforming him into a hideous beast. She tells him that he has one year to find someone who truly loves him, warts and all, or he will remain this way forever. With his family unable to stand his appearance, Kyle isolates himself in a secluded estate with his blind housekeeper, Zola, and the only person who visits him is his equally vain and superficial girlfriend, Lindy.

Beastly received largely negative reviews from critics. While some acknowledged the film's visually appealing aesthetic and the performances of its lead actors, many found the plot to be derivative of other fairy tales, particularly "Beauty and the Beast," and criticized its pacing and superficial exploration of themes. Audience reception was somewhat more mixed, with some viewers enjoying the romantic fantasy elements, but it was generally considered a forgettable teen romance.

• Relies too heavily on the 'Beauty and the Beast' template without adding anything new.
• Visually stylish but ultimately a shallow and uninspired teen romance.
• The performances are adequate, but they can't save the predictable and clichéd storyline.

Google audience: Google users found the movie to be a decent romantic fantasy, with many enjoying the modern take on "Beauty and the Beast." However, a significant portion of reviewers felt the plot was predictable and lacked originality. The cast's performances were generally well-received, though some found the characters and their motivations to be underdeveloped.

None notable.

The character of Kendra, the witch who curses Kyle, was originally intended to be a more prominent role, with actresses like J.Lo and Jennifer Aniston considered before Mary-Kate Olsen took the part.