Sneakerella
Sneakerella is streaming on Disney Plus at the time of writing.
SCREENPLAY: B+
Disney modernizes a classic fairy tale. Cinderella is now El, a teen from Queens with a sneaks designing dream.
The storytellers playfully reshuffle the original’s pieces. You smile one moment at how they’re tweaking a section of the story. The next second, you’re thinking, “What are they going to do with this next part?” And repeat.
The gender swap works smoothly. The villains are either too over-the-top or simply too inept to pose any real danger. It’s a fun and light update that still manages to pack a sneakily powerful punch.
ACTING: A-
Lexi Underwood (Kira) plays her role with plenty of purity. She’s got so many advantages in life that we can never feel too sorry for her. But she portrays her setbacks with an impeccable balance of “Yeah, I guess I’ll be ok,” and “But this is my life, and it sucks right now!” It’s not an easy line to walk, but she manages it well.
Chosen Jacobs (El) is a human teddy bear but with a legit swagger. He possesses an extraordinary ability to wear his heart on his sleeve. That heart is both adorable and impossible not to root for. The film falls apart if his performance isn’t as strong as it is.
But it’s Devyn Nekoda (Sami) who steals every scene she’s in. She wields a dynamic mix of manic pixie energy and boundless loyalty. She’s the friend everyone in the world wants for their bestie.
CRAFT: B-
Most aspects of the film are done well, rarely shining too brightly but never lacking quality. If there’s a strength, it lies in the editing. These fine actors need no help conveying their emotions. But the editors chop up the set pieces (particularly the intro song and the moment El meets Kira at the ball) and present them in a way that adds even deeper emotional layers.
MOM (Elective Class): A
The original Cinderella focuses mostly on Cinderella’s external discord. Her gross step-mother and yucky step-sisters make her life miserable. El has his hands full with his step-family as well, but it’s the flashbacks of memories of his mother that deliver the most brutal anguish. El’s mom (the memory of her, anyway) plays a huge role in this movie while Cinderella’s parents are largely ignored. Because Sneakerella pushes El’s pain of losing his amazing mother to the fore, he becomes an even more memorable character than the original. It’s a great move by the filmmakers.
FINAL COMMENTS:
This film successfully uses an old tale to tell a new story. The original is a product of its patriarchal time (either 1950s flavor or Middle Ages flavor - take your pick). Cinderella’s only option was to marry a rich dude who’d take her away from her hideous step-family. Swapping the main character with a male actor could have pushed the story further toward levels of maximum patriarchy. After all, El is a dude and allowed to follow his dream - he’s allowed to have a dream. Thankfully, this is balanced by both Kira and El’s mother bringing plenty of “Girl Business Power” energy. I am definitely here for that. Everyone gets a shot at their dream. And everyone learns to not allow their setbacks to steal them away. It's about time we had a positive message like this delivered with such style and bounce.