Film Review: The Princess and the Frog

Set in the remarkably textured world of 1930s New Orleans, the film tells the story of Tiana (Anika Noni Rose, Dreamgirls), a young African-American girl with big, ambitious dreams. When she reluctantly agrees to kiss the visiting prince Naveen (Bruno Campos, "Nip/Tuck"), who has been turned into a frog by an evil spell, she soon finds herself sporting some amphibian tendencies of her own, a fact that renders her both angry and desolate. All Tiana wants is to regain her humanity and open her own restaurant, so the two bickering soulmates set off in search of a way to end the curse. As is customary in Disney adventures, Tiana and Naveen make a host of new friends, face off against an evil rival (Keith David, Coraline) and find true love along the way. What more could a person want from a heavenly dose of old school animation?

 

With additional vocal performances by Oprah Winfrey ("The Oprah Winfrey Show"), Terrence Howard (Iron Man), Jennifer Cody (Broadway's Shrek: The Musical) and John Goodman (Bee Movie), The Princess and the Frog foregoes gimmicky star power in favor of seasoned acting veterans who infuse Disney's newest project with their raw talent and presence. Ron Clements and Jon Musker, the creative directors behind such beloved classics as The Little Mermaid, Hercules and Aladdin, bring their trademark artistry to a thrilling peak in their newest effort, which seems at once both reminiscent of animation's past and indicative of the industry's bright, bright future. Boasting a host of new songs by composer Randy Newman (Toy Story) that run the gamut from elegant and idealistic ("Ma Belle Evangeline") to quirky and fun ("Friends on the Other Side"), The Princess and the Frog is a beautiful tale for modern audiences of all ages who believe that strong, ambitious princesses are the wave of the future.