Penelope

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Penelope

PG

2008

1h 30m

Kids & Family

Fantasy

Romance

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

53%

Tomatometer

128 Reviews

73%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Born with the snout of a pig, young Penelope Wilhern spends life a virtual prisoner in her home. Believing that the only way to break the curse is to marry one of her own kind, she meets a number of suitors, but all reject her. Two devious men, one with a grudge against the family, hire a man to pose as a suitor, but complications arise when he begins to fall in love with Penelope, and she makes a bid for freedom.

Critics Consensus

Though Penelope has a charming cast and an appealing message, it ultimately suffers from faulty narrative and sloppy direction.

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

10/18/2008

1/5

I can truthfully say that watching this abysmal fantasy-comedy is less rewarding than being slapped across the face with a large wet fish.

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Wendy Ide

The Times (UK)

10/18/2008

2/5

A modern-day fairytale, the film is tarted up like a hyperactive five-year-old's lurid fantasy of interior decor.

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Anna Smith

Film4

06/25/2008

1.5/5

Is this meant to be dark comedy? It's hard to tell.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

09/06/2023

3/4

Penelope is a delightful and imaginative little movie, adorned with plenty of good-intentioned morals.

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

11/28/2020

3/10

A rather childish blend of comedy, romance, and the predictable unearthing of morals and prejudices.

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Michael Dequina

TheMovieReport.com

08/12/2012

3/4

This quirky, snarky contemporary fairy tale could have been a family blockbuster.

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Elif T

@RT09083276 May 13

I watched it when I needed some joy and it worked

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alan g

@agenser Jan 16

A very good fantasy. Fun, and worth watching. The only movie with peter dinkledge worth watching. Even with a pig snout, Christina Ricci is beautiful.

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Jerod S

@jeroduptown Dec 24

Penelope starts like a new fairy tale, but morphs as it goes and loses its whimsical feel. The message of accepting yourself is decent...but it loses steam during the hunt for Penelope.

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love L.

@RT64118746 Dec 5

Has quickly become my favorite movie. I loved the message it portrayed to young women, that true love comes from within. And “It’s not the power of the curse, it’s the power you give to the curse”.

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Lluvia A

@RT77312457 05/03/2025

A simple but lovely film.

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David P

@RT94020581 03/22/2025

one of my favorite movies of all time.

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Mark Palansky

Director

Christina Ricci

Penelope Wilhern

James McAvoy

Johnny

Catherine O'Hara

Jessica Wilhern

Peter Dinklage

Lemon

Richard E. Grant

Franklin Wilhern

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Synopsis

Born with the snout of a pig, young Penelope Wilhern spends life a virtual prisoner in her home. Believing that the only way to break the curse is to marry one of her own kind, she meets a number of suitors, but all reject her. Two devious men, one with a grudge against the family, hire a man to pose as a suitor, but complications arise when he begins to fall in love with Penelope, and she makes a bid for freedom.

Director: Mark Palansky
Producer: Jennifer Simpson, Scott Steindorff, Reese Witherspoon
Screenwriter: Leslie Caveny
Distributor: Summit Entertainment
Production Co: Stone Village Productions, Tatira, Summit Entertainment, Zephir Film, Type A Films
Rating: PG (Some Innuendo|Language|Thematic Elements)
Genre: Kids & Family, Fantasy, Romance, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 29, 2008, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 30, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA): $10.0M
Runtime: 1h 30m