“Have courage and be kind,” is the title character’s credo in Cinderella. Kenneth Branagh’s film is neither courageous nor is it particularly kind, but it’s nice. It’s a gorgeously made, live-action version of the animated film we all know and love, and surprisingly, that’s enough. What’s most admirable about Branagh’s film is how it avoids any modern spin, and tries to capture what’s most pure-hearted about its protagonist and her story. It’s less than magical, but for yet another live-action adaptation on a beloved animated classic, Cinderella is far from wicked.
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