A Typical Fairytale

Though, in hindsight, I do wish the focus of A Typical Fairytale was more on the child than the parents. I realize the whole family had to come to terms with the change, but by focusing on the parents, they turn the child into little more than a plot device.

I feel as if special attention should be given to the actors who had to emote while rhyming. Under the best of circumstances, creating a character and building a reality proves difficult for even seasoned veterans. But to do so while keeping the rhyme and meter intact makes it all the more impressive.

“…saturated in bright Disneyesque colors, every shot balanced, the whole thing feeling like a children’s storybook brought to life…”

All too often, you see a performer try to split their time and attention between directing and acting. And all too often, you see them fail miserably not so with Annette Reilly. While there are nods to Disney and Wes Anderson, director Annette Reilly has her own directorial voice that comes through. She also somehow manages to create a compelling narrative and bring life and complexity to her character at the same time. On the page, there isn’t a lot there, but Reilly manages to trace the subtle progression of her character’s emotional journey from confusion and anger to love and acceptance.

I am not ashamed to admit it. At my screening, I was crying almost uncontrollably. Though I wasn’t the only one, that’s how beautiful and pure and wonderful A Typical Fairytale is. If you show this to someone and they are not crying at the end, then they are a robot and should be destroyed since robots cannot be trusted. Annette Reilly has found success in acting and might be best known for her work on the Netflix original Sabrina the Teenage Witch. However, I hope that she finds more opportunities to direct in the future. The world needs her particular vision and voice.’

A Typical Fairytale screened at the 2020 Geek Film Festival at Long Beach Comic Book Expo.