The Princess Diaries

Name: The Princess Diaries
Genre: Comedy, Family, Romance
Released: 2001-08-03
Cast: Anne Hathaway, Julie Andrews, Heather Matarazzo, Caroline Goodall, Héctor Elizondo

2001 | 115 min | Comedy, Family, Romance

Sunday Safe Bet

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

People are still talking about it and it made about 4 times its budget, though it had middling reviews (49% on Rotten Tomatoes). A safe bet when you want something reliable.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it: Made for romantics, anyone who wants a laugh and families. If you loved Ferris Bueller's Day Off, start here. Audiences love it more than critics do: a crowd-pleaser first.
The mood: Light and funny, romantic.
The pace: Breezy, at 1 hr 55 min.
What might put you off: Critics were cooler on it than audiences.

A socially awkward but very bright 15-year-old girl being raised by a single mom discovers that she is the princess of a small European country because of the recent death of her long-absent father, who, unknown to her, was the crown prince of Genovia. She must make a choice between continuing the life of a San Francisco teen or stepping up to the throne.

How it earned its rating

CriticsBelow par
49% on Rotten Tomatoes
AudiencesSolid
7.0 out of 10
AwardsWeak
0 wins and 2 nominations from smaller awards and festivals
Box office & staying powerStrong
$165 million worldwide on a $37 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
Buzz & cultural impactVery strong
About 692K people sought it out in the past year