Ever After (1998)

Looking to reinvent her image after starring in a string of lowbrow erotic thrillers throughout the 1990's, Drew Barrymore grew passionate about a script that reframed the Cinderella story through the lenses of historical fiction and third wave feminism. The resulting Ever After was a commercial hit that charmed millions of millennial girls and led to Barrymore starring in a series of warm, bubbly romcoms like The Wedding Singer (1998), Never Been Kissed (1999), and 50 First Dates (2004). Ryan is joined by Kat for a lengthy discussion about this underrated gem. Subjects in the dialogue include how the film stock gives Ever After a certain look, why Anjelica Huston's performance underlies the struggles of women under patriarchy, Megan Dodds' status as Ever After's secret weapon, how Ever After compares to other prominent Cinderella films, the weird relationship this movie has to Thomas More's Utopia, and the allure of a Cinderella story where the main character rescues herself.