The School For Good & Evil Review: A Delightful Twist on Fairy Tale
The realm of fairy tales can be amazing, and many filmmakers have seized the chance to reimagine classic tales by adapting them while incorporating something fresh and original. The school for Good and Evil, directed by Paul Feig from a script he co-wrote with David Magee, is a mashup of several fairy tales told in various ways. It is based on the 2013 novel by author Soman Chainani. The school for Good and Evil is a lot of fun and has a lot of heart thanks to its standout performances and strong character development, despite the fact that the Netflix picture doesn't reinvent the wheel and drags on for too long.
Best friends Agatha and Sophie (Sophia Anne Caruso) reside in Gavaldon, a town where neither of them is particularly liked or respected. Agatha and Sophie, who endure constant jeers on their daily walks, rely on one another and their strong relationship to get through the day. Sophie, however, wishes to be brought to this unique area in an effort to escape her oppressive family after hearing the tale of a young woman who was abducted and taken to a magical realm. When Agatha tries to stop her, they both fall into a fairy tale fantasy world where the Schools of Good (the "Evers") and Evil (the "Nevers") live, with their goal being to keep the balance between the two sides.
Agatha enrols in the school for Good, despite Sophie's belief that she belongs there, and the Headmaster (Laurence Fishburne) is persuaded that the Storian, a mythical book that foretells the characters' futures, is always accurate. The situation becomes much more problematic when the evil Rafal (Kit Young) reappears and decides to pursue Sophie.
The movie does a good job of developing Sophie and Agatha's characters, who are both fully developed. They have expectations for one another, as well as objectives and a great deal of affection. Although they are diametrically opposed in many respects, the story explores how easily one can err and be let down when the reality of a situation falls short of expectations. It also explores how one's own opinion of themselves can be very different from how others perceive them. Beyond the plot and the relationship between the starring females, the movie is helped by a fantastic supporting cast, which includes charlize theron and Kerry Washington as two of the teachers at the competing institutions. They both seem to be having a great time acting in this universe.