After the Ball (2015) Reviews

• Fun & Funny

  cekadah2015-05-23

  After the Ball is purely light entertainment with lots of make believe and succeeds in keeping it that way throughout the story. A very simple tale of a girl fresh out of designer school and discovering the job market is a tough place for her profession. Her father gives her a chance in his clothing manufacturing business and Kate/Nate ends up saving the business from sinister doings!! Yes its a silly story with a little bit of Cinderella and The Devil Wears Prada thrown in but the director Sean Garrity keeps it simple and fun and doesn't get too invested into the 'feelings' of the characters. Portia Doubleday is better at being the character Nate than she is at being Kate. And the two 'sisters' are perfect at being the buffoons of the story. If you get a chance check this one out!

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• Go after it now! Its SO wonderful

  inkblot112016-05-09

  Kate Kassell (Portia Doubleday) is a very talented clothes designer and is searching for an entry level job in haute couture. However, no one will hire her because her dad, Lee Kassell (Chris Noth) is a top producer of "knockoff" ladies wear. Therefore, Kate has no choice except to work for her father. Alas, her wicked stepmother, Elise (Lauren Holly) and her two evil stepsisters don't want her there and work behind the scenes to get her fired. In truth, Mr. Kassell has been in mourning since Kate's mother died and has let Elise have too much say at Kassell clothing. Moreover, Kate looks so much like her mother that Lee has become distant to his own daughter, somewhat unconsciously. Kate's only real friend at the firm is Daniel (Marc-Andre Grondin), who creates shoes. All too soon, Kate is indeed let go, as her father believes she has leaked designs to a competitor. But, ho ho, things can change. Kate's aunt and uncle encourage her to go back to Kassell as a disguised male named Nate and turn the company on its ear. It happens. Nate is soon beloved by almost all, especially Mr. Kassell, with the three wicked women working to find a way to give Nate the boot. Daniel even asks Kate to attend a fashion ball with him but she also has to show up as Nate. Changing from one to the other often in the women's room, Kate overhears just how devious her stepmother's plans really are. Can Kate/Nate find true love, a great job, and give Elise and the two young witches the heave-ho? This is really a great new take on the classic Cinderella story, fashion style. Doubleday is truly amazing as the woman who must play a man, at times, and she is beautiful. Grondin, Noth, Holly, and the rest of the cast is terrific, too. Add on great scenery, fabulous costumes, a polished script and an energetic direction and what, what's not to love? Go after it now, romcom fans and anyone else as well!

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• A Funny and Heartwarming Modern Retelling of the Cinderella Story

  a-r-m-ygalgr82016-04-15

  I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. It was cute, funny, and appropriately over-the-top acting for a modern comedy retelling of the Cinderella story. One of the reviews mentions that they don't like the portrayal of stepmothers and stepsisters and the inaccuracy of the fashion industry etc, etc. Well this being comedy, and a parallel of Cinderella I don't think it should receive less stars because it focused on the story and the simple characters versus trying to be accurate. It is a very enjoyable, lighthearted movie. And if one is looking for a deep plot, accurate portrayals of the fashion industry and design, with multi-dimensional characters, you should look elsewhere. This movie is not for you and you will agree with the other reviewer instead of enjoying a truly good movie.

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• Surprisingly good comedy with good performances

  squeezebox2016-01-07

  After the Ball is an entertaining little comedy that takes a few elements of Cinderella and uses them to tell the story of a young fashion designer who manages to get a job at her father's design company, only to be ousted by her stepmother and stepsisters. With the encouragement of her aunt and her actor friend, she disguises herself as a young male designer and manages to get hired back at the company where she battles the evil forces out to get her/him, but with newly found self-confidence. I was expecting nothing from this movie, but my daughter wanted to watch it and it had a rating higher than one star on Netflix, so I figured why not. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. While it's predictable in the extreme, it's genuinely funny and moves along at a good pace, with a solid screenplay and likable characters. I had never heard of Portia Doubleday before watching this movie, but her performance is terrific. She's funny, sympathetic and simply a pleasure to watch. Don't expect a profound or earth-shattering experience, but if you are in the mood for some lighthearted fun, you could do much worse than After the Ball.

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• Light-hearted fun

  fayrilium2018-12-20

  Just like its name, After The Ball is a modern twist on the Cinderella story with a bit more substance thrown in. The supporting cast (especially Maurice!) and a well paced storyline makes this a delight to watch. Though the story is predictable, there was enough heart in it to make you want to follow Kate's journey. There is more to the plot than just romantic attraction but has elements of father/daughter relstionships, greed/deceit and mateship. You'll detect elements of Devil Wears Prada and She's The Man so if that's your kind of movie give this a go.

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