A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song

A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song has quietly become one of the more dependable comedies currently available. It says what it needs to say in one sitting, no filler. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Lucy Hale leads a cast with real comic timing. Available now — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

There is a reason A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song keeps coming up in conversation. A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song gets the fundamentals right first, then finds room to get weird with it. In this modern telling of the classic tale, aspiring singer Katie Gibbs falls for the new boy at her performing arts high school. But Katie's wicked stepmother and stepsister are scheming to crush her dream before she can sing her way into his heart. Lucy Hale and Freddie Stroma lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2011. The real test of any comedy is whether it is still funny once you know all the jokes, and A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song holds up on rewatch in a way that separates it from one-off curiosities. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Comedy fans looking for a reliably funny watch will find it in A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Lucy Hale's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.