Cinderella Story, A Movie

Hilary Duff stars as Sam Montgomery, a clumsy high school student who undergoes an amazing transformation into the one of her school's hottest girls. She is routinely exploited by her mean-spirited stepmother (Jennifer Coolidge) and being forced to scrub floors at her diner after the death of her father. But her gloomy life changes when she starts exchanging notes with a mysterious guy over the internet, who promises to meet her at the upcoming school dance, she also finds a friend in the person of an artsy nerd Carter (Dan Byrd). Sweet diner manager (Regina King), helps Sam to get disguised for the Halloween dance. There she discovers her prince is one of the popular guys, Austin Ames (Chad Michael Murray). This fairy tale having a cellular phone instead of the crystal shoe comes with plenty of wit, style, and heart. The uncovered shallowness of popular kids, their stupid parents, and whimpering siblings are shown in a way that should balm the unhealed wounds of anyone who's ever been to high school.