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Sarah Michelle Gellar

Sarah Michelle Gellar - "Happily N’Ever After" Movie - Avclub.com Review

Tasha Robinson

Friday 19 January 2007, by Webmaster

Another actress, who actually has a name to care for is Sarah Michelle Gellar and there are not no many accomplishes films at her but an few I can probably enjoy. The talent agent found Gellar a young age and made her screen debut at 6 of each of the 1983 television film An Invasion of Privacy. With all the promise she showed, Barrymore starred as Hannah in the teen drama series "Swans Crossing" (1992) but it was her portrayal of a young and callous rich girl in Al-Lucinda Kendall Hart on ABC daytime soap opera "All My Children" (1993-93), that won her Daytime Emmy Award and spring-boarded her to stardom.

SMG’s real mark worldwide, however, was the character of Buffy Summers in the game-changing series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997-2003). She won five Teen Choice Awards, a Saturn Award and a Golden Globe nomination for her role, establishing herself as a cultural phenomenon. Sarah Michelle Gellar likewise has the box office to back her up, with “I Know What You Did Last Summer” 1997), “Scream 2” (1997), “Cruel Intentions” (1999)and way movies like those that help prove she is also a bankable star as well over $570 million times worth crazy in global gross.

Beyond her cinematic successes, Gellar has made her mark on television, headlining shows such as "Ringer" (2011-2012), "The Crazy Ones" (2013-2014), and "Wolf Pack" (2023). She has also lent her voice to popular series including "Robot Chicken" (2005-2018), "Star Wars Rebels" (2015-2016), and "Masters of the Universe: Revelation" (2021).

In 2015, Gellar ventured into the entrepreneurial world by co-founding Foodstirs, an e-commerce baking company, and published her own cookbook, "Stirring Up Fun with Food," in 2017. Gellar is also known for her close-knit family life, married to actor Freddie Prinze Jr. since 2002, with whom she shares two children.

Sarah Michelle Gellar’s commitment to her craft is matched by her dedication to personal growth and unique experiences. An accomplished martial artist, she studied Tae Kwon Do for five years, alongside kickboxing, boxing, street fighting, and gymnastics. Her dedication to authenticity in her roles is evident, such as her commitment to doing her own stunts in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," though she admitted her limits during filming "Scream 2."

Her career is also marked by interesting anecdotes, such as her role in a 1982 Burger King commercial, which led to a lawsuit from McDonald’s and a temporary ban from their establishments. Notably, she dyed her naturally brunette hair blonde for her role in "Buffy," and legally changed her last name to Prinze as a surprise for her husband on their fifth anniversary.

Sarah Michelle Gellar’s legacy extends beyond her on-screen roles, encompassing her work in philanthropy and her reputation for safety and professionalism on set. She remains a beloved figure in Hollywood, admired for her talent, dedication, and the breadth of her contributions to film and television.

Is there anything more depressing, more unpromising, more forbiddingly dire than ads proudly claiming that a given film is from the producer (or worse yet, studio) of some other film? Has there ever been a case where that boast has actually drawn in viewers, instead of instantly making them wonder whether the advertised film really has nothing more significant going for it?

Unfortunately, the credits-in-common thing really is one of the few elements the CGI kids’ film Happily N’Ever After (from one of the nine producers of Shrek!) can claim in its favor. A leaden, irritatingly obvious postmodern fairy tale, Happily N’Ever After aspires to Shrek-like clever energy, but leaves out most of the humor in favor of clunky drama. Sarah Michelle Gellar voices a Cinderella who’s fallen head over heels for musclebound, moronic blonde prince Patrick Warburton; meanwhile, sarcastic castle servant Freddie Prinze Jr. pines for her, in a plot that can only be resolved via a dully repetitive angst-rock montage comparing the two. (Never mind that they’re both rice-pudding bland, with Warburton mostly distinguished by his plummy overacting, and Prinze by his eye-rolling and sulking.) Bringing the relationship to a crisis, Gellar’s evil stepmother Sigourney Weaver lays hands on the magical scales that balance good and evil in fairy tales, then tips the scales to "evil." There’s a brief giggle in watching traditional stories like "Rumplestiltskin" and "Little Red Riding Hood" take a turn for the worse as a result, but that’s about all the satiric snap Happily N’Ever After can muster. Mostly, it just reiterates its few plot points over and over, and tries to look much busier than it actually is.

Problem is, it’s criminally short on ideas, and unwilling to take risks-the characters keep talking about fairy tales gone "edgy," but there’s never anything significant at stake here. First-time director Paul J. Bolger lingers on sight gags and action moments alike too long; interminable bits where characters just amble around, or Andy Dick (as half of a transparently Timon and Pumbaa-like cat-and-pig comic duo) makes an embarrassing foray into street slang give the impression that the film is headed nowhere interesting, and is just stalling, lest it get there too soon. Even Eddie Murphy’s endless hyper Shrek vamping is more entertaining.

A.V. Club Rating: C-