(Steven McElroy’s article appeared in The New York Times, 12/15; via Pam Green.)
“I was raised to be charming, not sincere” is certainly a pathetic way to explain one’s caddish behavior, but when Chris Pine speaks the line as Cinderella’s Prince in the new film adaptation of “Into the Woods,” you almost feel sorry for this deep-as-a-bottle-cap guy. “Oh the poor fella,” you think, “no one ever taught him how to care about anyone but himself.” The Prince, who has surely not suffered rejection before, then gets dumped.
Well before this highly anticipated adaptation of the 1986 Stephen Sondheim–James Lapine fairy-tale mash-up opened on Christmas Day, reviewers noted Mr. Pine’s performance as a strong point. His voice, especially, has drawn notice, even surprise. We seem not to have realized that the actor, best known for his turns as Captain Kirk in the 2009 “Star Trek” reboot and as the sexy title character in “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit,” could sing.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/28/movies/one-day-your-prince-will-come-whining-.html?_r=0