Entertainment : Front Row of the Balcony: 'Tangled' a smart, feel-good film for all

The Palace was nearly full Christmas night, with families who had come to see the animated fairy tale “Tangled.”

“Tangled” is a perfect holiday movie, a feel-good film with lots of adventure, a little romance and a fairly-tale ending. It’s the kind of modern animated movie that kids and adults both can love. And even though you know, going into a movie like this, pretty much how it will end, the journey is surprisingly unpredictable.

The Story

Rapunzel was born a princess, but kidnapped as a baby because of the power of her hair. She spends her entire life never leaving the tower, warned by her “mother” of the dangers of the world.

As she approaches her 18th birthday, Rapunzel (voiced by Mandy Moore) tells her “mother” she wants to leave the castle, and see the world. Her mother says no, of course.

Meanwhile, Flynn Rider, a lifelong thief, has stolen the crown from the castle. He and his two accomplices flee from the palace guards. Flynn double-crosses his accomplices, and finds himself fleeing from them, as well as a very grumpy palace horse. He stumbles into the secret place where Rapunzel has been hidden. She knocks him out with a frying pan – this pan will see a lot of action – and hides the crown. When he awakes, she tells him he can have the crown, as soon as he takes her into the world for a couple of days. All of this happens during the 18th birthday of the missing princess, whose real parents are still hoping for her safe return. Rapunzel’s long hair, of course, is the key to many of the action scenes.

The journey of the two takes them to a café full of thugs. Brad Garrett fans who miss him as the mopey, dopey, hard-luck brother on “Everybody Loves Raymond” will love his performance as the happy, smiling, singing, piano-playing Hook. Some of the funniest lines of the movies are Garrett’s. Eventually the thugs join the chase, trying to catch the bad guy and then trying to rescue the princess.

With everyone chasing them, Rapunzel and Flynn pursue their own goals while experiencing new feelings for each other.

Why you should go

What’s not to love? The script is clever, original and funny, and entertains both children and adults. The 3D action is memorable. Two of my relatives who have reported a few minor but not-so-pleasant side effects from previous 3D shows said this one was easier on their eyes.

My favorite parts

I loved the lantern scene, as the couple watched from the boat. And Hook’s lines were my favorite, too. They made me wonder how much funnier “Raymond” would have been if Robert had smiled, laughed and played the piano during all those years on the sitcom.

What you should know before you go

The movie would probably have a “G” rating except for one scene which shows a stabbing. We don’t see the stabbing but know it happened, and we see a little animated blood.

You also want to get their early; the balcony was virtually sold out when we arrived at 6:10.

“We had lots of on-line reservations,” said Gerald.