Simply Perfect

best movie i've ever seen.

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

"After The Ball" is an interesting retelling of the "Cinderella" story. It stars Portia Doubleday as the "Cinderella" character, applying for and getting the job as the newest clothes designer for her father's company...but Doubleday does it as a man. In her disguise as an effeminate, gay guy, Doubleday creates designs that would hopefully take her father's company out of mediocrity and bring it back to its former glory days. But a conniving, mean step-mother and two step-sisters won't make things easy for our heroine. "After The Ball" has all the elements of an entertaining Rom-Com (boy and girl meet cute, boy loses girl, boy gets girl, eccentric characters, some heart-felt moments, good laughs here and there), but there's nothing special about it. What could have been an original twist on the fairy tale becomes a rehash of "Tootsie" and "The Secret Of My Success." My most memorable, movie moment is the first scene when Doubleday appears as a man -- it's astonishing how well she pulls it off.Mannysmemorablemoviemoments

Kate Kassell (Portia Doubleday) is a very talented clothes designer and is searching for an entry level job in haute couture. However, no one will hire her because her dad, Lee Kassell (Chris Noth) is a top producer of "knockoff" ladies wear. Therefore, Kate has no choice except to work for her father. Alas, her wicked stepmother, Elise (Lauren Holly) and her two evil stepsisters don't want her there and work behind the scenes to get her fired. In truth, Mr. Kassell has been in mourning since Kate's mother died and has let Elise have too much say at Kassell clothing. Moreover, Kate looks so much like her mother that Lee has become distant to his own daughter, somewhat unconsciously. Kate's only real friend at the firm is Daniel (Marc-Andre Grondin), who creates shoes. All too soon, Kate is indeed let go, as her father believes she has leaked designs to a competitor. But, ho ho, things can change. Kate's aunt and uncle encourage her to go back to Kassell as a disguised male named Nate and turn the company on its ear. It happens. Nate is soon beloved by almost all, especially Mr. Kassell, with the three wicked women working to find a way to give Nate the boot. Daniel even asks Kate to attend a fashion ball with him but she also has to show up as Nate. Changing from one to the other often in the women's room, Kate overhears just how devious her stepmother's plans really are. Can Kate/Nate find true love, a great job, and give Elise and the two young witches the heave-ho? This is really a great new take on the classic Cinderella story, fashion style. Doubleday is truly amazing as the woman who must play a man, at times, and she is beautiful. Grondin, Noth, Holly, and the rest of the cast is terrific, too. Add on great scenery, fabulous costumes, a polished script and an energetic direction and what, what's not to love? Go after it now, romcom fans and anyone else as well!

Kate is a fashion designer who dresses up as Nate in order to reveal her step mother's mal doings and save her father's fashion business. After the ball is a good enough movie for a TV movie until Kate turns to Nate. Nate is unnatural simply and he behaves very oddly for not being suspected. The rest is just the cliché fairy tale that so many movies tried to adapt and failed. Cinderella is being pushed away by her step mother and her evil but stupid dangers as she finds the love of her life with the gentle prince. The whole Nate idea is just so naive and certainly not even possible, but in just a day Kate manages to alter her personality and become someone else. Not to even mention that the clothes that they produce do not belong to a fashion company, but that is just a minor setback compared to the whole direction and presentation of the movie. Odd enough the performances are not so bad and maybe that saves after the ball from giving it a 1.

After the Ball is purely light entertainment with lots of make believe and succeeds in keeping it that way throughout the story.A very simple tale of a girl fresh out of designer school and discovering the job market is a tough place for her profession. Her father gives her a chance in his clothing manufacturing business and Kate/Nate ends up saving the business from sinister doings!!Yes its a silly story with a little bit of Cinderella and The Devil Wears Prada thrown in but the director Sean Garrity keeps it simple and fun and doesn't get too invested into the 'feelings' of the characters. Portia Doubleday is better at being the character Nate than she is at being Kate. And the two 'sisters' are perfect at being the buffoons of the story.If you get a chance check this one out!