Review: New 'Cinderella,' with Camila Cabello, is a mash-up musical that has its moments and its mouse droppings

The question that writer-director Kay Cannon’s “Cinderella” asks often is “Does the world need another musical version of ‘Cinderella’?,” and the answer, far too often, is “not really, but let’s make the most of what we have.”

No, this musical adaptation of the fairy tale doesn’t have the bounce of the Rodgers and Hammerstein version or the memorable tunes of Disney’s classic. Cannon, who wrote the “Pitch Perfect” trilogy and directed the teen sex romp “Blockers,” combines the jukebox mash-up sensibilities of the first with the playful feminism of both of her previous works. Unfortunately, the parts don’t always combine into a satisfying whole.

Pop singer Camila Cabello makes her movie debut as Ella, the orphaned beauty who cooks and cleans for her imperious stepmother, Vivian (Idina Menzel), and two bratty stepsisters (Maddie Baillio and Charlotte Spencer). Ella, dubbed Cinderella because of the soot that sometimes lands on her pretty face, has a dream — and it’s not to land in the arms of Prince Charming. No, Ella is a dress designer, and wants to make and sell her creations in town.

Unfortunately, the town is in a tradition-laden kingdom, where women aren’t allowed to own businesses or do much of anything other than marry well and be silent. That’s why King Rowan (Pierce Brosnan) ignores the advice of his wife, Queen Beatrice (Minnie Driver), in his zeal to see his playboy son, Prince Robert (Nicholas Galitzine), marry — preferably a princess in a neighboring kingdom, so Rowan can acquire more land. By focusing on Robert, though, the king ignores his daughter, Princess Gwen (Tallulah Greive), who’s actually much smarter and more prepared to rule than Robert is on his best day.

So there’s the set-up, and it’s only a matter of time before Ella and Robert are dancing at the royal ball. That, however, turns out to be the least interesting part of the story — because Ella figures out that being royalty is as much of a cage, gilded though it may be, as Vivian’s basement is.

Except for two original numbers — Ella’s wish song, “Million to One,” which Cabello nails with authority; and Vivian’s sympathy-for-the-villain number “Dream Girl” — the songs are taken from well-known pop tunes. Some of the mash-ups are clever; the opener of the townsfolk performing Janet Jackson’s “Rhythm Nation” as Ella sings Des’ree’s “You Gotta Be” is a good start, but the best is at the prince’s ball, when the prowling women sing Salt-n-Pepa’s “Whatta Man” and a nervous Robert counters with the White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army.”

In the numbers that aren’t medleys, the results are erratic. Galitzine does an impressive job on Queen’s “Somebody to Love,” for example. But having Menzel’s Vivian explain the importance of marrying rich by singing Madonna’s “Material Girl” is a misfire — in large part because the song is unworthy of Menzel’s vocal brilliance. (Also, doesn’t Cannon know not to let Pierce Brosnan sing? Didn’t “Mamma Mia!” teach us anything?)

Billy Porter gives a perfectly hilarious take on the fairy godmother character — dubbed Fab G — in a too-brief performance that includes the movie’s funniest line: When Ella asks if Fab G can use magic to make the glass slippers more comfortable, Fab G replies, haughtily, “Women’s shoes are what they are. Even magic has its limits.”

On the opposite end of the humor spectrum is James Corden, dreadfully hammy in comic relief as one of the three mice who are turned into Cinderella’s footmen. The other two are played by comedians James Acaster and Romesh Anganathan, though the odds that you’ll remember them over Corden’s overwrought scenery chewing are highly unlikely.

Even with those flaws, and what seems to be a production budget taken from the change in couch cushions, there are some charms to “Cinderella.” Most of them are provided by Cabello, who has strong pipes and a bubbly personality. She makes you believe this princess has more on her mind than what time she’s going to leave the ball.

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‘Cinderella’

★★1/2

Opens Friday, September 3, in some theaters, and streaming on Prime video. Rated PG for suggestive material and language. Running time: 115 minutes.