It isn’t going to get points for originality, to be sure, but long-gestating Netflix film adaptation of the Soman Chainani books The School for Good and Evil is a fun cross of Harry Potter and Wicked. The latter is the most obvious inspiration as the story centers on a fairy-tale world and the friendship of two young girls headed in opposite personality directions — Sophie (Sophia Anne Caruso), clearly aiming to be a sweet blond princess, and Agatha (Sofia Wylie), whose DNA points to being a witch, especially since other kids in the hometown of Gavaldon keep calling her one.
Still, they have been besties since a very young age, but when the sky turns boldly red one evening, both are swept up in a magic spell and dropped into what is known as the School for Good and Evil, an academic training ground toward your life goal. This is where all the famous fairy-tale characters from Snow White to the Wicked Witch got their start. Now it is a new generation getting an education under the guidance of Lady Lesso (Charlize Theron), who runs the evil side of things known as the Nevers, and Professor Dovey (Kerry Washington), who handles the good side known as the Evers (as in “happily ever after”). There is also the School Master (Laurence Fishburne) who tries to keep things in check as the students’ story is written into a book with a talkative pen (voiced by Cate Blanchett, who narrates the tale).
The twist dreamed up here, though, is that Sophie is banished to the dark goth world of the Nevers, and Agatha joins the candy-colored lives of the Evers. If ever there was a mismatch it is what happens with these two, who both know instantly that they do not belong where they have been placed. This all must be a mistake — or is it? The overlong running time of about 2½ hours ultimately will tell the tale as each becomes immersed into a student body in which they are distinctly uncomfortable and, so they think, unsuited for.
Complicating matters for both, but especially Sophia, is the truly evil force of Rafal (Kit Young), who was one half of a pair of brothers in the legend of this place but now clearly has gone into the danger zone and is hellbent on taking Sophie with him. For most of the running time, Sophie and Agatha are caught up in the cliques and teenage shenanigans you might see in any high school, just as what happened with the Potter gang, but the real suspense — and there isn’t really any since we can guess where it is all headed — is whether they can find their true place in this life, and for that it just might mean finding a true love.
Working out of his comfort zone, director Paul Feig, who also co-wrote the script with David Magee (Life of Pi, Finding Neverland) brings some cheeky wit to the proceedings, if not the outrageousness that has marked some of his previous comedies such as Bridesmaids, Spy and The Heat (apparently he couldn’t find an appropriate role for Melissa McCarthy in this one). Still, Feig is too smart to just play this down the middle, and he lets his actors have a bit of fun in this admitted knockoff of some very successful works that came before it.
It also has been well cast, with both Caruso and Wylie making appealing and believable leads to anchor the film. Theron, Washington and Fishburne are along for the ride, none facing much of an acting challenge but still seeming to have a blast in these costumes. Shout-out also to Michelle Yeoh, in for a supporting turn as Professor Anemone and getting off some of the movie’s best moments, especially when she laments the job she is stuck with. Young plays the evil thing straight as an arrow, and Jamie Flatters is well cast as Tedros, the desired prince role and relation to King Arthur. Freyda Parks ably battles CGI effects as one of the Nevers, and Earl Cave is a hoot as Hort, the gothiest of the goth crowd. On the other end of things, Holly Sturton is just fine as lovelorn Beatrix, the princess-in-waiting for Tedros. Peter Serafinowicz as the overly tall gnome prof also gets some laughs. Ally Cubb as Gregor, a pathetically misplaced Ever, is effective as the kid who just can’t fit in anywhere.
The real stars might be the costumes of Renee Ehrlich Kalfus and sets from production designer Andy Nicholson. The film looks sumptuous, just as you might expect. The target audience who gravitated toward the book ought to be pleased with this period piece. Producers are Feig, Laura Fischer, Jeff Kirschenbaum, Joe Roth and Jane Startz. Netflix begins streaming it today.
Check out my video review above with scenes from the movie. .Do you plan to see The School For Good and Evil? Let us know what you think.