A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song

"Can the girl with a dream voice sing happily ever after?"

2011 1h 28m EN

😐

6.4

MID

★6.4TMDB · 1,061

ComedyFamilyRomanceDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

In this modern telling of the classic tale, aspiring singer Katie Gibbs falls for the new boy at her performing arts high school. But Katie's wicked stepmother and stepsister are scheming to crush her dream before she can sing her way into his heart.

“Can the girl with a dream voice sing happily ever after?”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

Amazon VideoRent

Apple TV StoreRent

Google Play MoviesRent

Google Play MoviesBuy

YouTubeBuy

Fandango At HomeBuy

Cast

Lucy Hale
Katie Gibbs
Freddie Stroma
Luke Morgan
Missi Pyle
Gail Van Ravensway
Megan Park
Bev Van Ravensway
Matt Lintz
Victor Van Ravensway
Jessalyn Wanlim
Angela
Titus Makin Jr.
Mickey O'Malley
Alyson Stoner
Back Up Dancer

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Damon Santostefano
Writers: Erik Patterson, Jessica Scott
Languages: English, French
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

88 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 15 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, French.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Cinderella Story Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Tony Lombardo shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Lucy Hale and Freddie Stroma and Missi Pyle carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Can the girl with a dream voice sing happily ever after?".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt1814614 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Damon Santostefano directs. Tony Lombardo cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English, French.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

188 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
2Released 15 years ago.
3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, French.
4Part of the "Cinderella Story Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
5Editor Tony Lombardo shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Lucy Hale and Freddie Stroma and Missi Pyle carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "Can the girl with a dream voice sing happily ever after?".
8IMDB entry: tt1814614 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Editing: Tony Lombardo
Production design: Jonathan A. Carlson
Stunt coordinator: Dino Muccio
Runtime: 88 min · 1h 28m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG
IMDB: A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song (2011)

Part of

Cinderella Story Collection

A Cinderella Story is a 2004 American romantic comedy film directed by Mark Rosman, written by Leigh Dunlap and stars Hilary Duff, Chad Michael Murray, Jennifer Coolidge and Regina King. A modernization of the classic Cinderella folk lore, the film's plot revolves around two Internet pen pals who plan meet in person at their high school's Halloween dance. The film was followed by five direct-to-video sequels, Another Cinderella Story (2008), A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song (2011), A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits (2016), A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish (2019), and A Cinderella Story: Starstruck (2021). The sequels using the themes and situations but not containing any characters from the first film. Unlike the first film, the sequels also include musical, dance, and holiday themes.

Also by

Damon Santostefano

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

Reno2017-07-13
★ 6/10
If the voice matches! So this is the third film in the franchise of modern 'Cinderella' adaptation. It was not like a film series that follows from one film to another. All the films were individual and thematically same at the core, but told from different perspectives with different cast and characters. I have seen the previous two and they were not bad. Maybe you can say I watched it for Lucy, otherwise I was not interested in it. A decent film, but you know, we know the story how everything's going to happen, which is the negative side of giving it a try. I felt they should have altered a bit with the more it to look like a real Cinderella story from the visual aspect. Like suspense between Cinderella and the prince. Though the step-family part was up to the satisfaction in a simple manner. Now coming to that magical event, as this takes place in the modern world and without magics, I liked how they showed that part as much as realistically. But in the name of Bollywood/Indianess, they wrongly depicted everything. I mean the costumes, songs, choreography, all were close to Indian style, except the female costumes, which became Arabian nights. Because Indians won't cover their head or face, culturally or religiously. That was a big mistake and if you are a western viewer, this won't be an issue, so you might enjoy the film. I think it's an okay film, one time watchable film, but I would suggest previous films over this. 6/10
tmdb516161672024-09-02
★ 1/10
"A Cinderella Story" has become an iconic franchise, with the version starring Hilary Duff standing out as a standout favorite. While Duff's portrayal alongside Chad Michael Murray brought a modern twist to the classic tale of Cinderella, subsequent installments in the franchise have failed to live up to the same standard. The franchise seems to be struggling to recapture the magic of the original film, instead resorting to unnecessary side stories and deviations from the core Cinderella narrative. It appears that attempts to replicate the success of the Walt Disney and Roger and Hammerstein versions have fallen short, leading to a sense of fatigue and irrelevance surrounding the franchise. Despite the star power of Selena Gomez in "Another Cinderella Story," the film failed to reach the heights set by Hilary Duff's portrayal. Similarly, Lucy Hale's "A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song" was criticized for its lackluster execution and departure from the essence of the Cinderella story. "Sofia Carson's "A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits" attempted to capitalize on dance elements reminiscent of "Grease," but ultimately fell flat, marking a low point in the franchise. Laura Marano's "A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish" was deemed the weakest link in the series, solidifying the downward trend in quality. As the franchise continues with new installments, the lackluster reception of recent films has dampened enthusiasm for further entries in the series. Viewers may find it challenging to engage with future releases given the disappointing trajectory of the franchise.