The movie revolves around Kate, a fashion designer who faces a bad fate in front of her stepmother and her corrupt sister-in-law. One day, Kate faces a new destiny to help save the family business and tries to show everyone that things can change.
If Shakespeare had a go at "Cinderella," and the result was later adapted for a 21st-century romantic comedy, it might look something like "After the Ball."
Ultimately, if you want to choke on a narrative that is rife with clichés and devoid of any real moral message then stick After The Ball on, if not, there are surely more productive things you can do... Such as watching paint dry.
After the Ball is one-third Cinderella, one-third The Devil Wears Prada, and one third Twelfth Night. If you're going to attempt to duplicate the success of such works, you've got to be a little sharper than it ends up being.
Certainly, the production values echo those of high-end made-for-TV fare, but the cast and amusing script more than make up for what the movie lacks in gloss.
Retaining a handful of laughs and guiding a winning lead performance from Portia Doubleday, director Sean Garrity keeps "After the Ball" on target, preserving mischief and romance, providing a charming viewing experience.
