“Beastly” is a modern day take on the classic story “Beauty and the Beast” enriching the inner child within us and stars Alex Pettyfer (“I Am Number 4″) and Vanessa Hudgens.

Rob (Peter Krause) is a popular and well accepted TV broadcaster with good looks and money to go along with it. He knows that and tries to surround himself with similar people. Now his son, Kyle, (Pettyfer) has followed in his footsteps-with a few mis-steps and with his good looks, acts like a jackass. His motto is people need to be ATTRACTIVE during a Class President campaign at a private school in New York.

This, however, does not impress this pretty girl Lindy (Vanessa Hudgens) who’s running for a lower position and really has never been given the time of the day. This creates some disgusts among some of his peers and bothers this medieval girl (Mary Kate Olsen) who casts a spell upon him to teach him a lesson. He is suddenly transformed into a Beastly and ugly man with red scars and spider veins including the word “SUCK” tattooed above his left eye.

His dad takes him to doctors but to no advail and this results in his dad to shun him and outcast him from the family. Yep! Hot on the heels of Beauty and the Beast, Kyle is sent into a world of depression but is given the help of a housekeeper Zola (Lisa Gay Hamilton) who Kyle hasn’t exactly been very friendly to in the past.

Enter Will (Neil Patrick Harris) as a blind tutor who helps him through some tough periods and takes no BS from anybody. Neil’s role is just wonderful and not only does he look like a different man than what we are used to seeing his as, his acting skills are worthy of taking note to and with his added humor, it is worth sitting through. His philosophy is “it’s not how others look at you, it’s how you look at yourself.”

The only way the curse can be reversed is Kyle found true love from somebody who LOVES him and kisses him within 1 year. Even though there are some hopefuls out there, it is Lindy, his love interest from day one, that he concentrates his efforts on. She was raised on harsh times by a down-on-his-luck father and Kyle finally convinces his father to let him take her under his wing.

With the straight forward advice from Will, Kyle starts to change his outlook on life and does a 360 on his attitude, becomes more thoughtful and even builds her a greenhouse. But is this enough to remove the spell? Love is the ugly truth to the matter. I always say it’s not where you go in life or what you do, it’s who’s beside that counts.

The story is a little weak although cute. But who really steals the show, is Neil. He has the best lines and is so much fun listening to and watching his gestures. Alex however, has more going on and more to say and do in “I Am Number 4″ but these are two totally films. Both are in the teen genre though. The prostetics are nicely done here and all you young ladies would love to see Alex as Beauty and The Beast.

“Beastly” is rated PG-13, opens in theaters March 4, 2011 and is directed by and written for the screen by Daniel Barnz, and based on the novel by Alex Finn.

by Hustlin Bob Higgins 3 stars