Beastly (film)

Beastly is a 2011 American romantic fantasy drama film loosely based on Alex Flinn's 2007 novel of the same name. It is a retelling of the fairytale Beauty and the Beast and is set in modern-day New York City. The film was written and directed by Daniel Barnz, and stars Vanessa Hudgens, Alex Pettyfer, Mary-Kate Olsen (in her final film role), Peter Krause, LisaGay Hamilton and Neil Patrick Harris.

Plot

Kyle Kingson is the arrogant and vain son of news anchor Rob Kingson. After he bullies Kendra Hilferty, not knowing she is a witch, for defacing his pictures, she transforms him into a bald, scarred, heavily tattooed shell of his former self. She warns Kyle that he will remain altered for the rest of his life, unless he finds someone who loves him by the next spring. Kyle is taken to live in a private house with their maid Zola Davies and his blind tutor Will. Both are comforts to Kyle when his father, unable to deal with his transformation, has abandoned him.

As spring nears, Kyle finds himself infatuated with Lindy Taylor, a former classmate he had avoided. He rescues her drug-addicted father from two dealers, fatally shooting one; the other vows to kill Lindy. Kyle persuades Lindy's father to allow her to move in with him. At first, Kyle uses a false identity and introduces himself as Hunter. He also refuses to see Lindy and hides from her, which angers her to the point that she stops speaking to him. Kyle eventually reveals his face and the two begin to warm up to each other. Kyle writes a letter professing his love for Lindy but does not give it to her for fear of rejection. He visits Kendra to plead for more time; she states the spell cannot be undone, but agrees to restore Will's vision and grant green cards to Zola's three children in Jamaica if he gets Lindy to fall in love with him. Seeing his apparent change of heart, she bids him good luck.