A Cinderella Story 🎥 2004 Movie Info

Plot Summary

Samantha “Sam” Montgomery is raised by her widowed father Hal, who runs a diner in the San Fernando Valley. He marries the vain and greedy Fiona, who has twin daughters, Brianna and Gabriella. When Sam is nine years old, Hal dies in the 1994 Northridge earthquake apparently without leaving a will, leading Fiona to inherit everything, including Sam, much to her dismay. Eight years later, 17-year-old Sam is bullied by her stepfamily, while the community faces a drought.

She and her best friend and aspiring actor Carter Farrell are tormented by the popuar clique at school, led by head cheerleader and mean girl Shelby Cummings. Forced to work at the diner to save money to attend Princeton University, Sam is looked after by longtime manager Rhonda and confides in her online pen pal “Nomad”, who shares her dream to attend Princeton to become a writer. Unbeknownst to Sam, “Nomad” is Austin Ames, the popular but unhappy school quarterback and Shelby’s boyfriend, whose father Andy expects him to attend USC. Sam agrees to meet “Nomad” at the school Halloween dance and Austin breaks up with Shelby, although she is in denial.

Fiona refuses to give Sam the night off to attend the dance, but Rhonda and Carter intervene. Rhonda gives her a mask and her old wedding dress to wear as “Cinderella”. Dressed as “Prince Charming”, Austin reveals to Sam that he is “Nomad” but does not recognize her under her mask, and they share a romantic dance. A masked Carter makes out with Shelby after defending her from the unwanted advances of Austin’s friend, but has to hurry Sam back to the diner before Fiona returns at midnight. As they leave, Sam drops her cell phone, which Austin finds, as he and the missing Cinderella are crowned homecoming prince and princess.

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