Sweet Disney tale has great messages about friendship.

See a video clip and another video clip from "Princess Protection Program."

Princess Rosalinda Marie Montoya Fiore (Demi Lovato) is one month away from her coronation as queen of her tiny island nation of Costa Luna when a political rival plots a takeover and threatens her life. Fortunately she's being watched out for by the top-secret Princess Protection Program, and special agent Joe Mason (Tom Verica) is able to whisk her away to the safety and anonymity of his home in rural Louisiana until the situation can be resolved.

But Rosalinda's new living situation is fraught with perils of its own -- like Joe's daughter, Carter (Selena Gomez), who takes offense at playing hostess to the princess-in-hiding. Rosalinda (now under the alias "Rosie") certainly has a lot to learn about average teenage life, but the more she and Carter get to know each other, the more each realizes she has a lot to teach the other about true friendship and inner beauty.

Leave it to Disney to improve upon the classic princess story with this charming tale that features not one but two admirable young heroines (Gomez and Lovato complement each other so well that it's impossible to say whether one steals the show from the other) and outdoes itself with positive content about integrity, friendship, and the true nature of inner beauty. "Princess Protection Program" is a relatable modern-day fairy tale for tween girls learning to traverse the social minefield of peer relations.

In a surprising twist, the story skips the romantic subplot typical of many princess tales and opts instead for empowering messages of self-reliance for its young female viewers. Although much of the content revolves around a homecoming dance, the girls dismiss the popular guys' shallow attempts at getting their attention in favor of spending time with their true friends.

Need more reasons to tune in? The movie is unencumbered by those pesky product tie-ins that plague many of its peers.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this movie centers on two exemplary teen heroines who demonstrate that friendship, character, and self-confidence are the keys to true happiness. The content is wholesome and worry-free for families, and the movie's positive messages will resonate with kids and tweens, particularly girls. Two "mean girl" characters play tricks on the main characters, but in the end they're exposed as the self-absorbed people that they are.

Families can talk about the story's themes of friendship and self-acceptance. How did Rosie and Carter help each other? How did their friendship evolve? How was their relationship impacted by each one's instinct to judge the other based on appearance? Have you ever pre-judged someone incorrectly? How did you feel afterward? Do you agree with the movie's messages about inner beauty? Who in your life do you consider to have inner beauty? What do you admire about them?

Studio: Disney Director: Allison Liddi-Brown Cast: Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, Tom Verica Genre: Family and Kids Run time: 89 minutes Broadcast date: 6/26/2009 DVD release: 6/30/2009 MPAA rating: N

Reviewed by Emily Ashby.

See more about "Princess Protection Program" at Common Sense Media.