A Cinderella story came out in 2004 with the leading couple being big stars. With Hillary Duff and Chad Michael Murray on the cover, it had to be a good movie right? RIGHT. This movie had fabulous music, outrageous characters, bright colors, a strong leading lady, and a football player ready to break free. This movie was one of the first movies I saw that I truly loved and also learned some lessons from. Hillary Duff was and continues to be a role model to many girls and this was just a tip on the iceberg. So this article is for a movie that was way too underrated.

1. Chad Michael Murray is a beautiful man

I mean..can anyone even argue with this? He was one of my first crushes and continues to be, I mean look at that jawline. He was a perfect mixture of brains and brawn that this movie, and generation, needed.

2. “Waiting for you is like waiting for rain in this drought… Useless and disappointing”

The writers for this movie were seriously genius. Why doesn’t anyone realize this? I have memorized this line and dream of a time that I can slap someone in the face with it.

3. Apparently you can put salmon in pancakes

To be honest I still don’t think this is actually a good idea, but for some reason in this movie there is an obsession with salmon. To this day, still don’t understnad that story line, but did make some good jokes.

4. Hilary Duff is bae

At the time that this movie came out I had a full fledged obsession with Ms. Duff. She was real, she was funny, she was gorgeous, her music was awesome, and I loved her. Let’s be real, my obsession is so not over. She is now a successful mom who keeps her face out of media unless she wants it there. (this gif below made me cry because Hillary is FLAWLESS)

5. Don’t let people tear you down

Let’s be real, the scene where Sam finally fights back is liberating. She was finalyl done and we were all cheering as she yelled at her terrible step mom. Her absolute strength in this scene can make you feel like you can take on anything!

6. We need to take more time to see, and not just look

This is something that I never understood until I watched this movie. Then I began to notice myself doing this exact thing. I was always looking around, but I was not seeing what was around me. I was not seeing the people and taking it all in.

7. Cinderella is the best Halloween costume

Okay let’s be real, in high school Halloween has basically turned into the holiday that you can dress however you want but no one can judge you. But how have none of us thought of getting a beautiful dress and being Cinderella? I want a spotlight and my own song!

8. Don’t judge a book by it’s cover

We all had the dream of the star football player falling in love with us, no matter how much you don’t like to admit it. But what we never thought about is if that football player is who he seems to be. We all just have to stop judging people by what we see.

9. Princeton is where the Princes and Princesses go to school

Until this movie I had a vague idea of colleges and the well known ones. But I didn’t know exactly where I wanted to go to school from a young age, unlike Sam. She knew she was a princess and she needed to go where the princes go...Princeton. Little did her dad know what he created when he made up that story. (and I mean this scene did mean something else too…)

10. Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game

This quote has been my motto since the first time I saw this movie. Some part because I loved softball at the time and it had more than one meaning. But now it means so much to me that even though I am scared to fail, it doesn’t mean I don’t try at all. So I continue to go up to bat, hoping that I don’t strike out.

And I mean could we ever forget this kiss? …