A Cinderella Story

Storyline

Loosely based on the famous fairytale, Cinderella, Samantha Montgomery (aka Sam) [Hillary Duff], has it hard from the start. Her father passes suddenly in an earthquake when trying to make sure his wife [Jennifer Coolidge] was safe. Sam quickly learns how Fiona and her two step-sisters cannot stand her. Luckily, Sam has a best friend in Carter [Dan Byrd].

Sam also started online flirtation relationship with a boy from a prospective Princeton University students chatroom, who goes by Nomad609. Nomad tells Sam, who he only knows as her pen name, PrincetonGirl818, that he wants to meet her at the Halloween dance hosted by the school.

She sneaks out of her step-mother’s diner (which was her father’s before he passed) to go to the dance, with the help of diner manager Rhonda [Regina King], who sets her up with her unworn wedding gown and a white mask to protect her identity.

Nomad and PrincetonGirl meet. Sam connects the dots that Nomad is the most popular boy in her school, Austin Ames [Chad Michael Murray], and he barely knows she exists. Austin takes a liking to the girl he only knows as PrincetonGirl or Cinderella, not knowing her real identity. Sam has to cut the romance short to run back to the diner before her step-mother knows she snuck out.

However, Sam drops her phone during her run from Austin. Austin starts his search for his… Cinderella.