Monte Carlo: Movie Review
Monday, July 25, 2011
First and foremost, I totally love the setting of this film. This movie will take you to the most exciting and exotic places in Paris and Monte Carlo without having you leave the comfort of your seat or couch for that matter. Places that I really want to visit someday soon. Hopefully. Monte Carlo stars the most beautiful girls up to date like Disney's Selena Gomez (Grace) and Gossip Girl ladies (Meg) Leighton Meester and Katie Cassidy (Emma). I really love the cast plus they also have Andie Macdowell in the cast, I remember watching her in St. Elmo's Fire.
Now, Monte Carlo feels very Disney-like to me. Girls dream about being a princess or living that life. And this movie definitely fits those criteria. Directed by Thomas Bezucha the film tells the story of three young women who go to Paris after one of them graduates from high school. The main star is Grace (Selena Gomez) has just graduated from high school. For a couple years she’s been saving up to go to Paris with her best friend Emma (Katie Cassidy). Right after graduation, her mother Pam (Andie MacDowell) and her boyfriend Robert (Brett Cullen) tell Grace and Robert’s daughter Meg (Leighton Meester) know that they are going to get married. Both Pam and Robert feel that a little sisterly bonding should take place and Grace is told that Meg is going to be joining her on her trip to Paris.
Meg’s mother had passed away and she’s what I would call depressed and unhappy with life. So basically she’s a real downer and Grace isn’t particularly thrilled she’s going to join them. When they arrive in Paris, the tour that Grace has scheduled isn’t exactly a good one. They rush thru everything and eventually, when they’re on the Eiffel Tower, their tour winds up leaving without them. In the rain they make their way to a hotel where they use the bathroom. Much to their surprise an heiress by the name of Cordelia Winthrop Scott (also played by Selena Gomez) enters and the similarities between her and Grace are almost perfect. So Grace is mistaken to be Cordelia.
Now that Grace is thought to be Cordelia, they are given the opportunity to travel to Monte Carlo where Cordelia is scheduled to auction off a beautiful necklace to benefit school children in foreign countries. I could go more into the plot, but I think you get the idea of where this movie is heading and getting there is the fun part.
This is another romantic comedy that will make you smile after watching it. It’s the type of movie that’s going to appeal to the young teenage girl crowd, but if you like the good romantic comedies, you’ll find yourself enjoying this one.
Selena Gomez is at that stage in her life where she’s trying to make the transition from tweenage actress to a young adult actress. I will say if she continues to pick movies like this one she’s going to be fine. She’s a good actress and really helps to carry this movie. The casting of Leighton Meester and Katie Cassidy was a perfect fit and all three of them do a great job.
I enjoyed the fact that each of the young women had their own stories to be told in the film. Meg, who is down on life learns to find meaning in life and throughout the movie you see the frown gradually turn into a big smile as she finds love with an Australian by the name of Riley (Luke Bracey). Katie Cassidy’s character has a relationship with Owen (Cory Monteith) back in Texas and as the movie goes on, their relationship strengthens and both of them come to realize how much they mean to each other.
I enjoyed the fact that each of the young women had their own stories to be told in the film. Meg, who is down on life learns to find meaning in life and throughout the movie you see the frown gradually turn into a big smile as she finds love with an Australian by the name of Riley (Luke Bracey). Katie Cassidy’s character has a relationship with Owen (Cory Monteith) back in Texas and as the movie goes on, their relationship strengthens and both of them come to realize how much they mean to each other.
There’s really nothing bad I can say about this movie. It’s sweet, it’s got heart, and it’ll make you laugh. The movie isn’t for everyone, but if you give it a chance, it’s a fun movie to watch.
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