Red, White & Royal Blue (B+ or 3/4 stars)
'Red, White & Royal Blue' is a funny & smart R-rated romantic comedy; based on a NY Times bestseller of the same name by Casey McQuiston, & directed by award-winning playwright Matthew Lopez. Alex Claremont-Diaz (Taylor Zakhar Perez), the Texan son of the President of the United States, Ellen Claremont (Uma Thurman), & Britain's Prince Henry (Nicholas Galitzine), have quite a bit in common: Their age, striking good looks, charisma, international regard ... and an intense dislike for each other. Their long-standing feud has not been an issue; that is until a disastrous - and public - quarrel at a royal event becomes a physical commotion & tabloid catnip, driving a possible wedge in American/British relations at the worst time {re-election}.
Going quickly into damage-control mode, Alex & Henry's families & managers force these 2 rivals into a staged armistice. But as Alex & Henry's frosty relationship surprisingly starts to melt into a cautious friendship ... the discord that existed btwn. them sparks something deeper than they had imagined. A long-suppressed attraction for each other {Alex is bisexual, Henry has known for some time that he is gay} soon blossoms into a mutual love; they can't keep their hands off each another. But problems arise due to Pres. Claremont being in a tight campaign & close race to get re-elected, while the British royal fam could be irreparably damaged if word gets out of their romance. Political & personal consequences for everyone take center stage.
I was taken aback by this rom-com because I: a) had no clue what it was about {gay romance, international relations/politics}. And b) was wowed by the frankness & candor of the sensual sequences -- ya don't really get that in rom-coms anymore, no less one in which the romance is between two people of the same sex. Now, the script is both saccharine & predictable. The visual aesthetic of the film is not of a superior quality. But it all doesn't really matter because the chemistry btwn. Nicholas Galitzine & Taylor Zakhar Perez is white hot - and - we believe in their burgeoning emotions throughout. Both men have a real grasp on the gravity of their situation, and so, we believe in their dramatic moments, as well as the individual light, frothy parts.
Even if major aspects of this film were to have failed, it would still coast along fine on the charismatic performances by Galitzine & Perez, who make this tale of 2 lovers from different backgrounds as believable & heartfelt as it is. Their magnetic attraction only helps that further -- every touch, kiss, & meaningful discussion is dense with feeling. Uma Thurman is a hoot as the POTUS who's desperate to be re-elected, while not realizing that winning her home state of Texas - as a Democrat - is actually a viable thing. She & her husband, played by Clifton Collins Jr. - are also a refreshing 1-2 of parental support for their bisexual son. It is fun seeing homosexual Stephen Fry play the stoic, straight-laced King; who is less than happy about his grandson being gay. And best of the supporting players is the chief of staff, Zahra, played by Sarah Shahi; everything out of her mouth is comedic GOLD.
If I have one distinct issue with the film, it is that after the revelatory 1st kiss comes along around the 35 minute mark - and both men realize their mutual attraction - there's still some 75 minutes of story that has to unfold and, I don't think there's quite enough plot to warrant the nearly 2 hour run time. This movie fits a lot in and, the actors carry us through extremely well, but I was feeling the length down the home stretch. But no bother; the movie ends on an uplifting "hell, yeah!" note that eradicates iffy feelings held before. I admire the film's poignant message of free love & tolerance. And the movie is simply a charming diversion from all the strife going on in the world; standing out as one of the more interesting & successful rom-coms in recent times.
Going quickly into damage-control mode, Alex & Henry's families & managers force these 2 rivals into a staged armistice. But as Alex & Henry's frosty relationship surprisingly starts to melt into a cautious friendship ... the discord that existed btwn. them sparks something deeper than they had imagined. A long-suppressed attraction for each other {Alex is bisexual, Henry has known for some time that he is gay} soon blossoms into a mutual love; they can't keep their hands off each another. But problems arise due to Pres. Claremont being in a tight campaign & close race to get re-elected, while the British royal fam could be irreparably damaged if word gets out of their romance. Political & personal consequences for everyone take center stage.
I was taken aback by this rom-com because I: a) had no clue what it was about {gay romance, international relations/politics}. And b) was wowed by the frankness & candor of the sensual sequences -- ya don't really get that in rom-coms anymore, no less one in which the romance is between two people of the same sex. Now, the script is both saccharine & predictable. The visual aesthetic of the film is not of a superior quality. But it all doesn't really matter because the chemistry btwn. Nicholas Galitzine & Taylor Zakhar Perez is white hot - and - we believe in their burgeoning emotions throughout. Both men have a real grasp on the gravity of their situation, and so, we believe in their dramatic moments, as well as the individual light, frothy parts.
Even if major aspects of this film were to have failed, it would still coast along fine on the charismatic performances by Galitzine & Perez, who make this tale of 2 lovers from different backgrounds as believable & heartfelt as it is. Their magnetic attraction only helps that further -- every touch, kiss, & meaningful discussion is dense with feeling. Uma Thurman is a hoot as the POTUS who's desperate to be re-elected, while not realizing that winning her home state of Texas - as a Democrat - is actually a viable thing. She & her husband, played by Clifton Collins Jr. - are also a refreshing 1-2 of parental support for their bisexual son. It is fun seeing homosexual Stephen Fry play the stoic, straight-laced King; who is less than happy about his grandson being gay. And best of the supporting players is the chief of staff, Zahra, played by Sarah Shahi; everything out of her mouth is comedic GOLD.
If I have one distinct issue with the film, it is that after the revelatory 1st kiss comes along around the 35 minute mark - and both men realize their mutual attraction - there's still some 75 minutes of story that has to unfold and, I don't think there's quite enough plot to warrant the nearly 2 hour run time. This movie fits a lot in and, the actors carry us through extremely well, but I was feeling the length down the home stretch. But no bother; the movie ends on an uplifting "hell, yeah!" note that eradicates iffy feelings held before. I admire the film's poignant message of free love & tolerance. And the movie is simply a charming diversion from all the strife going on in the world; standing out as one of the more interesting & successful rom-coms in recent times.