Will anyone ever solve the case of mistaken identity? It just may be the longest running crime of storytelling and it’s often the refuge of desperate screenwriters. How much drama can be wrought of near misses with the unaware twins walking into one room just as the other walks out? How much comedy is left in that premise? Very little, and unless a clever spin is put on the proceedings, it feels like every other story of its ilk that’s ever been told. Monte Carlo is no exception. In fact, it’s damn near the very embodiment of the rule. It never tries to be anything more than a simple retelling of The Prince and the Pauper, but they add a few teenage drama elements in to help make it relevant. It doesn’t work, but maybe they deserve credit for not just copying and pasting the story verbatim. Not much credit, mind you, but some.
Grace has just one plan after she graduates high school: go to Paris with her best friend Emma, who just broke up with her boyfriend. Except her parents introduce an addendum to that plan by buying a ticket for Grace’s stepsister Meg who goes along begrudgingly. The trip is something of a disaster, and when their tour guide leaves them at the Eiffel Tower as Meg flirts with a hunky Australian, it seems like all is lost. Enter Grace’s rich British doppleganger whose desire to escape from the posh lifestyle and defy her mother gives the girls the chance to use her private jet, live in her extravagant suites, and wear her expensive clothes as they soak up Europe in a way they’d never imagined.
The story is simple, the plot obvious, and the visuals comprised of the great cities one of the only two assets the film can claim in its favor. The other high point of the film is brief moments of clever writing that seems out of place in the midst of a clichéd story about mistaken identity and teenage girl bonding.
Blu-ray Bonus Features
The Blu-ray is bundled with a digital copy as well as a fair number of production featurettes covering topics like the styles of Monte Carlo, the male stars of Monte Carlo, the joys of travel as expressed by the stars of the film, a brief behind the scenes montage of the stars getting their makeup done and sitting around set talking about the film, and more of the girls as they sit around talking about the film. They call that last featurette “Gossip with the Girls” (a nod to Leighton Meester) but it really has nothing to do with gossip. There are girls though. Deleted scenes and a little quiz telling you which character from the movie you’re like round out the set.
"Monte Carlo" is on sale October 18, 2011 and is rated PG. Adventure, Comedy, Romance. Written and directed by Thomas Bezucha. Starring Andie Macdowell, Cory Monteith, Katie Cassidy, Leighton Meester, Selena Gomez.
