Worth: $13.00
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Cast:
Nicholas Galitzine, Taylor Zakhar Perez, Uma Thurman
Intro:
… very much a direct-to-streaming concoction, but works well within its limitations to deliver a predictable yet harmless little treat …
Son of the first female American President, Alex Claremont-Diaz (Taylor Zakhar Perez), and beloved British royal, Prince Henry of England (Nicholas Galitzine) cause a media frenzy when their bickering-turned-squabbling turns into an international incident during a royal wedding gone awry.
To avoid further embarrassment, the pair are forced to make nice for the press and play at being besties, but those sparks of tension soon become something even more incendiary as they find themselves falling for one another amidst churning rumours, the ever-watchful eye of social media, and Alex’s mother’s bid for re-election.
Part romantic comedy, part fairy tale, the film is entirely shameless in its devotion to clichés, and yet somehow all the more enjoyable for it. From the opening scene, we’re thrown headfirst into the unreality of the world these two inhabit, and it’s clear well before the (re)meet-cute that we’re about to head out on a very familiar journey.
Still, just because we know what we’re in for, that’s no reason not to enjoy the ride. With his self-conscious awkwardness and quiet vulnerability, Nicholas Galitzine reclaims his right to play lovesick royalty after his questionable stint as Prince Robert in 2021’s Cinderella. Meanwhile, Taylor Zakhar Perez — already a fan favourite after appearing as Marco in the Kissing Booth series — embodies Alex with a level of confident charm that’s as infuriating as it is endearing.
Stepping up as director for his feature debut is Tony Award winner Matthew Lopez, who also takes on the mantle of co-writer alongside Ted Malawer. Their screenplay is an adaptation of Casey McQuiston’s 2019 novel, and the same blend of sweetness and passion that imbues McQuiston’s stories is very much present on screen. Unfortunately, for many fans of the book, dedicating optimal screentime to the budding romance between the two leads means a fair share of those 400-plus pages had to be sacrificed to keep the film from veering into mini-series territory, and it’s the secondary characters who suffer for it.
We catch glimpses of what could have been as Henry’s sister Beatrice, his best friend Percy, and Nora, Alex’s bestie and the granddaughter of the Vice President, pass fleetingly through scenes, but the character development for anyone outside of the leading duo is minimal. Nevertheless, we’ve got Clifton Collins Jnr and Uma Thurman making dialled-up appearances as Alex’s parents, both of whom seem to be having a grand old time in their bite-sized roles.
This is very much a direct-to-streaming concoction, but works well within its limitations to deliver a predictable yet harmless little treat of a film, where everyone involved understood the assignment. Red, White & Royal Blue is exactly the kind of feel-good fare to slot effortlessly into your next romcom movie marathon. It’s a queer love story where — refreshingly — the only angst is the kind that naturally comes along with pining for a boy, who in this case just happens to be a prince.
