Bienvenue à Monte Carlo

The movie holds your attention because you're curious. A few zig-zags complicate a trip to Paris. Confusion turns to mischief. Can an awkward Texas girl (Selena Gomez) fool the social elite and find love along the way? The relationship between three young ladies who long to see the City of Love becomes the nucleus for a bizarre stay at hotel romp. Turn the light switch off and on and suddenly an English sophisticate (Selena Gomez) gets put on hold while Texas Gomez fills her shoes. This wouldn't be so extraordinary except that everyone buys it... Small town Texan fools the french elite into thinking she is one Cordelia Winthrop Scott. Sooner or later you know she's gonna get found out but by then it's just a matter of working around a few Monte Carlo authorities... Selena had no trouble playing polar opposites in this movie. Her previous acting career opened the door.

Disregard the bad rating and reviews for this movie. It's a great film for the whole family and for all ages. There really isn't anything to complain about in the whole film. There's a few parts that actually show/teach good character of a person. It's funny, fun, sweet, innocent, and just a good film!

Grace (Selena Gomez) lives in Texas, works in a diner, and has just earned her high school diploma. Since receiving a snow globe of Paris when she was young, Grace has been saving money to go on a weeklong vacation to France. Now that graduation is over, she and her close friend, Emma (Katie Cassidy) have the tickets and plan to take off. But, wait. Grace's parents (Brett Cullen and Andie McDowell), newly married, decide that older stepsister, Meg (Leighton Meister) must go along to keep everyone safe. Neither Grace or Meg is happy with this arrangement but decide it will be preferable to no trip at all. Once in Paris, the tour and the hotel are far short of expectations for all of the girls, causing disappointment. But, the trio of gals has a chance eavesdrop with a young British aristocrat, Cordelia (also Selena Gomez) that changes their vacation. Grace discovers that Cordelia is breaking commitments she made for a fund raising in Monte Carlo and going undercover for a few days. Thus, an opportunity arises for Grace to step into Cordelia's shoes, for they resemble identical twins. Once landing in Monaco, the girls are treated like royalty, with fabulous hotel accommodations and a closet full of designer clothes. Holding her breath, Grace finds that no one suspects that she is an impostor, not even the handsome son of the charity's director. He serves as her guide and "date". Emma, too, finds herself the object of affection for the local guys, although she is practically engaged to her boyfriend, Owen, back in Texas. Finally, reserved Meg also comes out of her shell when she meets a dashing Australian tourist. Thus, for a few days, it is a slice of "royal heaven" for the vacationers. But, will the deception be discovered and what will be the consequences if it is? This is a lovely looking film with a beautiful, talented young star, Gomez. A natural performer with a sweet-and-saucy air, she makes the most of her duel roles. Cassidy, Meister, and all of the other cast members do nice work, too. Naturally, the costumes and sets are quite lovely. But, and its huge issue, the script doesn't contain nearly enough comedy or cleverness to sustain a complete film. The premise, yes, is good but the execution is lacking. Then, too, the direction doesn't help matters with its complete dirth of energy. Therefore, the film plods along and has some boring moments. Thankfully, the finale makes a splash but its almost too late. Girls, young and old, will like the film and patiently overlook the dull bits. But, any others forced to watch it will be scowling up a storm.

"Monte Carlo" follows Grace, Meg and Emma as they travel to Paris, the city of light. However their trip doesn't turn out as good as they hoped it would be. Everything's terrible. Their booked tour, their hotel, their rooms- everything! But their luck changes when Grace is mistaken for a wealthy British celebrity.

This was a sloppily done movie. I'm regretting that I actually went to the movie theater to watch it. This movie's quality was on par with many of the TV movies that Disney has made. The actual plot seemed like it was hastily done and had a few plot holes. Also, I found that each girl's romance stories were unrealistic, underdeveloped and mostly boring.

However, while watching the movie, I did find myself enjoying myself and even chuckling a bit. But maybe it's just because of my age. I don't suggest watching this movie if you're over the age of 15. Or if you aren't female.

Viewed on: July 8, 2011

If you had asked me who was Selena Gomez a few months back, I would have just blinked at you. If not for attending Justin Bieber's 3D documentary film, being intrigued by his internet fueled meteoric success and inevitably feeding off the tabloids on his career, I would not have known who the lead actress was, but now I do. Based loosely on the novel Headhunters by Jules Bass, the release of Monte Carlo this week in the US and Singapore would probably be deemed suicidal, if not for its appeal to the intended demographic left out of the testosterone filled Transformers, and the more mature movie going audience who would likely flock to Larry Crowne starring Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts (opens in Singapore next week to avoid a three-way battle).

And appeal to that group it does, playing up to its favourite things that if I were a girl I would gobble this up hook, line and sinker. There's travelling to Europe, Paris no less, with a BFF, and a sister you'd love to hate in tow, meeting attractive and more importantly, single guys at every turn, travelling in luxury from being ferried in private jets and limousines, rubbing shoulders with royalty and the rich and famous, as well as having an arsenal of gorgeous outfits to get into topped off by million dollar jewellery, participating in exotic games and attending the coolest parties. Sounds like fun, doesn't it?

But that's about it, with the film very much set in territory already explored in countless of films dealing with coincidental, mistaken identity, where the Prince and the Pauper switch places – this one being one sided and without permission – for the pauper to experience the high life, leading onto moralistic questions such as whether one will be enticed by things superficial and materialistic, or will one return to one's humble roots with morals, principles and values intact. It's the same old usual themes about wanting to fulfill personal objectives and dreams, whatever they may be, whether done so through hard work, or just by meeting the right people.

Selena Gomez takes on two roles here, although her role as the mean British heiress Cordelia Winthrop Scott looks like she's suffering from a constant PMS. Her other main role is of course as Grace, the simple waitress from Texas who had graduated and is taking her graduating trip to Paris with best friend Emma (Katie Cassidy), only for her parents to get her half-sister Meg (Leighton Meester) to tag along despite their hating of each other's guts. So begins the journey of self-discovery for all – Grace to decide whether she should keep up with the charade she and her pals find themselves in at the risk of being a fraud to Theo (Pierre Boulanger) of the Hotel de Paris, Emma to try and figure out if the high life and potentially rich royal-family linked acquaintance can be anything more than friends as compared to her troubled boyfriend Owen (Cory Monteith), and Meg learning to becoming less uptight while getting swept off her feet by Aussie tourist Riley (Luke Bracey).

Yes, that's all the romance lined up, as they zip around the different places in luxurious Monte Carlo, having the second act centered around closure in and around a million dollar necklace meant for a charity auction. In some ways that was the best part of the film as finally there is a sense of purpose and urgency to try and resolve everything amicably and set their identities straight as their charade comes to the inevitable close, with well timed, expected comedy to pave the way to a finale that ends all too conveniently.

Naturally the landscapes make up the film with its far flung, beautiful locations that would just make you want to save up enough to jet set in the same fashion, trying very hard to make you forget the many plot conveniences and coincidences, for the very obviously predictable way this teeny bopper film is appealing to the teenage female population through the latest It girl making that transition from music to film. Strictly or the fans only.