Review of Monte Carlo (2011) by Thomas W — 19 Aug 2011

For a teeny-bopper flick, Monte Carlo is resoundingly profound! As a film it is so very "meeehhh". By realizing that Monte Carlo was made for a very specific demographic, one can walk away from it without any vile reprehensions regarding its generic churlishness.

As the film centers on three females, we are supposed to forgive it its female stereotypes and rather degrading female de-powerment undertones. If one looks past that, Monte Carlo can be seen as a Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants meets Parent Trap re-working starring Selena Gomez (Ramona & Beezus, "The Wizards of Waverly Place") and Leighton Meester ("Gossip Girl", Country Strong, The Roommate) as step-sisters.

While on a dream trip to Paris, the sisters and one of their good friends (Katie Cassidy - "Gossip Girl", Click, Black Christmas) linger too long on the Eiffel Tower and become separated from their tour group (?!).

This "bad news" quickly becomes the best thing to ever happen to them as Gomez's character is quickly mistaken for a look-alike heiress and the trio of girls is quickly whisked off to Monte Carlo! The girls live the high life for a while until they fear that they have been discovered as frauds and they also each become infinitely more happy when a man stumbles into their lives (groan).

The film is supposed to be "cute" and some of it is; but a large portion of it is annoying as everyone seems afraid to ever utter the truth (or go on without a guy). By looking past the lying-portion of the film, the "give to the poor" message the film adopts second-hand is a good one.

It is too bad that Gomez has taken a few steps back with Monte Carlo as her last feature film, Ramona & Beezus, was a charming gem. I guess they can't all be that good.