Wednesday, December 7, 2011

MONTE CARLO: THE NEW AND IMPROVED GIRLS ON VACATION FLICK


Remember when you were a kid (or for some of you as adults) when you'd watch the late show and see those movies about teens of college age kids heading somewhere for a fun vacation? It always seemed like Connie Francis, Jim Hutton, Paula Prentiss, Troy Donahue or Sandra Dee were heading to Florida or California to have fun in the sun. Inevitably someone fell in love, someone was hurt and life long romances followed. These were light and fluffy films that offered fun with a touch of drama and an occasional great theme song ("Where the Boys Are"?). MONTE CARLO is like one of those movies made for the current generation.

Selena Gomez stars as Grace, a waitress who can't wait to get out of her one note town and discover the world. Living with her mother and step father is fine but she can't seem to get along with her step sister Meg (Leighton Meester) at all. In an effort to iron things out, their parents allow Grace to go on a vacation to France is Meg goes along. Neither is happy with this but it happens. Along with them goes Grace's best friend Emma (Katie Cassidy), a rough and tumble fellow waitress with dreams of romance and a boyfriend who just doesn't seem to get her.

The three land in France only to discover that the brochure about their planned trip doesn't quite live up to it's promises. Cramped hotels and getting only seconds to look at the sights isn't what they expected at all. Accidentally separated from their group, they stop in a hotel where Grace is mistaken for Cordelia Winthrop Scott, a socialite snob of English nobility who treats people like dirt. Overhearing that she's sneaking off to meet someone and avoid the press, shrugging off the duties of her position, Emma convinces the girls to take her place with Grace impersonating her.

The usual follows with them enjoying the high life and never having to pay for it all. Financially that is. Emma is treated to the interest of a wealthy man and his ways. Grace meets a man in charge of the auction her "character" is supposed to be a part of and falls in love and Meg meets the man of her dreams who makes her open up a bit. As with the old movies, some are setting themselves up for a fall while others will find happiness. In the end it's all good and things work out for the best. Okay that's not a spoiler so no reason for a warning. These movies always end the same and that's just fine. It's not the end result that comes into play here but the journey it takes to get there that makes them fun.

All three actresses do a fine job here, making you believe that they are the naive girls who just want to sample the good life before heading home to their mundane lives. While the situations they find themselves in seem a bit over the top, it's all in good fun and that's what watching this is all about. Looking for something light, fluffy and fun? Then this movie is well worth the cost of rental.

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1 comment:

  1. I enjoyed this movie very much especially since I have always wanted to visit Paris myself. Things parents or viewers might find of objectionable content in the movie: Although there is very little language the a-- word is used once and we hear the word frack (put in place of the f-word). As for sexual content the only objectionable thing might be the few kisses tossed in through out the movie.

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