Watching the Amazon Prime film “Red, White, and Royal Blue” felt like driving by a car crash — it’s an awful sight, but you keep looking anyway.
Released on August 11, this movie attempts the enemies-to-lovers trope, but fails to justify how or why the characters fall in love. The audience must suspend its disbelief that their steamy make out sessions and confusing text exchanges are enough to risk their reputations for.
Adapted from the titular novel by Casey McQuiston, “Red, White, and Royal Blue” depicts the romantic relationship between Alex Claremont-Diaz (Taylor Zakhar-Perez), the first son of the U.S. president, and Prince Henry of England (Nicholas Galitzine).
Zakhar-Perez was previously seen in “The Kissing Booth” series, while Galitzine is known for his work as Prince Robert in the 2021 adaptation of “Cinderella.”
In this film, though, Zakhar-Perez acts like a Disney Channel star for the majority of the movie, only to switch to the worst, almost fanfiction-like performance he can for the sex scenes he has with his co-star. Meanwhile, Galitzine is equally confusing as a soft British boy from the early 2000s who, for some reason, is incredibly horny.
The pair doesn’t make sense together — maybe the director gave them different notes, because these stars belong in completely different films. Several funny one liners from the characters prompt a few laughs, but secondhand embarrassment trumps the humor for the majority of the film’s two-hour runtime.
Actress Sarah Shahi, who plays the president’s Deputy Chief of Staff Zahra Bankston, brings a relatable humor as she finds herself frustrated with the male protagonists’ decisions and lack of precaution. It’s a shame that audiences only see her in two scenes.
For a film about the relationship between the first son of the United States and the prince of England, there ought to be some consequences. But any stakes we thought existed in the beginning of the film practically evaporate when the characters face true tension.
By far the most perplexing performances of the film come from Alex’s parents, the U.S. president (Uma Thurman) attempting a horrendous Texan accent and the first husband (Clifton Collins Jr.).
Watching this film feels like entering the twilight zone — viewers leave more confused than they came. Is that due to the source material, or is this what happens when a book gets a poor film adaptation?
Rating: 2/5