Monte Carlo – A Great Movie Night for Girls

Grade C+

Starring :  Selena Gomez, Leighton Meester, Katie Cassidy, Cory Monteith

MPAA Rating:  Rated PG

Genre: Comedy

Theatrical Release:   July  01 2011

Monte Carlo is one of those tenuous movies that fall into the in-between category of Pick or Ick. It is a story we have all heard before – a girl trading places with a rich and famous look-alike – although that was not what pushed me into rating 3 out of 5 stars. It was rather the lethargic pacing that made me nearly fall asleep in the beginning, and it just seemed like the music was the only thing dragging us from scene to scene. It was only when the mistaken identities started to unraveled that I was caught up in the adventure.

I liked that the girls make up their mind to go back and apologize for all the mayhem they’ve caused. Even so, just with a simple apology, they are free to go home although they committed crimes of impersonating, lying to the police, and even “kidnapping” a main character. When Cordelia (the heiress Grace impersonates) orders the police officer to arrest Grace(Selena Gomez) and her friends, his reply is unrealistic – you’ll have to see the movie to find out.

The cast was amazing, and I can frankly state that I disagree with other critics that Selena Gomez’s acting was horrible. Although her acting was not up to the standards of her co-stars, I still liked her portrayal of the spoiled British heiress, Cordelia.

I also loved the characters’ different personalities – Grace and her stepsister Meg finally come to amicable terms at the end of the movie. Through this trip to Paris, all three girls travel down a road of self-discovery behind a wall of secret identities.

The thing that awed me most is the scenery. Monte Carlo and the view from the Eiffel Tower is simply beautiful. There were many collective “ooh”’s and “aww”’s from the audience throughout the entire show. Monte Carlo has flawlessly displayed the true beauty of France for all to see, and the audience connects with Grace about what motivated her to work so hard for that trip to Paris.

As a tween critic, I liked the movie well enough, and I really felt like I was in Paris with Grace. Monte Carlo is a clean and “fun” movie, one that is not worth to see in theaters but great for a girls’ night out. All in all, Monte Carlo would have become a defined and solid Pick if the producers had put a little more determination and effort in the making of this movie. Ages 11+

Published @ http://www.kidspickflicks.com/component/content/article/23-romantic-comedy/2472-monte-carlo