The Disney machine is rather remarkable in how it turns young talent into multi-faceted entertainers. The most recent is Selena Gomez, who turned being a television comedian into a fairly successful career as a musical artist. Now comes her cinematic career which started with Ramona and Beezus and now yields Monte Carlo. And it’s a fairly solid, if albeit predictable, film that won’t do much to enhance her career but certainly doesn’t detract from it.
Grace (Gomez) is on holiday in Paris with her step-sister (Leighton Meester) and best friend (Katie Cassidy) when she gets mistaken for a British socialite. Instead of clearing it up, Grace decides to live it up and run with it as the three go on a “wacky” adventure through Paris (and Europe) which leads to the usual sorts of identity switch style of plot.
The film, which was based off the novel “Headhunters” by Jules Bass that imagined the scenario as women in their mid-40s, doesn’t do much new or original. This is a film that is easy to follow and easy to predict, taking the tried and true identity switch formula and running with it until its logical conclusion. There’s nothing wrong with that, as it’s a fairly enjoyable formula, but the film really doesn’t do all that much to make it interesting. It’s one thing to be predictable but it isn’t all that entertaining. That’s a must in a genre that’s almost entirely formula-driven.
The one thing that does stand out, almost like a sore thumb, is the star presence of Selena Gomez. While she’s followed in the footsteps of Miley Cyrus in being a television star, a musician and then into film-work there’s something unique about her on the screen. She has plenty of charisma and talent, albeit unrefined. Gomez has that elusive star quality that deserves a better vehicle than what’s given.
In time she’ll find a better role and grow as an actress, as right now being a teenager one can get away with roles and films like this, but there’s a short window between burgeoning child actress looking to transition into adult roles and turning into a failed Disney star who couldn’t transition away from the Mouse House. This is a good second role to take as a principal star, and the film is family-oriented so its box office grosses will easily cover the film’s low budget, but there’s only so many of these sorts of high profile roles she can take. She has that “it” factor that plenty of young actresses in similar spots don’t have, including Cyrus, but that will only take her so far.
Monte Carlo is a step in the right direction for Selena Gomez the actress but ultimately it won’t be roles in films like this that’ll turn her into something bigger than a musician who dabbles in acting.
Director: Tom Bezucha
Notable Cast: Selena Gomez, Leighton Meester, Katie Cassidy
Writer(s): Tom Bezucha, April Blair and Maria Maggenti based off the novel “Headhunters” by Jules Bass
