Grace of Monaco
Director: Olivier Dahan
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Tim Roth, Frank Langella, Parker Posey, Paz Vega, Robert Lindsay, Milo Ventimiglia, Geraldine Somerville, Nicholas Farrell, Derek Jacobi, Andre Penvern
Rating: (M)
2 stars
The Grimaldi royal family has condemned the movie about their mother, Grace of Monaco (Rialto and Metro), sight unseen.
After watching it, I failed to see their problem. Their parents, Prince Rainier and Princess Grace, are shown as nice enough people and the film's real hatchet job is on the French for bullying poor little Monaco.
The film starts with the interesting question that all marriages eventually face: what happens once the happy-ever-after fades? Just because you are a successful actress who snares a real-life prince it does not insulate you from that ''Is this it?'' moment.
Set against the backdrop of the French blockage of Monaco in 1962, Grace (Nicole Kidman) is also wondering if her marriage should continue to exist.
Prince Rainier (Tim Roth) is distracted by the prospect of losing his tiny principality and is less inclined to find Grace's American ways amusing.
While the film focuses on Grace's struggle to respond to her marriage and subsequent royal lifestyle as an adult and not a spoilt little girl it holds our interest.
But all too soon it descends into a mash-up of The Princess Diaries and The King and I as Grace uses her new royal powers to host a glittering event to shame the French into giving up their designs on Monaco.
Best thing: Wardrobe and hairdressing have gone all out.
Worst thing: Kidman has to deliver the most simpering schoolgirl speech ever.
See it with: A love of how things used to be before flower power ruined court protocol.
- by Christine Powley
