Based on the bestselling novel by Casey McQuiston, Red, White & Royal Blue follows the story of Alex (Taylor Zakhar Perez), the First Son of the President of the United States and his rivalry with Prince of England Henry (Nicholas Galitzine). When an encounter goes wrong, the two are forced to reconcile for the good of their nations. But as they spend more time together, a friendship develops and soon, so does something more.
I never read the book so I cannot say for certain how closely they stuck to the source material. I appreciated that I was able to enjoy it from an outsider perspective and ended up really having a good time with it!
What makes the film work so well is the casting of Alex and Henry. Zakhar Perez brings a charm and charisma to Alex’s character. The confidence he exuded was magnetic and made him really easy to root for. Galitzine gave everything you’d expect for that of a prince. He embodied the strong and silent type who was afraid of being true to himself. Together the two had an electrifying chemistry.
The rest of the cast were fine too, when they had their moments to shine. Uma Thurman as the President was an interesting choice and while I could have done without the accent, it was fun to have such a big name attached to the project. Stephen Fry, additionally, as Henry’s grandfather was a welcome addition. My favorite side character, however, was Sarah Shahi’s Zahra who managed to steal the spotlight every time she was on screen. I’m still cackling over her I will Brexit your head from your body line.
While the plot was in no way realistic, that didn’t deter me from having an absolute blast. Seeing Alex and Henry’s lives collide from the US to England and beyond, mixed with drama and heart, I’m already looking forward to revisiting this film again whenever I want a pick me up. Also, I would not be opposed whatsoever to a sequel!
Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5
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