Film Review: Monte Carlo

A PLEASANTLY forgettable trifle about three young American women enjoying their first European holiday.

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A PLEASANTLY forgettable trifle about three young American women enjoying their first European holiday.

There is some light romance. Some light squabbling. Some light musical and scenic interludes. Some light theft of someone else's identity for fun and profit.

Sensing a theme here? Monte Carlo is one film guaranteed to never get heavy on you.

Former Disney Channel starlet Selena Gomez plays Grace, a smalltown waitress having a miserable time on a cheap package tour.

Keeping her company, but only adding to the monotony, are best friend Emma (Katie Cassidy) and stepsister Meg (Leighton Meester).

As the vacation is about to go from mild debacle to outright disaster, Grace is mistaken for the famous British socialite Cordelia Winthrop Scott (Gomez again). Able to warble a decent plummy accent, Grace passes herself off so convincingly as a haughty snob she and her entourage score a free trip to Monte Carlo.

Once they settle in, the low-rent trio upgrade themselves to the high life at every opportunity.

On every level, Monte Carlo conforms to the utterly predictable. But never annoyingly so, due to its likeable cast.

The film's tween-age target demographic will be perfectly content with what they see here.

Monte Carlo (PG)
Review: 2.5 Stars
Director: Thomas Bezucha (The Family Stone)
Starring: Selena Gomez, Katie Cassidy, Leighton Meester, Luke Bracey.
Got time for a little slight-seeing?