Random thoughts on 'Red, White & Royal Blue'
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Prime Video’s buzzy new queer rom-com Red, White & Royal Blue hit the streaming platform last week. It’s an enemies-to-lovers romance between the president of the United States’ hunky son Alex (Taylor Zakhar Perez) and the UK’s dashing Prince Henry (Nicholas Galitzine). But can the secret love of an idealistic American and an uptight Brit survive the pressures of public life?!?
Given that I grew up in the era of Chasing Liberty and The Prince & Me; binged every Harry & Meghan doc; and used to write a whole column about romantic comedies, I feel uniquely qualified to write about this one. But since I’m not sure it’s really the kind of movie that’s substantial enough to warrant a full review, please enjoy this stream-of-consciousness live blog instead. (Spoilers abound!)
Taylor Zakhar Perez from The Kissing Both 2, Nicholas Galitzine from Camila Cabello’s Cinderella, and Rachel Hilson from This Is Us? I appreciate that this movie was cast exclusively from projects I reviewed for The A.V. Club. (And produced by Supergirl’s Greg Berlanti no less!)
Not gonna lie, I’m slightly daunted by the fact that this movie is two hours long.
Five minutes in and I’m already sure this movie exists in the same universe as Vanessa Hudgen’s Princess Switch movies.
I’m sorry, but there’s literally no way in hell a British royal would be allowed to show this much shoulder on her wedding day.
Also, this wig they put on Rachel Hilson is a crime.
Hmm, Uma Thurman made a choice with this Texan accent.
Ahh, yes, love when the president’s hunky son needs to do a PR trip (???) to smooth over a UK/US trade deal (???) that benefits the Midwest (???)
Okay, “shoved into a closet during a security threat” is actually a very good romantic setup. A little close to Long Shot, but I’ll allow it.
It’s jarring to have Prince Henry be such a hybrid of the real-life William and Harry, while Alex is such an invented archetype. (Have we ever had a hot, single adult son in the White House?)
I’m sorry, Alex is actively working in politics for his mom and attending college? That seems like a stretch. Not least of all because he looks 30.
I do appreciate a rom-com that understands the intimacy of texting.
Ah, of course, the “Texas Strategy Memo.”
British readers, let me know: Are you offended by how you’re portrayed in cheesy American rom-coms like this? Because I kind of feel like you should be…
Is that a West Side Story homage I spot in the New Year’s Eve dance scene?
I’d give that NYE kiss a 7/10. Points for the surprise, but I don’t know if they fully nailed the blocking.
Is the flat lighting in these kinds of streaming rom-coms a feature or a bug? It’s the number one thing that makes them look cheap, but maybe it also gives them a unifying aesthetic that immediately clues you into what kind of movie you’re watching, in a comforting way?
Second kiss scene was better!
There’s an unexpected level of raunch to this. Like it clearly wants to be a hornier, thornier movie than you average streaming rom-com, even though it very much has the tone of your average streaming rom-com.
Alex doesn’t know the phrase “gay as a maypole”? I no longer trust the insights of his Texas memo.
Must be said: THIS IS SUCH A GOOD PREMISE FOR A ROM-COM.
Weird little detail that this version of the British royal family (the Hanover-Stuarts) didn’t drop their German name during World War I.
My brain almost can’t handle the use of the Hallmark Channel aesthetic in a movie where sex actually exists.
I need way more making out, way less drama about this Texas memo.
The staging of the “campaign manager busts into the hotel room” scene won me over, but I absolutely cannot handle Taylor Zakhar Perez snuggled up against Uma Thurman’s bosom like they’re in Little Women.
“Cool it mom, I’m bi.”
They fixed Rachel Hilson’s wig for this trip to Austin. Thank god.
The one thing I remember about Perez in The Kissing Booth is his catchy Spanish-language cover of “What I Like About You,” so I’m annoyed they didn’t have him sing in this karaoke scene.
Briefly paused my TV and realized this movie is rated R, which did kind of shock me. It feels too cheesy to be a truly adult-aimed rom-com, but too raunchy to be a cheesy Netflix-style one. On the other hand, I haven’t seen Bridgerton and maybe that’s the combo they’re going for.
Galitzine is the better actor but Perez is hotter, and sometimes that’s the balance you need in a romantic comedy.
A moody cover of a Carousel song is the best way to get me invested in your third act.
In retrospect, Prince Henry’s family should’ve been a way bigger part of this movie.
Slow dancing to an Elvis song in a museum does seem like something a stodgy British royal would think is fun. (It’s me, I’m the stodgy British royal.)
Not to be a downer, but I do feel like this relationship is deeply impractical if Alex wants to go into American politics and Henry wants to remain a royal.
I suspected a phone hacking storyline was coming, but could you imagine if this actually happened?!? Just the whole world reading sexts between Prince Harry and Beto O'Rourke?
They couldn’t even give this evil journalist character one redeeming quality. Just full-on mustache twirling.
Very annoying when England has a king instead of a queen, tbh. Even when he is played by Stephen Fry.
This movie is about 20 minutes too long, but I did tear up at all the crowds showing up to support Henry.
In fact, that was such an emotional climax, I think it was a mistake to wrap things up with the presidential storyline. (Or maybe I just have too much PTSD to even watch a fictionalized presidential election at this point.) The whole movie just kind of peters out from there.
OKAY, BUT WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO LIVE?
The verdict: Was this a great movie? No. Did I have fun watching it? Sure! Structurally, it almost felt like it was set up to be a TV show (there were so many supporting characters with so many unresolved storylines), but I think “less is more” was probably the right way to go here. In fact, writer/director Matthew Lopez could’ve (and probably should’ve) trimmed some storytelling fat and just leaned into the Wattpad fanfiction of it all rather than trying to make some grand statements about U.S. politics and oppressive British monarchies.
Still, it’s nice to see one of these made-for-TV-esque rom-coms actually embrace a sense of sensuality and sexuality for once. And it helps that Red, White & Royal Blue has a truly great, great premise. Quality wise, I’d rank it above First Daughter but below The American President; above Single All The Way but below Bros; above The Princess Switch 2 but below The Princess Switch 3. On par with that Netflix rom-com where Emma Roberts dated an Australian guy across various holidays. I can’t remember what it was called or what exactly happened in it — which I suspect will be the same with Red, White & Royal Blue — but I have generally fond memories of watching it, and sometimes that’s enough.
Next time on Girl Culture: That High School Musical piece I promised you last time (whoops!)
Let me know if you like this kind of "random thoughts" format or if you prefer full-reviews! I'm curious to hear which is more enjoyable to read.
I just watched it the other day with my partner. We were both tired and wanted wolething to cheer us up. This movie did the job amazingly well! It was nice and fun and optimistic and cute and many other things.
I really like the format of your post, by the way, it gave me the impression that I was rewatching the movie with you, in a way 😊
The only thing that you did not point and that I found very pleasant was the way the dialogues are written. There are many very good one-liners and I think I will keep with me for a long time the "He grabbed my hair in a way that made me understand the difference between football and rugby".