Adaptations often have to live up to the imaginary versions already conjured up by readers; the more beloved the book, the tougher the challenge. Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston already has a fandom of ardent Alex + Henry shippers. A club that I became a part of just a few days before I watched the film, directed by Matthew López, starring heartthrobs Taylor Zakhar Perez as the FSOTUS Alex Claremont-Diaz and Nicholas Galitizine as Henry, HRH the Prince of Wales. And this reader is happy to report that not only is Red, White & Royal Blue a faithful adaptation with modifications fans won’t much mind, but also it is every bit the warm, funny, sexy, swooniest romance we expected it to be. Yes, I agree with Henry. Swooniest is most definitely a word.
The film stars Taylor Zakhar Perez, Nicholas Galitzine, Uma Thurman, Sarah Shahi, Rachel Hilson, Ellie Bamber, Clifton Collins Jr, Aneesh Sheth, Thomas Flynn, Malcolm Atobrah, Akshay Khanna, Juan Castano, and Stephen Fry.
The United States of America has its first female President, Ellen Claremont. She’s from Texas, married to Senator Oscar Diaz, the son of immigrants. Their son Alex, aka the First Son of the United States of America, is quite the charmer, prepping to be a politician. With the POTUS up for re-election, she sends Alex (and his BFF Nora, the granddaughter of the Vice President) to mark their presence at the royal wedding of Prince Philip of England to strengthen ties with the UK. Thanks to a first meeting gone awry years ago, Alex dislikes the groom’s younger brother, the seemingly stuck-up Prince Henry, and a scuffle between them ends in a cake-tastrophe, causing a proper diplomatic crisis.
A plan is hatched by the president’s aide, Zahra to show the world that the FSOTUS and the Prince are actually best buds. In true-blue enemies-to-lovers style, what starts off as a fake friendship for the cameras propels Alex and Henry into a hot and steamy fling, and eventually, an all-consuming love that threatens to upend their political lives. And cause you, the audience, to positively melt over their fairytale romance.
Also Read: What To Watch This Week Of August 7 To 13: Made In Heaven S2, Heart Of Stone, Red, White &Royal Blue, And More
And a fairytale it is! Not since The Princess Diaries 2 has a rom-com that brings together an American citizen with European royalty been so thoroughly gush-worthy. Red, White & Royal Blue is funny, looks so darn good, updated with the times yet an old-school romance that’s a treat for the fans of the genre. It isn’t experimenting with the rom-com tropes, simply executing them effectively. And all of it, from the slow-mo stares across the room, to the big love confession, and even a nighttime stroll that ends in a dance on an Elvis Presley song… all of it works. The film’s score is composed by Drum & Lace, with additional songs by Vagabon and Oliver Sim. I loved the use of Bad Reputation in the opening credits; it reminded me of Kat Stratford’s intro in 10 Things I Hate About You, a masterpiece of this genre.
Director Matthew López, who is also credited as the writer alongside Ted Malawer and author Casey McQuiston, does an excellent job of condensing the 400-page novel into a tight runtime of just under 2 hours. The writing is breezy, witty, and hits the right emotional notes, but never cheesy or overdone. Book lovers get to see all their major A+H scenes done justice to, such as the polo match, perfectly cut in (editing by Kristina Heatherington and Nick Moore) with the couple’s hot makeout sesh in the stables and even some karaoke! Of course, some of the political scenarios might seem like a stretch, and yes, there’s no ‘realistic’ portrayal of the repercussions of coming out for these two men. But they were written just so in the book, and the film doesn’t attempt to stray too much from its source material.
It does make some bold changes such as dropping important characters like Alex’s sister June and friend Rafael Luna, and Henry’s mother, Princess Catherine. And NGL, I was unsure when I first came across these modifications, because these characters in the book are crucial to the emotional crux of the story. But my concerns were unfounded because I didn’t end up minding their absence as the story didn’t lose any of its potency.
If anything, these edits gave us more time with the two charismatic and incredibly gorgeous leads that have a chemistry that is off the charts. Taylor Zakhar Perez (The Kissing Booth 2) as Alex Claremont-Diaz and Nicholas Galitzine (Cinderella, Purple Hearts) as Prince Henry are perfectly cast. Perez brings an irresistible, affable, effortless air to the carefree and bold FSOTUS. Alex in love is just so adorable! Galitzine is incredible as a charming, well-coiffed British royal, in a measured, heartbreaking performance that makes you feel Henry’s pain and love. I wanted to give him a hug. Individually, these two are fantastic, particularly Perez, since Alex interacts with more characters than Henry and even has an ex-flame in the picture. But together…
Also Read: From Heartstopper To Dickinson These 10 Shows Portray Honest Queer Complexities And Accurate Realities
For an enemies-to-lovers romance to work, the lead pair must ignite a longing in you. And together, Perez and Galitzine are a smokeshow, making you reach for H2O. From the very first fake handshake, and Henry mockingly calling Alex “Sweetheart,” the sexual tension between the two is palpable and continues to pull you in and make you smile wide, all through their flirting on text and banter. In the emotional scenes, the two play off each other beautifully, and their true love is believable. The camera makes love to these two hot men we see on screen, and the intimate scenes between the two are sensitively and aesthetically shot (cinematography by Stephen Goldblatt).
There’s one scene with the two in the lake, and after watching it, I am now obsessed with Taylor Zakhar Perez’s eyelashes and Nicholas Galitzine’s lips. I will not be elaborating further.
Also Read: How Schitt’s Creek And Supernatural Had Me Rooting For Queer Ships For The First Time
The supporting cast is great too, and I’m glad that the cast is limited rather than cramming all the characters from the books, having them appear thinly etched out. I adore Uma Thurman as the first female President of the USA (the UK also has a female PM), with her Southern twang, and the scenes between her and Perez are delightful. The missing characters are well substituted by Clifton Collins Jr. as Oscar Diaz, Alex’s father, and a sweet Rachel Hilson as Nora. Sarah Shahi as Zahra is hilarious. And Stephen Fry as His Majesty King James II (yes, no queen here, get with the times) does what he does best.
Verdict
Is it a good time to confess that I’ve already seen this movie twice? Just for the insane chemistry that is between its leads Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine, which forms the beating heart of this film. And if you’re a sucker for romance, this funny, warm, mushy, trope-y flick gets my vote to be on your watchlist. Heck, even add the book to your TBR if you haven’t because it’s got lots more to offer.
Do I feel like forever about Red, White & Royal Blue? I most certainly do.
Red, White & Royal Blue is currently streaming on Prime Video.