A royally sweet, flirty, and empowering gay romance
The 2019 bestseller, Red, White and Royal Blue is one of the most popular LGBTQ romances of recent times. Casey McQuiston’s debut novel garnered a lot of attention online which in turn contributed to a lot of chatter about the 2023 Prime Video film adaptation of the novel.
Red, White and Royal Blue has just been released on the streaming platform and this romantic movie follows the story of Prince Henry, the son of Catherine, Princess of Wales. He is the younger brother of Prince Philip and Princess Beatrice. At his older brother’s wedding reception Prince Henry crosses paths with Alex Claremont-Diaz, the son of the United States President – Ellen Claremont. Their interaction immediately results into the biggest controversy between the USA and the United Kingdom.
In their quest to resolve the controversy, Alex and Henry get close and develop feelings for each other. While Alex’s political responsibilities pose a threat to their relationship, it is Henry’s familial background that actually complicates things for the two men. The film follows Alex and Henry’s journey as they come to terms with their respective backgrounds and determine if their love for each other is worth the fight.
The movie has a crisp runtime of 119 minutes and does a great job capturing the chaotic romance between the two rich boys. Red, White and Royal Blue does not start off like the book from Alex and Henry’s teen years but moves far back in time to when both are full-grown adults. The film does take some creative liberty with its characters but overall, stays close to the story presented in the novel.
Alex Claremont-Diaz (played by Taylor Zakhar-Perez) does a fine job playing the Mexican-American heart-throb. Nicholas Galatzine’s English accent is swoon-worthy and his emotional breakdown when he confronts the royal family about his sexuality is particularly moving.
The two boys have insane chemistry and it is evident through some NSFW scenes from the film. This is a romantic comedy which has a highly complicated and controversial relationship at its epicentre. Red, White and Royal Blue has a really great OST with the popular Lil Nas X single, ‘That’s What I Want’ playing through its trailer, setting the tone right for the movie.
The film includes a cover of the classic Elvis Presley song, ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love with You’. This Perfume Genius cover fits perfectly with the scene. However, one complaint many readers may have is the fact that some songs included in the novel did not make it to the soundtrack of the movie.
With that being said, there’s a strong message of acceptance and will make you see how everyone deserves love and how it does not matter if you are a royal heir or the first son of the United States of America. The film reiterates the idea that love is love, no matter your gender, ethnicity, or social standing.
Red, White and Royal Blue makes for an amazing weekend watch and despite all the negative attention around the chemistry between the main leads, Taylor and Nicholas’ chemistry is off the charts. The actors perfectly embody Alex and Henry, making you blush at their corny flirting, sad during their temporary separation, and finally rejoice at their reunion at the end of the film.
Read More: Red, White and Royal Blue (2023) Ending Explained
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Verdict - 8.5/10
8.5/10