It is time for my first (of many) entertainment confessions. I love the movie The Prince and Me. Mr. Y is fully aware of this love and has made fun of me every time I watch it. I must have seen this movie about 25 times, both on DVD and on TV. If I see it on TV, I have to stop and watch it.
I am fully aware that by most standards, this movie would be considered cheesy and mediocre, even bad. However, I feel like I can suspend disbelief while watching this movie. The chemistry between Julia Stiles and Luke Mably was believable, and the rest of the cast was really good. Plus the movie came out about a month before the wedding of the real Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark to Australian Mary Donaldson, so it adds a ring of authenticity to the romance. Even the ending makes me happy - I'd like to believe that Paige can be a doctor and date the King of Denmark at the same time.
I tried watching the sequel, but it was so bad that I couldn't even finish it. So I choose not to acknowledge that there are actually two sequels to this movie, and stick to the original. As an aside, this is how Mr. Y feels about the sequels to Highlander. :)
I have to applaud your bravery in not only (1) loving a movie that you admit is mediocre, but also (2) setting that fact down in certain, referenceable terms. Inspired by your actions, I too shall share.
ReplyDeleteMine is: The Truth About Charlie (2002) dir. Jonathan Demme. Starring Mark Wahlberg, Thandie Newton, Lisa Gay Hamilton, and Tim Robbins.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0270707/fullcredits#cast
I love this film. Indeed, as I was watching it, I was keenly aware that I was falling for a severely flawed film, but it had its charming bits, and those bits were sufficient to win me over -- it's 'wonkiness' notwithtanding.
Here's why this movie is awesome (in my book):
1. Jonathan Demme. He's a masterful director, and the few moments of pitch perfect tone that he was able to squeeze out of this horrid screenplay made it impossible for me to hate it.
(see e.g., the dance scene with Lisa Gay Hamilton's character; any scene with the Commandant and Inspector; the 1st scene with Tim Robbins and the closing sequence).
2. The relationship between the characters "Commandant Dominique" & "Lieutenant Dessalines". I can't go into too much detail as it would be a spoiler, but this was just.....brilliant, and a wonderful nod to French cinema.
3. The inclusion of Charles Aznavour as "The chanteur". This made the movie for me. It was both hilarious and, strangely, a little annoying. The emotional dissonance it created for me was a perfect encapsulation of my overall feelings about this film.
At the same time, here's why it's god-awful:
1. Miscasting. Who ON EARTH thought that Mark Wahlberg would be (1) a great romantic lead and (2) a great romantic lead with Thandie Newton?! It was two of the most gorgeous people you've ever seen with absolutely ZERO chemistry. Such a waste of aesthic.
2. The story's pacing. Apart from miscasting the leads (or lead...I actually think Thandie was good in this role, she just needed a worthy male lead), the screenplay had some serious issues with its pace. It would drag on at times and then we'd be ushered into a zany chase or car crash or dance scene. There was an uneven pace throughout.
3. The story's structure. The screenplay's narrative also didn't flow well. It supposed to be a mystery, not an enigma. Characters would be introduced with an insufficent set-up and with absolutely no pay-off. That's a no-no in screenwriting and was the major flaw in TTAC.
It just goes to show you that sometimes, things are better when judged by their components rather than as a whole.
You have piqued my interest. I'm going to see if I can rent this movie and watch it.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on Mark Wahlberg. I thought he was miscast in The Italian Job, too. He had no chemistry with Charlize Theron and did not have enough charisma to be the main leader. He got swallowed by the rest of the cast.