Say hello to the queer, royal romcom of 2023! Red, White and Royal Blue (RWRB) is a 2023 American romantic comedy film directed by Mattew Lopez in his feature film directorial debut, from a screenplay he co-wrote with Ted Malawer. It is based on the 2019 novel of the same name by Casey McQuiston (the source material is such a beautiful romantic novel). The film stars Taylor Zakhar Perez (The Kissing Booth), Nicholas Galitzine (Cinderella), Clifton Collins JR, Rachel Hilson, Stephen Fry, Uma Thurman in supporting roles. It also stars Rachel Maddow, a liberal political commentator and the host of the Rachel Maddow Show, who appeared as herself.
The film tried its best to be true to the book which is appreciated as a true fan so it was great to see one of my favorites come to life and it couldn’t have fallen into better hands. It was also nice to see that Casey was involved in the process, although it would have been pleasant to see the book into a limited series, hopefully the viewers will get the three-hour version of the film. There was so much from the book that it was condensed, that made the beginning felt rushed from the perspective of a book reader but the pacing was still cool and understandable.
There were a lot of behaviors that were on brand with the characters in the book especially Zahra’s. Her performance was something that was really interesting to watch, they made little changes to her character and re touched her lines but it just made the film better in my opinion.
Taylor and Nicholas were also the perfect casting for Alex and Henry respectively and it is quite unbelievable to know that some critics/people thought they weren’t a good fit for the role. The chemistry between them was so electrifying and beautifully portrayed by the talented cast. Their journey from rivals/enemies to lovers with affection was entertaining to watch; the banter/dialogue were funny and believable which added to the film’s appeal.
The film also did a good job at telling the story to a whole new type of audience because when they watch and like, they are interested in the source material (the book) which is fantastic.
The music scene used in the film were all so good and fitting for the mood; I got introduced to some new songs that are now on my playlist. The film did an excellent job at showing the contrast between the royal family and elected ones because the royal ones are born into it while the elected ones have a different life before being elected into office. It also explores the issue of privacy, complexities of coming out especially within a high profile family as well as the challenges to of being a public figure.
“every queer person has the right to come out on their own terms or choose not to come out at all…”
alex claremont-diaz
One thing that also stands out about RWRB is its positive representation of the LGBTQ+ relationships, it is so refreshing to see a film that portrays love and acceptance in such a way that feels genuine and celebrates diversity. Another thing that shouldn’t be glossed over is the fact that Henry isn’t Alex’s first man to hook up with, it was mentioned in the film that he had been with two guys before Henry so it shouldn’t be confusing to see that he accepted his bisexuality without questions.
Even with the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, without a press tour, more interviews and a red carpet event, RWRB was the number one movie globally on Prime Video in its premiere weekend. It was also among Prime’s top three most watched romantic comedies of all time, causing a huge surge in new Prime membership sign ups. It is so refreshing to see that the film is doing all these in its own; it just shows what positive and loving LGBTQ representation in the media does. It doesn’t always have to be tragic, we need more love stories like this one, we also need more sapphic films. There aren’t enough!
Although they made some curious changes but it still doesn’t take away the beauty of the film giving you the same feel of the book; the source material is obviously so much better though. It wasn’t a perfect film but still made me damn happy. The angle for the email leaks was so different, expected but believable; it makes absolute sense that a jealous ex and attention seeking journalist would do something like that. That part was also spectacular and different from the book which went in a totally different direction. Another scene worth mentioning was the museum scene. The direction taken was expected because I get the angle they were coming from, there was so much material but little time so it made sense for them to cut a lot of things as a book fan, this was a downside but I am still grateful the film exists.
RWRB is an entertaining and heartwarming film that combines successfully romance, politics and queer representation. There were so many swoon and intimate moments in the film that will bring tears to your eyes. It is really enjoyable to watch, the film was released on Prime Video so it is absolutely okay to re watch more than once, I did.
P.S Look out for Nicholas because this is his year as he is starring in another queer film titled Bottoms that is coming out later in the month.
euphoria 
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