Review of GRACE OF MONACO: A Biopic That Could Be Better

December 4, 2014

I only know of Grace Kelly by name and her reputation.  I knew she won an Best Actress Oscar for "Country Girl", but I have not seen that movie, or any other movie in which she starred in. I thought it would be a good idea to watch a biopic about her. But I should have heeded the title, this film is only about her in Monaco. There was nothing much about her Hollywood past before that.

This film presents Grace Kelly already a Princess struggling to balance being a perfect Princess for her adopted country, yet also her wanting to speak her mind freely about various issues. At the same time that Grace is having trouble living up to the royal protocols that control her behavior, Monaco itself is having troubles with France and President Charles de Gaulle who wants to invade it.

Even before the first scene, we are already pre-warned that this film is fictional, and only inspired by real events. I was actually already disappointed at that point. The story itself is typical royal melodrama of a non-royal trying to fit in to palace life, mixed with some political intrigues on the side. It actually felt like that straight-to-video sequel to Cinderella where a strict mentor always reminded the new princess that "It simply isn't done!"  Of course, it is not as sugar-coated as an animated film for kids, but the sentiments felt exactly the same.

Nicole Kidman (now 47), even with all her glamorous beauty, already looked too mature to be Princess Grace (only in her early 30s then). Kidman has a very distinct face that did not really transform into anybody else. As hard as she tried to be in character, she looks she was playing pretty much herself actually. Though I am not really expecting anybody to look exactly like Princess Grace, but they could have made a better effort in that regard. Ms. Kidman though does very well to convey the conflicting emotions boiling behind the real-life fantasy the public saw. Her climactic speech at a major Red Cross benefit was very well-delivered.

Several scenes, like a public argument with her husband Prince Albert (Tim Roth), were very melodramatic. Grace's relationship to an American priest (Frank Langella) was not explained well. A lot of things felt shallow, like the amusing "Princess Diaries"-like scenes of Grace training with a count (Derek Jacobi). The French conflict angle felt forced in there only to add more conflict. However, I did like her charming little scene with Alfred Hitchcock (Roger Ashton-Griffiths) at the beginning.

Director Olivier Dahan made a big splash a few years back with his another biopic "La Vie En Rose" which was about the tortured French artist Edith Piaf. However, he could only do so much with the less compelling script he had for this project. I am sure there is more to the life of Princess Grace than this. 5/10.