The ‘Red, White & Royal Blue’ Trailer Sorely Lacks Chemistry

By Allyson Johnson | Film | July 6, 2023 |

By Allyson Johnson | Film | July 6, 2023 |

Book adaptations — especially adaptations of really popular books — are always facing an uphill battle. Yes, fans are excited to see their favorite characters given a second life on screen, but with that excitement comes the trepidation of the film managing to screw something up in the process. While often I subscribe to the “let them both be separate” notion when it comes to favorite books being made into television or film (as one of the very few rallying voices for Amazon’s Wheel of Time) I can’t help but dig my heels in a bit regarding the upcoming adaptation of Red, White & Royal Blue.

Based on the 2019 best seller of the same name from author Casey McQuiston, directed by Matthew Lopez and co-written with Ted Malawer, the warning signs have been abundant since the main cast was first announced. These concerns are confirmed throughout the trailer. This is bad casting. Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine are objectively good-looking dudes; there’s little argument there. But that seems to be it so far. Both are also years older than their characters are meant to be and while that doesn’t always matter, it does change the perspective of the story.

The trailer lacks a single spark of chemistry between the leads, an element that is crucial to the success of the story. There’s no denying the charm of McQuinston’s novel, but it’s the main romance and their push/pull dynamic that remains the most compelling. Uma Thurman’s accent can be excused, and the Pottery Barn polish of the set design has become the norm of streaming releases, but the chemistry is a must-have.

The story follows Alex Claremont-Diaz (Perez), the First Son of the United States. He’s had a longstanding rivalry with Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor, a British prince and third in line to the British throne. The book lovingly piles on the tropes, from fake dating and enemies to lovers stories that inject the narrative with palpable chemistry and joyful nods to the archetypes and romcoms that inspired the work.

Red, White & Royal Blue isn’t even the best romantic comedy about fake dating and friends to lovers of the past five years (that would be Alexis Hall’s delightful Boyfriend Material), but its magic is unavoidable and the characters lovable, in part due to their youthfulness and the fact that they so soon are way in over their heads. Alex and Henry are in positions of power, but they’re immensely flawed and struggling with the expectations placed on them.

Perhaps the film adaptation will be better than what the trailer and first-look photo suggests — I hope it is. There’s an unfortunate cheap look to Red, White & Royal Blue. Here’s hoping that’s just a weird, trailer polish, and that the film allows greater depth.

With this film, season two of Netflix’s Heartstopper in August, and Aristotle & Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe out in September, there are plenty of LGBTQ+ stories being given their time on the big screen, with a range of stories and perspectives being told.

Red, White & Royal Blue will premiere globally on August 11, exclusively on Prime Video.