My wife picked this film from a concourse of choices for a Sunday movie night. I’m not surprised from her choice, but it adds to a good discussion on casting and what to do and not to do with chosen actors for a project like this. The cast consisting of Nicole Kidman, Tim Roth, and Frank Langela surrounds Grace Kelly turning from movie star actress to princess of Monaco. And it proves to be a harder transition for the new princess with relations between France a little shaky. Nicole Kidman as Grace Kelly was a good choice for casting, and even Tim Roth pulls out his Monaco – French accent beautifully. I thouroughly enjoyed Roth and Kidman on screen together. It’s nice not to see him in a stand-off dropping F-bombs everywhere.
The dilemma with this film was a poor use of supporting characters and actors cast in them. One example I want to focus on right now is Frank Langela as Father Francis Tucker. Many times in this film, Tucker gave so much meaningful advice and counsel to Grace and that’s about it. Grace never takes his advice. It’s as if he were part of the wall. The movie could have gone on without him and it wouldn’t do anything to the plot. The second person I want to focus on is Count Fernando D’Aillieres played by the greatest Derek Jacobi. He plays the count who has to turn Grace into a princess or Monaco won’t take her seriously. This was a bad use of Jacobi because he’s only in the movie for five minutes. Talent like that is too good to be a small part. Olivier Dahan and his team could have combined a few roles into one character and that would mean more to Roth and Kidman on screen. A mediator for all. But still see it. It sells Monaco very well.
Nicole Kidman in “Grace of Monaco”
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