Director: Matthew Lopez
Writer: Matthew Lopez
Cast: Nicholas Galitzine, Taylor Zakhar Perez, Uma Thurman, Stephen Fry, Rachel Hilson, Sarah Shahi, Ellie Bamber, Clifton Collins Jr. Aneesh Sheth, Akshay Khanna
What does it mean to excavate logic from a film about desire, the kind of desire that reduces two men, well-known public figures, to sometimes recklessly ravage each other in hotel rooms despite knowing that the worst that could happen?
Red, White and Royal Blue is a film adaptation of the Casey Mcquiston novel of the same name, and follows the story of Prince Henry (Nicholas Galitzine) and Alex Claremont-Diaz (Taylor Zakhar Perez). The former is a part of the British aristocracy, and his grandfather is the king of England (Stephen Fry). The latter is the son of the President of the United States (Uma Thurman). Henry and Alex are set-up to be enemies, then lovers — they had met at a party years ago when Alex’s mother seriously forayed into the realm of politics. He, by extension, felt ushered into international scrutiny and rooms that felt like cesspools of privilege. Especially sensitive about his image at that time, he tried to reach out to Henry, who instead indicated to his security that he “needed to get out of here”. Alex has since construed this as rejection.
However, years later, after a very public altercation in which the two men end up on the floor covered in an obscenely expensive cake, it turns out that their petty dislike for one another has geopolitical implications. Credible news channels back this up, even if a pouty Alex doesn’t want to admit that his personal resentment for Henry can cause ripples. So they do a series of public events together, pretending to be friends, while privately expressing their thinly veiled disdain for each other.