Monte Carlo

After saving up waitressing tips, spunky high school grad Grace (Selena Gomez) travels to France with best friend Emma (Katie Cassidy) and stepsister Meg (Leighton Meester). Left behind in Paris by a tour bus, the small-town-Texas trio wind up jetting to Monte Carlo after an Emma lookalike—spoiled British socialite Cordelia Winthrop Scott (also played by Gomez)—abandons her commitment to host a charity auction in Monaco. Monte Carlo is essentially a stolen-identity adolescent wish-fulfillment fantasy featuring Vera Wang gowns and Bulgari jewels. Added to the mix are Cordelia's suspicious Aunt Alicia (Catherine Tate), and charming young aristocrat Theo (Pierre Boulanger), who is amazed that the reputedly icy heiress is actually much nicer than tabloid tattling suggests. On the romantic side, Grace inevitably comes to appreciate good-hearted-guy-back-home Owen (Cory Monteith), while Meg hangs with Riley (Luke Bracey), a hunky Australian backpacker. Based on Jules Bass's novel Headhunters, this trite adaptation by writer-director Thomas Bezucha has been “youthified,” since the original plot featured four middle-aged women looking for rich husbands. Not recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include deleted scenes (7 min.), a “Ding-Dang Delicious: The Boys of Monte Carlo” featurette (6 min.), a “Backstage Pass” behind-the-scenes segment (4 min.), a “Match-Up” interactive quiz, and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are a “Monte Carlo Couture” segment on fashion (6 min.), a “Jet Setter's Dreams” location featurette (6 min.), a “Gossip with the Girls” interview with star Selena Gomez and costars (6 min.), the BD-Live function, and a bonus digital copy of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a disappointing film.] (S. Granger)