The first (and only) time I saw a trailer for the Selena Gomez film Monte Carlo the first thing I thought to myself, which was later vindicated by my three daughters, was that the film looked like a knock off of the 03’ Lizzie McGuire film. If you’ve never seen it before let me rehash. McGuire travels to Italy with her school and is mistaken for an Italian Pop Star. Monte Carlo ended up being very similar except there were three girls and they all manage to live out the McGuire dream, only in France. Unfortunately Gomez is no Hilary Duff and Monte Carlo is pretty much a convoluted dud.

I felt like maybe someone took a poll with a dozen or so fifteen year olds (maybe a couple of soccer mom’s as well) to find out what they would want in a fantasy type get away. France, the city of love (or lights) is the setting. Among the people there is a Prince, an agreeable French teen for Gomez, an Australian with chronic open shirt syndrome, and Glee’s Cory Monteith for measure. A case of mistaken identity, a lush hotel suite in a beautiful grand hotel, and adventure. It all sounds so great but unfortunately the film ends up being a stinker due to cliché, bad acting, and a convoluted script that doesn’t know when to hold back.

As I watched the film with my three girls I thought at any moment something was going to happen that would grab one of them and then we’d all kind of go along for the ride. Trust me, I’ve sat through almost every Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus, Hilary Duff, Selena Gomez film to date and there has usually been something that gave us a few memorable laughs. Monte Carlo? Nothing. Just a patchwork quilt type film made up of the bones of its predecessors and phoned in. Sad terrible stuff that was.

QUALITY:
Considering the few times I’d seen Monte Carlo advertised I just assumed the studio had realized it had created a Frankenstein out of parts from other films and just ran with it, spending as little on its campaign as possible, it's official website (in the US anyway) is a sorry looking Facebook page after all. After seeing the Blu-Ray for the film I felt like maybe my thoughts had been justified. For goodness sakes the film takes place in France right? The picture quality just isn’t what you’d think it would be for a film with so much to see. Its got a lot of soft shots, color seems a bit drab in a lot of scenes, and it gives you that overall feeling of just, meh. You kind of realize your in for a drab ride when an ugly looking trailer for Judy Moody pops on but who would have thought the actual film would be so lacking. Very disappointing. Audio Quality is fine though. Fireworks have a hefty boom to them, dialogue is crisp. If only the film was worthwhile.

BONUS FEATURES:
~Monte Carlo IN High Definition: Sadly some of the spots in this feature look better then the film itself.
~Deleted Scenes: Worth having a look at. Small but intricate scenes deleted form the film that add a bit more depth to the film.
~Monte Carlo Match-Up Interactive Quiz: Find out which character you are by taking a revolving door quiz that seems as if it lasts forever.
~Ding Dang Delicious: The Boys of Monte Carlo.
~Monte Carlo Couture
~Jet Setter’s Dreams
~Backstage Pass
~Gossip With The Girls: A play on words I guess since the film also stars Gossip Girl alum Leighton Meester.
~Digital Copy
~BD Live content
~Pocket Blu