Grace of Monaco

FILM REVIEW: GRACE OF MONACO

Frank Langella and Nicole Kidman in Grace of Monaco/Photo courtesy of Lifetime

Academy Award® and Golden Globe® Award-winning actress Nicole Kidman stars as Grace Kelly in Grace of Monaco (#GraceofMonaco), following the former Hollywood actress’ life as the Princess of Monaco during a tenuous time personally and politically, as she struggles with her decision to retire from acting forever while the future of Monaco hangs in the balance. Premiering on Lifetime on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, at 9pm ET/PT, the movie also stars Tim Roth (Lie to Me, Klondike) as Prince Rainier III, Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon, Superman Returns) as Father Francis Tucker, a Catholic priest and Grace’s confidante; Parker Posey (Louie, The Good Wife) as Madge, Grace’s aide, and Paz Vega (Spanglish, Sex and Lucia) as opera singer Maria Callas.

Nicole Kidman and Tim Roth in Grace of Monaco/Photo courtesy of Lifetime

Set in 1962, six years after her celebrated “wedding of the century,” Grace of Monaco is an intimate snapshot of a year in the life of actress-turned-princess Grace Kelly as she reconciles her past as a Hollywood darling and her present as Prince Rainier III’s wife.  Yearning for a return to her acting career, Grace finds herself plunged into a personal crisis to decide the fate of her marriage while her husband is at political odds with France’s President Charles de Gaulle.  With a French invasion impending for Monaco, Grace must make the difficult decision whether to stand by the side of her husband and newfound country, or return to the bright lights of Hollywood.

Filmmaking choices such as grainy film footage, an elegant score,smart art direction and, of course, impeccable costume design all aid in bringing the private world of the monarchs of Monaco to life.

Kidman’s natural poise and demure presence shine through in her portrayal of Kelly as she traverses her dueling senses of duty and professional desire, but it is an almost unrecognizable Tim Roth as the deeply troubled Prince Rainier III whose character provides most of the rich social context and complexity to the film.  As he grapples with troubles both at home, in the palace, and abroad in Paris, Rainier’s character is stubborn, sympathetic and provides insight into a historical conflict rarely depicted in popular media.  Additional performances by Frank Langella as Kelly’s kind confidante and Paz Vega as sultry opera singer Maria Callas are certain to delight audiences, as well.

Nicole Kidman as Grace Kelly in Grace of Monaco/Photo courtesy of Lifetime

Grace of Monaco is executive produced by Claudia Bluemhuber (Under the Skin, The Railway Man), Uday Chopra (Mohabbatein, Dhoom), Uta Fredebeil (Under the Skin, The Railway Man) and Bill Johnson (The Grey, Jobs), with Chopra also serving as producer. Directed by Olivier Dahan (La Vie en Rose).  Arash Amel (Erased) wrote and produced the screenplay.

Stars Academy Award® and Golden Globe® Winner Nicole Kidman, Tim Roth, Frank Langella, Parker Posey and Paz Vega

Premeres Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, at 9pm ET/PT

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