Grace Of Monaco (2014)

In 1962, the principality of Monaco finds itself under siege from France as De Gaulle's (Andre Penvern) government not only attempts to tax Monaco's citizens but threatens to take Monaco by force if necessary. Meanwhile, Monaco's Princess Grace (Nicole Kidman) receives an offer by Alfred Hitchcock (Roger Ashton Griffiths) to return to the big screen. A misguided effort to turn a year in the life of Princess Grace into a political crisis thriller. When a film begins by telling you it's a fictional account based on actual events, you know that means it most likely has very little based on fact. Not that taking a real life framework and imposing a fictional text to fill it out can't result in a good film. It certainly can as last year's superb JACKIE proved. But nothing in GRACE OF MONACO rings true. One can't help but admire Kidman trying to flesh out a performance from a weakly constructed script but she can only do so much. The film opened in Europe but it went to cable TV in the U.S. It did get an Emmy nomination for best telefilm and Kidman got a SAG nomination for her work here but chalk this one up as an interesting failure. Directed by Olivier Dahan. With Tim Roth as Prince Rainier (it's not a flattering portrait), Frank Langella, Parker Posey (in the film's best performance), Derek Jacobi and Paz Vega as Maria Callas.