On August 11, 2023, a film adaptation of Casey McQuiston’s 2019 novel “Red, White & Royal Blue” was released on Netflix and Amazon Prime. As someone who likes to see how the big screen transforms a novel, I have taken it upon myself to compare the two to see which comes out on top.
The book starts out by introducing the main character, Alex, who is the First Son of the United States. He and his mother, the president, make an appearance at a royal wedding in England, where Alex encounters his arch-nemesis Henry – who also happens to be the Prince of England. Together, they get into some mischief, and in order to prove to the world that they do not hate each other, they are ordered to be seen together having fun. Throughout the story, they help each other grow and find out more about who they are, and what they aspire to be.
In the novel, there is a complex backstory as to how Alex and Henry meet, what their goals are, and how their family behaves. It displays the nitty gritty process of these two becoming friends, followed by the growth of their relationship. It shows character development for both young men as Alex realizes that he does not need to always be the absolute best in order to have a successful life, and Henry discovers how to be his true self despite his lineage holding him back.
On the other hand, the movie gives no context as to why Alex and Henry start out hating each other. Only the biggest plot points are included, and the scenes are so choppy and quick that it is hard to follow what is happening unless someone has already read the book.
The acting itself is average, but the overall portrayal of the characters’ personalities does not stay true to how it was originally written. Many of the important plot points, scenes, and characters throughout the book are completely left out of the movie. The largest difference overall was the ending, where the movie ended directly after the last major event instead of providing a true resolution, as the book does.
The novel is a very fun read. It includes everything from witty humor to relatable identity crises, immersing the reader in an intricate parallel universe that will not leave them disappointed. With or without the book, though, I can say with full certainty that the movie adaptation is poorly made, and not worth watching.
