'Red, White and Royal Blue' floats transAtlantic love

The promotional poster for this romantic comedy shows protagonist and antagonist with crossed legs, the better to display their socks. Alex' shows stars and stripes, Henry's bears elements of the Union Jack. Alex is the son of the American President and Henry -- Prince Henry -- is heir to the British throne.  The men's sox lives herald their sex lives in a love story of hands etc. across the ocean.  At the start, the handsome young men feud at a wedding. The American is casual, even brash; the Brit is formal and restrained, always aware of his legacy. The American has Southern and Mexican heritage; the Brit comes from a long line of privileged royals. Fisticuffs result in a royal battle on the floor with both gents covered in cake frosting. They are ordered by their handlers to make nice to avoid a scandal during Mother's re-election campaign. The two begin to behave in public and, then, to behave in private. 

Matthew López (Tony-award-winning playwright of "The Inheritance") wrote the script with Ted Malawar and Casey McQuiston, based on McQuiston's jolly popular novel of the same title. (McQuiston even insinuates his second novel, "One Last Stop," as the book Alex reads in a hammock on vacation). The writers stripped some of the politics from the book but have polished the profound and complex love between the two men. They have also given the Washington scenes the expected banter from the West Wing and the love scenes the spice of sexy talk.

Nicholas Galitzine plays the prince and Taylor Zakhar Perez plays the President's son. They play their parts so convincingly that their looks of longing seem genuine, especially across a crowded room on an enchanted evening. Among the supporting cast, Uma Thurman plays the President -- with a thin Southern accent, and Stephen Fry plays the straight king, ironic given his gayness. Sarah Shahi is the President's ferocious aide, and Aneesh Sheth stands out as the ruff-tuff security guard.

Cinematographer Stephen Goldblatt captures the film's moods, especially massaging Henry and Alex's love looks. Goldblatt adds falling leaves to an imagined scene of the two in bed; another scene of the two actually in bed ends with a symbolic view of the Washington Monument  out the White House window. 

"Red, White and Royal Blue" may not be as complex as McQuiston's multi-layered novel, but it is fun and naughty and imaginative.