Monte Carlo

Right now you can watch Monte Carlo in Australia on Disney Plus, and in the UK on Amazon Prime Video and Disney Plus — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. The runtime earns every minute, with nothing here that feels like padding. 2,340 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Selena Gomez leads a cast with real comic timing. Available now on Disney Plus — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Monte Carlo earns its spot. Monte Carlo gets the fundamentals right first, then finds room to get weird with it. Three young women vacationing in Paris find themselves whisked away to Monte Carlo after one of the girls is mistaken for a British heiress. Selena Gomez and Katie Cassidy lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2011. Monte Carlo earns its laughs from character rather than situation, which is why it does not wear thin the way pure farce tends to. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

Monte Carlo is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Selena Gomez's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.