Okay so here, I think, is why I think Red, White and Royal Blue succeeds spectacularly as a romcom, and actually to me is a better-than-average take on the genre.
First, the leads have absolutely scorching chemistry. They are incredibly believable as two men absolutely infatuated with each other. They each kiss like drowning men shown water, right down to how each grabs at the other, at hair or back or neck and face.
They each have developed their character having a specific characteristic even when flirting or kissing. Henry grabs Alex's hair, for example, every single time, in a way that makes it clear he spends serious time thinking about that hair.
Fair enough, Henry.
They also do something even goddamn better.
They are friends. They are believable as two people who could actually get along long enough to fall in love.
They are allowed to become FRIENDS.
They are given time to get to know each other before they get physical. You can feel their interest in each other growing. And, to my opinion, you can tell that Henry is feeling Alex out through texts to see if the interest might be reciprocated even though he thinks it can't possibly be.
One thing that kills me about romcoms is how the leads will have witty "sexy" banter but don't seem to actually like each other. They are enemies who fall into bed but aren't really believable as lovers.
Henry and Alex are believable, because they... Well. They're impossibly silly even when tearing at each other's clothes. They have awkward moments.
They laugh.
Alex laughs in bed. He holds Henry in a way that is romantic, openly so. Henry is overcoming the conditioned hesitation and avoidance he has, his smiles and warmth and laughter come with rare vulnerability - Alex is a man who throws himself head first into life and has no such compunctions in the moment. He laughs because this is awesome and Jesus Christ, Prince Henry is too hot to be real.
They like each other, they stumble, they laugh.
But also, another reason this works so well?
The sex scene isn't scorching.
Watching the sex scene felt realistically intimate. It felt like I had walked in one real people and needed to leave. It was intense in a way that felt like something I maybe wasn't meant to see.
It was filmed so well. So much romanticism and deeply felt adoration in a simple grasping of a hand, the look in soft eyes, a hand pressed against a back. The edge of a knee just in frame. Looking up and looking down.
It felt like we walked into their room during and saw them both laid utterly bare.
Henry's look of vulnerability and nerves and pleasure, Alex looking slowly over his face to take it all in. Moving slowly, then, when everything they do before this is hurried or hidden.
It works as a romcom because you believe 100% these two men could get to like each other, fall in love, and stay that way.
You believe Henry's very real terror of rejection from the public because he already knows his family, beyond his sister, will reject him. You believe that Alex is a headstrong idealist who is sure that you can bulldoze through any wall too tall to climb.
And you believe that between the two of them, they can find a way around the wall entirely.
This movie is a master class on how a movie can get you to suspend so much disbelief if the leads sell their characters. The importance of believable chemistry.
And also... Isn't it nice to see a queer love story in a world that is, in some ways, just a few shades better than our own?
P.S. you cannot tell me Stephen Fry did not chew the goddamn scenery in circles all around everyone during his single scene. That man was having a ball.
"i hated beau and ashton initially, but i really came around to them later on in the campaign-" you're a wimp. i always liked them. i think being angry and mean about your trauma and the circumstances that led up to it is cool and sexy actually.
no no no you don’t understand. there is just something about ashton “i punch things for money” greymoore (who has been reduced by circumstance into being a tool for brutality, who has LITERAL stone hands and a glass hammer and a hardened heart, who is the product of years of cycles of violence) taking a look at other people and being ineffably gentle with them
Utkarsh will go down in history as one of the Guests of All Time. Money moves only. Tells his life story off a notes app and then commences PVP and is almost instantly downed. Prompts a players regression into darkness. Has a shitload of magical items that he apparently never used. Asked Marisha for help when trying to kill them. The first PVP death.
What campaign was your first and who’s your favorite party?
Campaign 1, favorite is Vox Machina
Campaign 1, favorite is Mighty Nein
Campaign 1, favorite is Bells Hells
Campaign 2, favorite is Vox Machina
Campaign 2, favorite is Mighty Nein
Campaign 2, favorite is Bells Hells
Campaign 3, favorite is Vox Machina
Campaign 3, favorite is Mighty Nein
Campaign 3, favorite is Bells Hells
Other (tell us in tags/replies) / 👀 results
Voting ended onJun 16, 2023
Wanted to make this poll because I’ve seen a lot of people say your first is your favorite but it’s not for me so I was curious how other people stacked up! Reblogs help increase sample size! <3
whenever you say hi to someone next door, make sure you’ve never ever seen them before, because we don’t say hi to people that we know. to the people we’ve alrеady met, we say hi-ho
the tuna fish here is beyond belief; we catch those tuna from the place right there, it’s a private little reef. they taste real good but don’t eat too much; it’ll make you throw right up: when it comes to tuna, a touch is enough.
don’t climb up that big old tall tree: a woman lives in there and she is not okay! I know you gonna wanna climb it, but don’t you do it, don’t you try it: again, the woman is not okay! (and not like “not okay” like there’s something wrong with her, she’s totally fine, she’s just mean. maybe evil!)
the dungeons and dragons movie is good bc some silly gay person WOULD make a bard named EDGING and go “noooo it’s pronounced ED-GIN” and their depressed gay little friend would go “this is my sorcerer. he’s cringefail and his name is simon”, and some fucking dm would go “this is my super mega paladin npc xenk with a sad backstory who fights good that i made to help you guys not die in the next encounter” and everyone at the table goes “ok but can i fuck him though”
areudirty
2087
dailybridgerton
stormborns
discoholicmusic
andulkaphoto
dededos
yousharknotpass
