is a glamorous, international, romantic comedy teen flick starring Disney darling Selena Gomez. In "Monte Carlo" a young woman's disastrous French vacation takes a turn for the better when she discovers that she can pass for a wealthy English heiress. The film is typical of the mistaken identity film genre where a fish out of water discovers an exciting new life grander than any they've previously imagined. Many of these stories are based on the classic fable of "The Prince and the Pauper."
In Mark Twain's 1851 novel "The Prince and The Pauper," the son of King Henry VIII switches clothes with a poor man as a joke and as a result their lives are switched as well. The pauper even is almost sworn in as the next king of England. Body switching films like "Big" and "Freaky Friday" are a related genre to the mistaken identity films where someone looks identical to someone from a different social station.
If you did a double take when you heard the premise for "Monte Carlo," you are not confused. There are several similar teen films with popular female leads. The heroine is unhappy with her life, happens upon a doppelganger and makes a switch. As in the Selena Gomez movie, the life-switching "pauper" quickly discovers that all that glitters isn't gold. She loves the perks of the new life but misses the heart of the simpler life she came from. "Roman Holiday" starring Audrey Hepburn features a reversal, however. Hepburn plays a princess who is happily mistaken as a pauper.
Teen Films Where Mistaken Identity Leads to New Life
"The Parent Trap"
Whether we're talking about Hayley Mills' 1961 version or Lindsay Lohan's 1998 film, "The Parent Trap" is a classic in the mistaken identity and fish out of water genres. Identical twin girls who were raised as only children by their divorced parents accidentally meet at summer camp. One girl is elegant and well-spoken while the other is scrappy and independent. They set off on a mission to bring their unsuspecting parents back together. Cuteness.
"It Takes Two"
"It Takes Two," which stars Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen in 1995 is basically "The Parent Trap" with an unnecessary twist. The only key difference between the films is that the girls happen to look alike coincidentally and are not twins. In "It Takes Two" two girls try to hook up an unlikely couple, a rich guy and a social worker, to form the perfect family. And they live happily ever after of course.
"The Lizzie McGuire Movie"
"The Lizzie McGuire Movie" was a 2003 film starring Hillary Duff. The film is a spin off the famous Disney Channel TV show of the same name. In the movie Lizzie McGuire heads off on a school trip to Rome. While there she finds that she resembles a lip synching pop star and is part of a sinister plot to embarrass said star. Just as Lizzie is about to get in trouble for sneaking away from her school group she saves the day by singing and dancing her way into everyone's heart.
We all have the fantasy from time to time of living another life. Who wouldn't want to trade places with a fabulous twin? In some films of this diverse genre like "Dave" and "Trading Places" we learn that the greenest grass may best be accomplished by watering our own lawns. Or something meaningful like that. Such is life in the movies.
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