Kidman's Grace Humiliated at Cannes

To say the premiere of Grace of Monaco, with Nicole Kidman in the title role, did not go well last night at Cannes would be an understatement. In an absolutely scathing review at the Guardian, Peter Bradshaw calls the biopic "a breathtaking catastrophe ... a film so awe-inspiringly wooden that it is basically a fire-risk," comparing it to "a 104-minute Chanel ad, only without the subtlety and depth." A separate Guardian article rounds up similarly awful reviews and wonders, "Is there a critic who liked it?" Fox News' amusing headline take: "Grace of Monaco called a great comedy, which is bad, because it's a drama." (And yes, the article notes, there were "many audible laughs" during the screening.)

The Los Angeles Times notes that the premiere itself was "awkward," thanks to a disagreement between the French filmmakers and the Weinstein Co., which is distributing the film in the US. Harvey Weinstein doesn't like the French cut of the movie, which is what screened at Cannes, and he wasn't even in attendance. The audience seemed to agree with him, the Times notes: "Cannes opening-night films tend to generate standing ovations of at least five or six minutes, but the clapping after this one was mostly polite, and it was over after a brief two." Also adding to the drama: Princess Grace's children have called the movie a "farce," USA Today notes. But Kidman is standing behind the film, telling the BBC she doesn't regret the role. (More Princess Grace stories.)