'Monte Carlo': BFFs in Paris

All I can say is, it's a good thing Miley Cyrus didn't star in "Monte Carlo." Had Miss Cyrus, what with her abrasive drawl, been the lead instead of demure, baby-faced fellow Disney-ite Selena Gomez, this teenybop fantasy would have lost a great deal of its charm.

Gomez's Grace is a Texas teen dreaming of Paris, saving up tips from her waitress job to visit the City of Light. After graduation, she and her best friend, Emma (David Cassidy's leggy daughter Katie Cassidy, the only character who attempts a Southern accent), head overseas, though Grace's bump-on-a-log stepsister Meg ("Gossip Girl"'s Leighton Meester) is along to rain on their parade.

At first, the Paris vacation is a letdown, all crummy hotel and lame scenic tours. Then a case of mistaken identity has good-girl Grace pretending to be her nasty British heiress doppelganger, Cordelia Winthrop Scott, also played by Gomez. Cue the opulent hotels and a whirlwind stay in fancy-schmancy Monte Carlo, where Grace/Cordelia is the guest of honor at a charity ball.

When the three girls aren't donning Oscar de la Renta gowns and Bulgari gems, they're learning the life lessons that come along with adulthood. Meg learns to loosen up with the help of a free-spirited Australian hunk, while Emma discovers that her down-home Texas roots aren't appreciated by European royalty. Grace tries to stay true to herself while wearing the Louboutins of the selfish Cordelia.

"Monte Carlo" is a harmless vehicle for its three fledgling starlets to find their footing as actresses. Not one of the young women could hold this movie on her own; Gomez is adorably likable, but not quite confident enough in a starring role. Meester and Cassidy play relatively one-dimensional characters, which is to be expected for supporting players in a tween movie. Each girl tries her best to be a baby Carole Lombard as the script gives them ample opportunity for physical comedy and high jinks.

"Monte Carlo"'s target audience will love it, and if you can look past the predictable plot and a few clunky moments, it's a sweet chunk of easy and cute escapism.