Chalet Girl (2011) Poster

(2011)

User Reviews

Review this title
49 Reviews
Sort by:
Filter by Rating:
5/10
Amazingly predictable but watchable all the same
Red-Barracuda25 March 2011
There surely can't be too many people who come away from Chalet Girl saying that it didn't deliver what they expected it to. It's almost charmingly clichéd and completely predictable at every moment. Whether or not this will bother you or not is entirely down to your tolerance for the romantic-comedy genre. I personally would classify it as a perfectly watchable movie; although it is 100% unremarkable.

Its main angle I suppose is its setting. The Alps are very beautiful and this doesn't harm the film. The snowboarding part is dealt with in a relatively minor way, as the main thrust of the plot is of the comic and romantic kind - the snobbishness of skiers, the almost angelic goodness of the boarders, the tart with a heart, the posh boy who falls for the chalet girl, etc etc. It's all very one dimensional, although it does have to be said that leading actress Felicity Jones does make for a good enough principal girl; however, her male counterpart Ed Westwick did seem very wooden to me. And I still can't fathom why they went to the trouble of hiring a skilled comedian like Bill Bailey when all his character amounts to is a man who can't cook his dinner.

At the end of the day Chalet Girl is a chick-flick with snowboards. There's nothing new here but I've also seen Snowboard Academy, and that film makes this one seem like The Godfather by comparison. So there's a positive note to end this on.
45 out of 49 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
7/10
Its not a 'downhill' movie
shead2327 January 2012
Chalet Girl is a feel good movie and offers the viewer comedy, romance and some good photographic shots. Its a film which starts with Felicity Jones (Kim ) delivering a very 'slick' main character role. Her delivery of the part just hit the spot thus you felt you were there with her throughout the movie. I would say its definitely a gender type film, more a 'girly' movie but thats perhaps not fair as it has a 'full rounded' story which would appeal to both genders really. The storyline is simple, opportunity, relationships and fears. The overcoming of all is part of the simplistic joy of the film. I don't agree with comments of the film being boring but perhaps my aforementioned comments re gender would support these negative reviews. The acting was very good and all roles complimented each other, fitting in and all loose ends were tied up. Also it was a pleasure to watch a film which did not need to resort to copious amounts of foul language. A nice, easy, enjoyable film which leaves one feeling lifted and has the 'ahhhh' factor.
17 out of 18 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
7/10
Predictable storyline but unmissable
nicole_ward30 March 2011
Went to see this film with a friend as I love Ed Westwick. The film itself looked good however I did not expect it to be as good as it was. The storyline is very typical however the script has been written very well.

It is so nice to have a new English film out once in a while instead of American. I do love American films but the humour is not as great as English. Chalet girl is a great film without being over the top. It is not cheesy and has great characters to follow.

This film is great throughout and I recommend people go and watch it; even guys as it is not just a girl chick flick film. With the great actors and great script this film is overall fantastic and should be watched by all.
36 out of 44 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
7/10
A movie about skiing and having fun and being yourself
felix-wyderka24 March 2017
I very much enjoy British movies and this is a particularly good one. Felicity Jones is as charming as ever and in a role totally different from what we have seen so far. Her snowboarding skills are impressive too although most of the stunts probably were done by a stunt woman. "Chalet Girl" is a charming movie about a young girl who like some of us struggles with life until a big opportunity presents itself. Once Kim is out in Austria the movie starts. This movie is a rather a TV-movie made for a quiet day at home with your family than for the big screen and that is exactly how it feels and that is good. And while there is no major tension or excitement the movie still doesn't disappoint. The charm and quirkiness of all the characters makes this so enjoyable to watch. Especially the German and Austrian actors have some funny one liners and make the feel genuine. I really got the feeling of a real skiing holiday while watching this movie and it made want to put on mine. The fact that most things feel so authentic and are exactly like they are on real ski- runs makes the movie even better. Long story short "Chalet Girl" is lovely movie about skiing and having fun and just being yourself.
7 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
6/10
Fun loving simple sports romance
saadgkhan8 May 2012
Chalet Girl – CATCH IT (B) Chalet girl is a story about a former skateboard champion who after a tragic death of her mother living a life in anonymity. To make more money she joins the elite posh servicing company which sends her off to Austria. The movie is really light and fun loving. There are no hardcore dramatic scenes, and in the backdrop of snowboarding we see a love story of a normal girl falling for rich guy. Felicity Jones did a fine job playing tomboy girl falling for British lad Ed Westwick. Ed Westwick, the infamous Chuck Bass from Gossip Girl was impressive, losing all that aggressive American tone. Tamsin Edgerton, Georgia King and German Lad Ken Duken have some really fun moments in the movie. Brooke Shields, Sophia Bush, Nicholas Braun and Bill Nighy are good in their respective parts. Overall, it's an enjoyable British movie for sports and romance fans.
9 out of 10 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
A fish out of water and into the snow. Can she board?
TxMike23 June 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I found this on Netflix streaming movies. I actually wanted to see what Brooke Shields is doing in movies lately, she plays the wife and mother in a super rich family that vacations in the Austrian Alps.

The story is about Felicity Jones (mid-20s) playing 19-yr-old Kim, an English girl who works at a fast food place. She had been an avid and good skateboarder as a teen but after a car wreck which injured her and killed her mum she has not been the same.

Looking for better work she is declined at an interview (not 'posh' enough) but as she prepares to leave is snapped up, seems someone just canceled and they needed someone, anyone.

So the main of the story is in Austrian ski country with this English girl certainly a fish out of water with no idea what to do on the snow. But a chance encounter with a boy on a snowboard gets her attention, and ultimately she is training for the big money prize to be offered in an upcoming snowboard competition.

This movie is made or broken on Jones' acting and she carries it well. Her character of Kim is interesting and fun, she not only gets into the snowboarding competition but she also gets into the competition for the hand of the rich son of the Chalet family.

A nicely entertaining movie.
4 out of 4 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
6/10
Likable actors in predictable movie
SnoopyStyle15 June 2014
Kim Matthews (Felicity Jones) used to be a hot skateboarding champ. After the death of her mother, she mysteriously disappeared from skateboarding and takes a fast food job to support her father (Bill Bailey). She tries to get a catering job in an exclusive resort in the Austria for four months but her low rent ways don't fit the bill. Then a spot opens up and she's all there is. The posh world is baffling to her. Georgie (Tamsin Egerton) can't believe who the agency sent her as the new Chalet Girl. The family arrives with Jonny (Ed Westwick), his father Richard (Bill Nighy), his mother Caroline (Brooke Shields), his girlfriend Chloe and her brother Nigel (Nicholas Braun).

It's a very conventional movie with questionable setups. I know she doesn't want to skateboard but there has to be a better setup for it all. And they must be smoking something if they think holding back the reveal will elevate the emotions. Felicity Jones is suppose to be a tomboy but she has never given off that vibe in any of her movies. All she really does is wear less makeup and more regular clothes. She has to tomboy it up more. It's also too unbelievable that the agency sent her for the job. The father is silly. Couldn't they give him a disability that requires her to take care of him? I like a lot of the actors in this including Felicity Jones. They are bearable in this all too predictable movie. It is just relentlessly pushing the two leads together inevitably to their sappy relationship. This is a relationship that exists in movie montages. Other than taking no risks, there is nothing wrong with this. The rom is very predictable and the com is fairly bland.
6 out of 7 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
5/10
Likable romcom but...
jane_concannon13 April 2011
Warning: Spoilers
This is a sweet and quite likable comedy but it could have been so much better...

The acting on the whole was awful - especially from the 'love interest' Robert Pattinson look-a-likey Ed Westwick.

I guess all romcoms are somewhat predictable, but in this it was painfully obvious what was going to happen.

The plot was ridiculous in places - with a complete novice learning to snowboard to competition level within a matter of weeks.

Despite all these criticisms I kind of enjoyed it (mainly for the snowboarding and the Alps) but would neither recommend it nor want to watch it again. Perhaps more one to watch at home if you have some time to kill and there was nothing much else on.
13 out of 22 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
8/10
Predictable Yet Very Enjoyable Rom-Com
moossaboossa7 October 2011
It's rare that when watching a chick flick, I find myself laughing out of genuine humour: but such was the case in Chalet Girl. Not only does it boast a pleasingly sarcastic dialogue and delightfully witty characters, but it offers just the right amount of romance and cheese to avoid 93 minutes of cringing. The story was very uplifting, albeit predictable, and the photography was worthy of a gasp or two. Set in the beautiful Austrian alps, this movie contained the perfect ingredients for a light and enjoyable flick: humour, romance, dramatic twist and happy ending. Perhaps it's not Oscar worthy, but it's certainly worth an hour and a half of your time.
39 out of 40 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
6/10
Felicity Jones is great as Chalet Girl. :)
JimmyCollins26 September 2011
Felicity Jones is such a great up and comer, she will certainly have a long career ahead of her, she's got an extremely likable screen presence. The story of Chalet Girl is sweet and innocent, but not too innocent, the character of Kim makes thus film not the annoying cheesy romance it so easily could have been.

If it was American it would not have been as enjoyable, even the one American character in the film (Brooke Shields), is the most annoying of all of them, even though she plays trophy wife to perfection she is still very mean and annoying.

Ed Westwick impressed me also, I thought he wouldn't be able to shake off the whole Chuck Bass characterization, but Henie convincing as the nice rich boy who falls for the working class Kim.

The alps where the movie is filmed are absolutely gorgeous, it's movies like this that make you want to go on holidays. The performances all round are wonderful but like I said earlier this movie belongs to Jones. She's just lovely.

I hope you enjoy it. Quite different to the usual romantic comedy but much better also. :)
9 out of 12 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
1/10
It's snow joke
diekabine24 December 2022
I would recommend this film if you have just had a full frontal lobotomy. If not, it's 90 predicable minutes of your life you will not get back.

It's classed as a 'comedy' so you might get lucky sueing the producers of this film under the Trade Descriptions Act (misrepresentation). I truely do believe somebody should be held accountable for this film , if only to ensure that nobody, anywhere, ever, has the idea of making 'Chalet Girl 2'.

Checking the Internet, there seems to be no immediate danger of 'Chalet Girl 2', but better safe than sorry.

One day I will smile, and think of this film in the wider context of a misspent youth, but only once my memory of the content fades, and also once I've paid off the replacement TV I had to buy after headbutting the screen about 2/3 of the way though, just after I had momentarily lost the power of thought.

Avoid.
4 out of 5 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
8/10
Awfully cliché and very feel good
tom-hughes956 July 2016
It shames me to admit it but this film, despite being utterly predictable and terribly cliché is, heartwarming, funny and very feel good. I enjoyed it more than I'm proud of. I only watched the film because of Bill Nighy is in it who although only having a small part to play, plays it very well (obviously). The film is based around a snowboarding competition entered by Kim (Felicity Jones) having never snowboarded but previously being a skateboarding prodgy (you'll understand after you watch the film). Despite this being the theme of the film, the backstory romance becomes more of the film than the boarding.

The humour is very dry and very British, everything is a bit awkward but this is clearly intended and adds a touch of realness to the film despite how predictable everything is.

Basically if you're looking through the comments to find out if you should watch it; then if it's a Sunday afternoon or you have a few hours to kill then I say yes. You certainly won't regret it, it's easy to watch and fun. If you're looking for a film to work your brain however, this is definitely not it.
15 out of 16 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
7/10
Hoping for a better job and pay, instead she discovered herself.
Reno-Rangan4 March 2017
I think it was a much better film. I just wanted a good entertainment and I got that. Though the story is not fresh enough. In fact, it is comparable to the recent sports-biopic, I mean that came much later to this, 'Eddie the Eagle'. Looks even the filmed location was same. Quite similar theme when it comes to the sporting events, but there's a wide gap on how it was played and by whom.

From the director of 'All about Steve'. Firstly, it was a sport film and then romance attached to it in the required opening slot. So pretty inspiring to focus on something in our life to reach the heights. There's no shortcuts, it's always a hard work. In the film, that concept was funnily told. Encountering a new world, and discovering new things. It includes friendship, love and dedication in what one believes in.

Great cast, except the love interest of Felicity Jones. He wasn't bad, but the chemistry did not work, even in the short span of their romance in the tale. Anyway, the romance parts were too cliché, but neglectable as it has little value. Because there are other reasons to like the film. The stunts are not extraordinary, just simple and realistic. The film will work for most of the people if they're not expecting too much. This is not some chick flick, a better film than that.

6.5/10
5 out of 6 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
5/10
Snowjob
MadamWarden7 October 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Cutesy romcom. Not really much to it but pleasant enough poor girl meets rich boy, falls in love, learns to snowboard, wins Pro competition in 8 weeks, rich boy breaks off engagement with gorgeous rich gal. All live happily ever after.

Ummm, don't think I left anything out....
2 out of 3 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
6/10
sports genre predictably meets teen girl coming-of-age in British indie
napierslogs4 March 2012
Starring Felicity Jones as Kim, "Chalet Girl" is supposed to be a mix of the teen girl and sports genre while making fun of those that live in the privileged bubble. Although it does run the course exactly as expected, it is a British indie version with a very likable lead actress.

In a recent interview, Jones indicated that she only picks roles with unique characters or characters that require her to stretch beyond her abilities. While I do admire everything she's done, I don't quite see how the very simplistic Chalet Girl fits in to her maxim. Kim is a tomboy, a teen skateboarding champion, who, after the death of her mother, resigns herself to taking care of her father and working a dead end job. One of the better parts is that her father can actually take care of himself, almost. We understand why she thinks she needs to be there, but he's not so incompetent that he's despicable.

In search of better pay, Kim is off to an exclusive catering job. The job requires her to be tall, blonde and have a four-syllable name which rhymes with Bella. She is, of course, none of those things, but she is available to move to Austria on a few hours notice.

In Austria, she meets a cute, unavailable guy, rich, demanding families, and tall, privileged blondes. Life is looking like it's going to be pretty miserable until she discovers snowboarding. Kim has the chance to win a lucrative cash prize in a snowboarding competition, and vie for the attentions of the cute, unavailable client.

I was really hoping that "Chalet Girl" would go for a different ending, but alas, you will have seen this movie many times before. But at least it is the British indie version.
4 out of 5 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
6/10
Very underrated romantic comedy
lisafordeay1 January 2024
Warning: Spoilers
Chalet Girl is a 2011 Sports Romantic Comedy starring Felicity Jones,Ed Westwick,Sophia Bush,Brooke Shields,Bill Bailey Tasmin Egerton and Bill Nighy.

The story centres on a 19-year-old tomboy named Kim Matthews (Jones)who used to be a champion skateboarder, but she is now stuck at a dead-end job trying to support her father(Bailey).

However things take a turn when she gets a catering job in one of the most exclusive chalets in the Alps. At first, Kim is shocked by this as she gets to meet posh people and also gets another chance of snowboarding as well as getting the chance to win prize money at the big end-of-season competition.

Things however take a turn when Kim meets Jonny(Eastwick) a charming man who's parents happen to be well off(Shields and Nighy). However he already has American girlfriend (Bush) who his mother wants him to marry,but will he end up with Kim instead?.

Overall I found this to be very underrated. Today was actually my first viewing of this film(as its been out since 2011) and I've heard it's a very overlooked film. If you like Eddie The Eagle then you'll like this.

Available on Netflix(2023).
2 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
7/10
Young girl finds work as a chalet girl and falls for her boss. Typical Rom-com.
hannahnewport27 November 2011
Warning: Spoilers
This is your typical Rom-com, it has the innocent teenager seeking work and money and then comes the hunky boss. They are immediately attracted and flirty towards each other. She is a pro-skateboarder and has recently lost her mum in a car accident so he feels sorry for her, she teaches him how to snowboard and then they get caught by his self-centred mum the morning after. As usual there is an engagement, he is due to marry the girl of his mums dreams but he realises that Kim is the one. Kim wins the competition and as I predicted at the beginning he then turns up and they live 'happily ever after'. I realised when I turned it on that it would be your usual soppy Rom-com and to be truthful it was, but the Tom-boy/skater idea and the setting really did I for me, so in the end I was wanting to watch it again and again. This isn't for the non-romantic type so I wouldn't recommend it to everyone.
2 out of 3 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
3/10
Predictable guff
edwardrevans25 February 2012
Warning: Spoilers
I had high hopes for this film, as I have heard it spoken of quite highly. Its well acted and its well acted well... thats it the plot is so predictable its laughable. Big neon signs metaphorically adorn the screen stating the obvious, oh we need money I'll enter a competition, oh i'm not good enough to enter because i have a fear of doing something, but hey maybe I will overcome this when it really matters! We have seen all this before on the made for TV and direct to DVD, we all try to avoid. Now for the subplot cause there's always a sub plot. Ordinary girl meets Rich boy, boy is engaged to be married fill in the guys viewers.
4 out of 9 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
9/10
I wanted to hate this
nickmorgan0227 February 2011
Warning: Spoilers
I wanted to hate this, I really did. I'm on the sharp end of a divorce so going into a romantic comedy for me, well it's like a vegan booking an abattoir weekend.

I was strong-armed into a preview show under the notion that it was Cinderella on a Snowboard and to a certain extent this is correct, Kim (Felicity Jones) is a downtrodden burger-queen-teen with zero prospects trapped in a co-dependent rut with her culinary incompetent dad (Bill Bailey) and nursing grief for her mother - who died in a car crash.

In a series of unlikely twists Kim lands a job as a Chalet Girl with super-rich family in beautiful Austria, enter Prince Charming (lush Ed Westwick) who is – horror show – engaged to somebody he like – so completely – doesn't love.

While romance runs its roller-coaster course Kim learns to snowboard and finds she's gifted – well to a point – because the psychological scaring of her mum's death holds her back from winning the local boarding trophy – and a very useful cash prize.

While the set-up is pure Cinderella the execution is all Rocky.

As Kim was fighting the odds I found myself rooting for her: when she crashed in the snow I felt her pain and when she got up and faced her demons I felt her determination, god I even cried at one point – in a quiet manly way.

There are plenty of clichés: including a tart who – guess what – grows a heart, but despite all of that I just found myself going along with it. No, not just going along with it, but loving it.

The success is partly down to a script that punches well above its weight: the sharp banter runs like this:

Posh Richard (Bill Nighy): (pointing at a helicopter) You ever been in one of these things? Kim: (impressed but ultra-cool) Yeah, we have one at home. This one's pretty small actually. Posh Richard: Do we pay extra for irony? Kim: No, the irony's free, it's the sarcasm you're paying for. Ironically...

But the success is mostly down to Felicity Jones - she's hardly off screen and start-to-finish she oozes a hypnotic charm that wraps itself around you from go. Then there's the scenery too. The snow and chalet scenes are shot in Austria, in particular St Anton where 'The Museum' is used for exterior shots of the posh chalet – well, they are stunning.

Between the location, Felicity and even (strangely enough) Ed Westwick I left the cinema with my love for humanity and indeed the world in much better shape than when I went in.

I'm still being divorced of course, but after the film I feel slightly better about the process.
35 out of 43 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
7/10
Predictable and a nice one-time watch!
asb_deutsch27 November 2018
The cinematography was stunning. It was more about being yourself. The ending was a way too predictable. Even without Felicity Jones stripping her clothes and covering her modesty with gloves and hats, her character was well developed. But the main reason was to watch it because of Tamsin Egerton's birthday. She looked sensational and I was expecting her to strip but maybe next time...Happy 30th Birthday!
1 out of 1 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
4/10
Brain Dead Amateurish Production
nwsts13 May 2011
I won't go into detail because it doesn't deserve it. I write this review only to warn off folks getting the mistaken impression that this is a winsome movie....it is not. I'm not sure what's going on with the high praise, for example, Rottentomatoes currently ranks this movie with 84%. Odd for something so highly unoriginal and unfunny. Worse still, it has a straight-to-video look that adds to the lightweight feel. I was bored to death waiting for something interesting to happen. All of that said, it is certainly a passable, albeit boring, film to watch and I can only presume that this quality is what is generating the passing marks being given out by RT critics and IMDb users. My suggestion would be for a romantic comedy with a British flair try Bridget Jones Diary or The Holiday.
14 out of 49 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
funny and lighthearted, My favorite movie
aubreymarie-4560017 August 2015
One of my absolute favorite movies. I found it on accident and now it is my go to movie when I am bored and want something to watch. I recommend this movie to all of my friends and I think anyone looking for something to watch should see this movie.

It has many funny and ironic moments making it a lighthearted romantic movie. I find myself constantly finding more and more things that make me laugh whenever I watch this.

I have loved Ed Westwick ever since watching Gossip girl and he does an amazing job in this movie. Felicity Jones does a wonderful job as well to be sarcastic but not too over the top.

Anyone who wants a great movie to watch and enjoy should see this movie!
14 out of 16 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
7/10
Silly but comforting. Will watch repeatedly
boots-5762815 November 2023
This movie is about a young woman finding herself after a tragedy and yet at the same time it's a lighthearted rom com. The cast is comprised of some familiar faces, a few of whom are pretty big names. This movie is silly, easy to watch, and nothing extremely monumental, and yet it is comforting to watch. This should be the type of movie you watch once, maybe a second time if it's on tv or a friends suggests watching it, and yet somehow this movie has become one that I rediscover every couple of years and watch as engaged as the first time I've watched it. I can't explain it, so instead I guess I'll just enjoy it.
1 out of 1 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
2/10
A waste of 2 hours
madpinto28 April 2019
This movie has a big cast, yet we weren't expecting much more than a silly, funny romcom. Unfortunately, this film takes predictability to levels higher than the tallest Ausfrian peaks. The "humor" is obvious, the characters are shallow (even by romcom standards), and the plot offers nothing of interest unless you are a fan of My Little Pony. I sure this is a fine movie to keep the little ones entertained on a rainy afternoon, but everyone else should ski around this rock of a flick.
4 out of 10 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
nice but not very nice
scriptie-eisma28 June 2011
All is OK in this movie: nice plot, nice setting. For me the problem was that both the snowboarding and romance elements of the movie were not well executed: The story of learning to snowboard was poor (in a flash she learned it more or less), and the love-story was even poorer: the guy she ends up with should be a bad guy left with nothing (too good-looking, too slick). The guy who ends up with the girl in these kind of movies should always be an anti-hero. In conclusion: nice movie but they should have used another actor for the guy-part of the romance. This guy was just a good looking, but empty person. A clumsy but nice character as the romantic counterpart would have worked much better. A chance lost.
4 out of 14 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
An error has occured. Please try again.

See also

Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews


Recently Viewed