film review: chalet girl

The British romantic/teen comedy Chalet Girl follows the story of Kim (Felicity Jones), a pretty tomboy who accepts a job at a ski resort in Austria to help support her struggling father (Bill Bailey). It begins as your typical fish-out-of-water comedy – at first Kim doesn’t fit in with her roommate, the beautiful but snobbish Georgie (Tamsin Egerton). Nor does she initially meet the expectations her employers, the Chalet owners Caroline (Brooke Shields) and Richard (the always charming Bill Nighy).

Kim quickly becomes immersed in a world very different from her own where people drink $500 bottles of Champagne daily and eat caviar with their eggs for breakfast. Initially hopeless at snowboarding, Kim soon learns that she is a ‘natural’ and decides to train for an upcoming competition with a $25,000 cash prize. In the meantime she also develops a liking for Johnny (Gossip Girl’s Ed Westwick) who is unfortunately already in a relationship with Chloe (Sophia Bush). But of course, all of Kim’s problems are resolved in the end.

The film is about ‘taking chances’ and ‘believing in yourself’ and while the storyline is far from original and Kim’s transition into a snowboarding pro is a bit unbelievable, it is filled with a few laughs. Rising star Felicity Jones is also refreshingly likeable. Viewers should enjoy the beautiful shots of the Austrian alps, while snowboarding fans should appreciate the appearance of real life professional snowboarder Tara Dakidas. The film doesn’t take it itself too seriously, but it’s fun to watch.