Un Prince pour Olivia

Your typical commoner girl (this time a writer with writer's block) recently dumped and a "typical" prince who happen to meet on this beautiful marine preserve and the rest is predictable. This movie has a slightly different bent in which the reveal happens earlier than usual and the resulting dilemma takes more time to resolve while the writer is confronted with more of a intellectual problem than usual. The scenery is gorgeous, and the pacing is competently presented. For those interested in the by now well-used rom-com story with a little more bite, this movie has all elements that romantics have come to expect and a tad bit more.

"A Royal in Paradise" is a delightful TV movie that transports viewers into a world of romance, royalty, and tropical charm. With its captivating storyline, charming characters, and picturesque settings, this film offers a wonderful escape from reality.

The movie tells the enchanting story of Emily, a spirited young woman who unexpectedly finds herself entangled in a royal affair while on vacation in a paradise-like island. As she navigates the complexities of love and the expectations of royalty, Emily's journey becomes a whirlwind of emotions, laughter, and self-discovery.

What makes "A Royal in Paradise" truly special is the chemistry between the cast members. The talented ensemble brings their characters to life, immersing the audience in a world of romance and intrigue. The lead actors deliver heartfelt performances, drawing us into their blossoming love story and making us root for their happiness.

The picturesque island setting serves as a breathtaking backdrop for the film. From pristine beaches to lush landscapes, the cinematography captures the beauty of paradise, making viewers long to step into the screen and experience it firsthand. The attention to detail in the production design adds to the allure, creating an atmosphere that is both luxurious and inviting.

While the movie embraces certain familiar tropes of the romantic genre, it does so with a refreshing twist. The story offers unexpected plot twists and turns, keeping viewers engaged and guessing. It successfully balances lighthearted moments with moments of genuine emotion, striking a satisfying blend that ensures the film's appeal to a wide audience.

In addition to its romantic core, "A Royal in Paradise" also explores themes of self-discovery, personal growth, and the power of following one's heart. These deeper undertones add a layer of substance to the film, elevating it beyond a mere romantic escapade.

From the heartfelt performances to the stunning visuals and engaging storyline, "A Royal in Paradise" is a TV movie that manages to capture the essence of romance, royalty, and tropical bliss. Whether you're a fan of love stories or simply looking for an enjoyable escape, this film is bound to leave you with a warm and satisfied feeling. Sit back, relax, and let yourself be whisked away to paradise.

As an author, I'm always intrigued when they include a character in these movies who is also an author. Sadly, they very seldom make enough of that, and that's the case here. It would be interesting to get more of "the story of the story" on screen, instead of simply having the character be blocked and then suddenly they can write again because they got happier.

The first half of the movie is better than the second half, and that's not unusual in these made for cable romances, either. As the characters meet and get to know each other, the story is lively and at times amusing. After they get to know each other and things settle in, I thought it got kind of boring.

And of course, they HAD to throw in the "Queen wants to crush the romance" trope. Haven't we seen that time and again over the last decade?

This is not a Hallmark movie but it closely follows the typical Hallmark story arc. Two single people meet and are attracted to each other, something comes between them, later they overcome it and during the last minute they have their first kiss.

Cute and authentic Rhiannon Fish (about 30) plays romance novelist Olivia. Based in Manhattan, she is riding the wave of popularity of her latest book but seems stuck, full-on writer's block. She buys tickets for her and her fiance' to travel to a tropical island but at the same time he has started to break up with her. So her good friends convinces her the two of them should go together instead, Olivia can use the trip as an inspiration for her writing.

At the same time Alexander, a prince from a small (fictitious) country, is reading her novel. They meet accidentally, then later they both end up at the same tropical island, she on vacation and he on a charity trip to help raise money for conservation. They meet again, they hit it off, but Alexander's mother, the Queen, has other plans and tries to sabotage the relationship.

The movie plays better than a brief description can explain, it is interesting and entertaining all the way through. A good effort for this type of movie, a fluff piece with beautiful people and great scenery.

My wife and I watched it on FreeVee, streaming on Prime.

8.0 stars.

My review will be influenced primarily by a woman surnamed Fish. I love everything she does, she has the Midas touch. I've yet to watch any performance by her that leaves me cold or disappointed. Once again, we have a title debacle. What is the real title of this film? Who cares, I'm not going to make a big deal of it.

The writing is straight out of Hallmark's playbook. This might as well be a Hallmark. Heck, it probably is, but maybe they decided to give another channel a go at the whole royal-meets-commoner trope. Bad move guys, because this is one of the better royal romances of the dozens I've seen. I'd say this places i my top five thus far. I won't bore you with the plot, but just lay out the basic blueprint of this royal installment vs all others, and see where it lands in the grand scheme of royalty.

First: instead of the usual setting of a big city in America (even though it begins there), we end up on an island paradise. Is this in the Caribbean, is this a real island? I never researched it. But it looks like something south of, or near the equator.

Second: the prince opts to hide his identity from the commoner.

Third: the commoner is a successful writer, dating guru, or owner of a thriving business.

Fourth: the royal has an "evil" king or queen who is barking orders and having someone spy on them to be sure they aren't galavanting with an uncivilized American.

Fifth: the royal's assistant is part of the plot and ends up escorting, or dating the American love interest's best friend. And there is someone named Winston, whether an assistant, a butler, or bodyguard.

Sixth: the king or queen is also dating a lower level citizen in secret.

Seventh: when the identity of the royal is revealed, the other person gets very angry and breaks off the friendship because they were "misled" or "lied to", and they exclaim in great disappointment: "I trusted you". What was very refreshing in this particular instance, she is pragmatic and understands the situation and the pressures, and holds no grudge for his deceit.

Eighth: the king or queen persuades the commoner to break up with the royal, because the relationship would cheat said royal out of his/her rightful lot in life.

They could have mixed this up a bit, instead of him learning her identity as a famous author, keep that little secret from him for another 20 minutes, so both of them are masquerading. That would have been very interesting, maybe she finds out he's a prince and he discovers she's an author and they both keep it a secret, pretending all the while that they are still in the dark. Maybe incorporate quips, and comments, and puns and then the reveal and we all have a blast. They both knew that they knew, it could be funny for a moment.