Un corgi sotto l'albero

Hunter King plays Cecily, a corgi dog trainer who is hired to help Prince Edmond, played by Jordan Reno, who inexplicably bought a rescue corgi. I didn't really buy the premise, and I thought Reno looked more like a California surfer than an heir to the throne of the latest fake monarchy ("Comfrey"). But the dogs are really cute.

I'm really only writing this review to react (negatively) to Cecily's repeated bowing to royalty.

Americans should be polite, but they shouldn't bow to foreign leaders. This may be a bit lawyerly (I can't help it, I'm a lawyer) but the US Constitution (Article I, section 9, clause 8) prohibits titles of nobility or monarchy in the U. S. and it is considered inappropriate for Americans to bow or curtsy towards any foreign monarch or noble. We fought a war to get rid of kings and queens.

Nevertheless, in fairness to how the character was written, Cecily is a bit of a ditzy nervous fish out of water who undoubtedly wasn't sure what the protocol was. It's come to my attention (through my daughter) that the King sisters have generated rather strong mixed reactions. Joey King has built a successful career (the Kissing Booth) and Hunter King was entertaining in Hallmark's Hidden Gems. I find them appealing in an unconventional way and they're both talented. But I can see how that might not be a universal view.

This was actually a pleasant movie to watch. The corgis are cute and are wisely included in most of the scenes. One of my favorite scenes is when the future king is told to address the dog's "basic needs" by picking up its poop.

I can do without the overused "almost kiss" which occurs here during a "steamy" scene.

I enjoyed the reference to Charlotte's Web by E. B. White:

"We take to the breeze, we go as we please."

Prince Edmond dreams of such freedom, and Cecily has it.

I keep saying that I'm tired of the Royal and Regular Person trope but I have to admit, this wasn't a bad entry in the long list of Hallmark movies that repackage that trope.

A Royal Corgi Christmas? Give me a break.

But I know sometimes Hallmark gives stupid names to some pretty good movies.

Then I saw it was directed by Clare Niederpruem, who directed Holiday for Heroes, Christmas Bow and One December Night, good movies all.

I am really sick of the whole royalty thing, but they keep making them so they must appeal to someone.

This was a little different.

The American commoner is a dog trainer hired by the monarchy to tame a Corgi which has been gifted to the queen by her son. She is clumsily respectful at first, but in time she comes to interact with them as people and eventually comes to playfully mock them and their royal trappings.

Hunter King as Cecily is so good. She is not the typical Hallmark beauty, but her personality is what makes her special. This is not to say she's unattractive.

She and Jordan Renzo as the prince have excellent chemistry.

Julie Lamberton as the princess is also excellent. I would not be surprised to see her in leading roles in the near future.

The only reason I would grade down a little is the traditional Hallmark misunderstanding at the 100 minute mark is a little clumsy, and the reconciliation left me scratching my head a little.

Otherwise, well worth watching.

There have been nannies, and world-class skaters, and matchmakers, and so many other excuses to spend time with a king or a prince. Another royal angle usually sees the prince or princess in the US where he or she is thrown together with the commoner in their world. This time it's a dog trainer at the castle. The prince has the reputation of a playboy but that persona is never seen in this movie.

There are gags centering around the dog's antics. There is some castle politics, but this queen and mother is surprisingly welcoming and so not the source of the problem.

The leads have mild chemistry. The acting is OK. The dialogue is OK. But there are no great highs or lows or surprises.

Prince Edmond (Jordan Renzo) is the thoughtless heir apparent. He gives his Queen mother a corgi for Christmas. The untrained dog wrecks havoc at a televised event. Cecily (Hunter King) is brought in to train the dog although she insists that she train the prince as well.

Hunter King is trying to be funny for a little bit. The prince is rather nothing. They are two hot pretty people and that alone would generate some superficial heat. I rather have a little girl owning the dog. Hunter can have more fun with the kid and the dog. The prince can fall in love with who essentially is the nanny. I mostly enjoy the dog and a little bit of Hunter. That's it. It's a bland Hallmark Christmas.

Let's face it, most of the originality in this film goes to the dogs. They're cute and you do get a couple of almost real dog-training tips out of the experience.

For the romance, we have a famous dog trainer with a successful book and a Youtube presence, and a screw-up prince who may soon become King when his mother steps down from the throne. Of course, she has a long-denied romance with a handsome royal advisor. Don't they all?

The princess would have stolen the movie if they gave her more scenes, they did a better job of writing that character than the romantic leads, who seem to fall in love more because they like the problem dog than they find real affinity themselves.

The ending is utterly predictable with the unsolvable crisis occurring with a mere seven minutes of screen time left to suddenly solve it ... which is the timing for 95% of Hallmark romances.

Still, there were some fun moments and a couple of real laughs. For us, it's worth a watch but not repeat viewings.