A Royal Christmas Match

It seems almost a rule that the lead protagonists start out as antagonistic. In this movie Ben is so rude to Camille during her teaching that I'm amazed she was civil with him. This lasts through a considerable portion of the movie. Then it disappears almost instantly. One would think that much of the remaining part of the movie would be Camille and Ben developing a romance, but that's not so. Much of the latter portion of the movie is about Morgana and university politics. It includes a vindictive duchess.

All movies need to have some conflict. The conflict in this movie is unusual for what one would expect is a romantic Christmas movie. And the conflict is dissolved by some hocus pocus which is manufactured totally out of the blue. It might as well have been Santa appearing and granting a wish. It has almost no lead in.

The acting is fair to poor. The dialogue is fair. The romance is almost as poorly executed as the climax. Other than a lot of snow and a Christmas tree, the movie has little to do with Christmas.

Jeers to another reviewer who gives full out spoilers without marking them but at least you have to expand the text to get to them. It's fine if you hate the movie, but that doesn't justify untagged spoilers.

As the previous reviewer you hate to leave this kind of review for all those involved, but you have to have to provide an honest review to all those interested in investing their time watching this movie as they wont be getting paid for it like those involved in the production.

This was full of cringe level acting and I watched it as it came up as the Christmas movie of the day on Paramount plus platform yesterday Saturday 12th November 2022. I had to stop after 20 minutes like the previous reviewer but I decided today it was only fair to finish it before I judge .

It seemed really rushed the sequencing in the movie. Problem? Solved here are some old documents. No need for the princes to struggle for a few minutes within the script of the movie. Further problem about the land not being owned by the College? Solved INSTANTLY with more documents. The dad at the end giving his blessing to peruse a relationship with his daughter by the University Professor and he even then is rushed by her dad to take advantage of the blessing. The image of the college buildings as well just doesn't look easy to accept given it's nearby location and there was an occasion when the professor was playing snow ball fight with the princess... and I urge you if you were to watch it to jump to that scene at 32 minutes they provided them with what I can only assume was salt granules! Is that the most realistic substance to snow they could provide given the budget of the movie? You would forgive that if this movie was shot 60 years ago! That level of careless attention was a running theme in what I can only assume was a task to produce just any old movie to add to the platform. Its sad. Creativity & originality is dead.

The movie has virtually nothing to do with Christmas except for the snow and some Christmas trees. The acting is subpar all around. And a royal family with a flat Canadian accent is almost as bad as the horrible faux British accents that are thrown around through these films, eh?

Their careless use of CGI and Photoshop is very disappointing and cheapens the whole production.

The movie seems in a rush to make sure no conflict was allowed to develop and thereby be resolved in the latter part of the film. No matter what crisis pops up, it is almost immediately resolved. When you lose the conflict in the story line, it falls flat.

And once again, can we talk about REALISTIC snow please? For pity's sake production crew, step u your game. It's a Wonderul Life had better snow than y'all do.

Didn't finish the movie You shouldn't start it.

This is the story of the Maldovian Princess Camille who is desperate to save her beloved Maldovian University, so while on a press tour of America, she tries to pitch an exchange program to the president of an American university and meets the professor of diplomacy, Ben.

Ben and Camille are absolutely perfect together and the actors, Jordana Largy and Matthew MacCaull, have wonderful chemistry with one another.

Things are wrapped up rather neatly at the end...but I for one didn't care because this is beautiful escapism. I wish my college courses were taught in classrooms like depicted in this film. I would have loved it!

To satisfy the Christmas aficionados there is mulled wine, peppermint flavored coffee, snowman building, a snow ball fight, Christmas tree decorating, and even a Christmas ball. The best part is the little bit of comedy that kind of pokes fun at itself.

Matthew MacCaull is a real standout in this film. He plays a chivalrous gentleman very well...and the profession of professor fit well on him.

This is a recommendation for holiday movie and romantic fans out there.

A "royal" family with a flat, Canadian accent? Ottawa's Chateau Laurier with a neon vertical "hotel" sign photoshopped to the side of the building? Please.

I wrestled with the suspension of disbelief for a while, but the heavy up front focus on academia is too boring for me to continue beyond the 20 minute mark. Other than some background Christmas trees, it's not at all obvious that this is a Christmas-themed flick.

I feel bad for all who were involved in production. It takes a lot of work to pull off any sort of movie, only to be insulted with lousy writing and editing that lacks any sort of attention to detail.