Un prince pour Noël

"A Prince for Christmas" is one you will be able to watch twice each season. The actors are likeable (a MUST for these sorta - cheesy template Christmas romances), the writing is a level above the usual, and the characters are nice people you don't mind spending a couple hours with. It was shot in USA and in England (and a long - shot set piece in easter Europe), and unlike many of the seasonal films, it does not look cheaply made (which is not to say it looks like a multi-million dollar tent event, but it looks like the producers cared). This is a successful entry into the genre, and one which you should take the time to watch -- twice if you've the time.

As I have indicated in other IMDb reviews, it doesn't really matter what "country of origin" the production company chooses to stamp on its press releases, the Canuck film industry has over the years pretty much cornered the market on these specific type of X-mas treats, and you could not find a more typical variation if you tried.

The settings are Canadian, as is the crew, and the extras are so Canadian it hurts. (Although -- a mercy -- somewhere in this millennium Canada learned that the first priority for its films was teaching its actors to lose the accent.)

The story however is rock solid, the direction is more than competent, and the two leads, Viva Bianca and Kirk Barker are actually quite amazing. They work with the script very aggressively and sell it. Bianca in particular gives no indication she played the #1 heartless bi-yach in Spartacus and comes across as sweet, competent, someone you really would want to know.

Recommended.

Light, entertaining romantic comedy. A little predicable, but enjoyable.

One of the early movies in the royal and a commoner genre we're now flooded with. It lacks originality, charismatic actors, and sometimes even logic. The prince obviously took a commercial transatlantic flight to the US since he went incognito, so how the hell did he end up in the middle of nowhere instead of New York in the first place? Or did he travel in his ridiculous royal outfit the whole time the second time around? I usually enjoy feel-good TV movies, but this was pretty bad. I'd rather watch any of Hallmark's movies with a similar plot again than this one.

If you're a man it probably isn't your type of film. But, if you're a female you will love it.