Ein fast royales Weihnachtsfest

Brooke D'Orsay has been one of my favorites for a while now. I think part of the reason was her innocent appearance and characters that fit that innocence. Well not this Charlotte.

I do not like royal stories. I also do not like stories that involve one or both characters having a lie. I can usually tolerate a lie of omission where one character doesn't own a famous identity. This story is the opposite. One character falsely owns the identity of a Count. Another character owns the identity of a respected journalist. Both chose to maintain deception. So my rating reflects that. Hopefully my observations are objective.

The acting is good. D'Orsay and Will Kemp are veterans of this type of movie. They have good chemistry. They reflect the discomfort of their lies and a growing desire to be honest. The dialogue is also good as is the rest of the script. There are some interesting and sometimes funny situations.

Once all the pieces are in place, the story is predictable. Some will say there is a twist at the end, but I saw it coming for a while.

I think many viewers who do not have my discomfort over the deception in the story will find the movie enjoyable.

Here we have there reverse of the typical falling in love with royalty story. Here our heroine falls in love with royalty, but he's only pretend royalty ... pressed into service on the spur of the moment to attract tourism to a small European city where a Count is supposed to live. The real "Count" abdicated for love with a beach babe he met in Daytona.

Will Kemp is charming as the ne'er do well whom a journalist mistakenly takes for the missing Count in her mission to get a tabloid story about him. Brooke D'Orsay is the journalist who falls for the Count.

There isn't nearly as much real relationship building and personality as I'd like to see, but the different sort of plot carries the movie, and we enjoyed it. Not one we'd schedule for repeat showings, I don't think, but it worked for one evening.

I adore the leads, Will Kemp and Brooke D'Orsay, just didn't think this one worked. I DVR'd this and unfortunately found myself fast forwarding through many parts.

It didn't delve into the community, except for his mum's cafe. To be honest Brooke's character really got on my nerves, even Will behaved a bit like a moron.

The scenery in parts was quite magnificent and while the story seemed to be a little different, it was in the end boringly the same.

It's not the worst, but certainly not one of the best. Thankfully no prerequisite snowball fights that erupt out of nowhere. Good for a watch if you haven't yet seen. But not one I'll watch again.

Well, it was a clever movie and the opposite of the Prince and the Pauper. It liked something. I don't know if it was chemistry, costuming, writing, or the sets. But it was lacking something and all I could focus on at the ball scene was that that green dress was begging for a necklace!!!

Their costuming department is seriously lacking, I've seen that multiple times in multiple movies. Give the women some proper respectable jewelry!

I do enjoy these Hallmark movies because they are so predictable and therefore easy on my anxiety as they always have a good ending but as I said, previously, this one lacked something. Creativity maybe? I'm not sure.

This was definitely one of Hallmarks worst holiday films this festive season. I wanted to like it because royal element does ad nicely to the Christmas season, but the plot was just so ridiculous and implausible even for Hallmark standards. Also the supporting cast and the choice of supporting actors was not very natural and realistic. The fling between the leads was also rushed and lacked in chemistry.

Basically the only thing that kept that film from fully falling apart is always wonderful Will Kemp. He is always magnificent, whether he stars in big movies, expensive shows or just cheap little flicks like this one and it shows. When he is on screen he simply has that special radiance and in this one he added such a lovely comical thread to his character with lovely comedic timing. He is one of those actors that know what expression to put on in every scene even when he is not in the focus of the camera.

He and Julian Morris and Luke MacFarlane do deserve better films at Hallmark. The movie also had lovely costumes, which is not always the case at Hallmark. Would I watch it ever again, no. Would I not watch it if I knew it was this bad, no I would not. Did I fall asleep a few times watching it, yes I did.