Princess 'Daya' Reese

As much as I wanted to like this movie, there's no way to convince me that Maymay Entrata can really act. Everything about this film feels like a rip-off of American movies, merely using Filipino culture to add some distinction and earn praise from audiences. Well sure, incorporating historical elements is commendable. It's rare for a writer to achieve such accuracy, and in that aspect, this film somehow delivers.

However, when it comes to the narrative and performances, the film falls flat. First, the title itself is just a cheap, Filipinized parody of Anne Hathaway's "The Princess Diaries", and the storyline is an obvious copy of Vanessa Hudgens' hit Netflix film "The Princess Switch". Maymay's portrayal of the protagonist isn't even remotely believable as either a princess or a girl from an urban area. Her performance feels forced, overly rehearsed, and unnatural, hmm almost as if she were afraid of someone on set while filming.

Several actors also try too hard to liven up certain scenes, but it doesn't work. Christine Samson's excessive plastic surgery face is distracting, while Alora's comedic timing completely misses the mark. The only believable performance in this film comes from Pepe Herrera and the rest are just forgettable.

Overall, if you're into Filipino cultural films or a MayWard fan, this might be worth a watch. But if you have a more refined taste, well you're better off checking out Suzette Doctolero's masterpieces like Amaya!

... but I did like this movie. Like most Filipino movies, it's over-the-top and cheesy. I was worried for the first 15 minutes because it seemed overly stupid silly. Soon I realized that it truly was but that was intentional and so I just went with it and enjoyed it. The leading lady, Maymay Entrada, certainly shows her comedic abilities. And she's so cute too.