Royalteen

I didn't read the book this was based on so I'm not sure if it's a good adaptation but as it is... it's not really great.

I watched totally blind expecting it to be a light hearted royalty teen romcom similar to "Prince and Me" or "Royal Treatment" but it wasn't (not necessarily a bad thing!). I was surprised to see them add in more delicate topics a teenager may face. It wasn't some masterpiece twist but it does at least separate its characters from the usual. They have high consequence actual flaws and issues like dealing with social stigma... it's not just sunshine and rainbows.

However the execution of everything was lackluster. Pacing was horrible. Instead of focusing on the whole of the story they chose to highlight the "romance" part that it overshadowed the struggles of the characters because it was all about the romance that was basically non-existent here because they didn't really give it time to mature and create chemistry. They just fell in love for some reason after like bumping into each other? You can't build a good romance without foundation. They even addressed the deeper issues that made the whole plot better so flippantly...it's just disappointing.

This would have been better as a limited series of sort to really delve into the characters' struggles, why they act they way they do, so you can actually empathize with them while the romance is a B-plot to create that slow burn. But alas this wasn't it.

This had the makings of a good film, with a refreshing view of a royal/commoner romance, and a likable cast.

It felt a little bit like the UK TV series Sex Education, except there's no comedy.

Unfortunately there are substantial flaws.

The romance commenced too quickly, and everything in the story seemed rushed. The conclusion left unresolved story arcs aplenty (i.e. The queen, the princess, Lena's unrevealed history, the mystery uploader) as if this is part one of a dilogy or trilogy. However I am not aware of any impending sequels.

I still enjoyed it until the unsatisfactory ending.

Feels like a lot of Young Royals fans have given this movie ones as a way of supporting their favorite show.

This movie is nothing like that show.

Honestly this movie is enjoyable in a weird way even though the genre is not my favorite.

Acting and casting is great and it's a nice mix of comedy, drama and romance.

Solid 6 out of 10.

Emotionally intelligent, with depth - enjoyable too.

Not your usual teen drama, much more nuanced and mature. Some parts a bit cliché, but overall excellent.

The very end was odd and felt rushed but this was a nice movie. I watched it with subtitles half heartedly while working and it managed to suck me in enough that I had to stop and wait for it to finish.

Never read the book(s)? So not sure about accuracy but it was definitely better than the current rating.