The Winter Palace

Wanted to see what the fuss was about with Danica's first GAC movie. It was okay. The script was a little bland, but there were a few funny moments. I like Neal Bledsoe as a royal. Overall this movie is worth a watch, but probably not worth watching twice.

It was okay, should have explored the relationship more seemed hurried. Didn't like the ending. And the king just gave in after pushing the people who were with the prince to force him accept what should have been inevitable.

If you take this movie as purely a fairy tale with some humor thrown in, then the story itself is decent. In that vein, I thought that this "royal" movie was a bit further from any reality and closer to fantasy than most. Even the relationship between Emily and Prince Henry seemed unreal to me and that's where a movie like this should be a little more believable.

The final scene would have been much better without an overly long cheesy speech. There was one really excellent line by Edwina.

The sets seemed a little cheap and given the presumed location there should have been more good scenery.

Plot-wise, this was a common example of the royal/commoner romance plot. Danica McKellar is a new author with one successful novel who is being pressured to submit her second romance novel per her contract. Predictably she has writers block and is given the opportunity to be a caretaker at a remote lodge in the mountains for some peace and quiet. No, it's not haunted and she doesn't turn into a homicidal maniac. Sorry to disappoint. The owners are European and haven't been there for years. All she has to do is knock the icicles off the eaves, take care of the furnace, and find her inspiration to honor her contract. The owner shows up unexpectedly and it's a prince with his two minions.

This was watchable thanks to Neal Bledsoe who played the prince. He was very attractive and had a lot of charisma. He also had a personality, starting off snooty and entitled and loosening up slowly but surely while becoming enamored of Danica. The two actors had a nice rapport going throughout. Danica did good in this one. Despite the usual, and I do mean usual, roadblocks, it all proceeds to a happy ending and I liked the resolution to the "how can an American romance novelist find happiness with a Concordian King" dilemma.

Horrible movie! Danica jumped the shark. She plays the same person, time and time over. Now she's become a bumbling idiot. If she's tried to change her usual character it's not working. Very disappointed.