Inventing the Christmas Prince

I don't normally watch movies on Hallmark, but my wife was watching and I was working within eye distance of the TV. I found myself looking up several times and then became captivated by the storyline and the message of hope. The demanding workload and the ability to juggle a work life balance was relatable. I found the actors to be extremely believable, contrary to some of the other films on Hallmark during Christmastime, especially Tamera Mowry Housley and Isabel Birch. I was entertained... there was comedy and drama and I appreciated the diversity in the cast. It was an overall great movie with a spectacular ending.

Ronnie Rowe leaves the Starship Discovery to wow me in this super cute movie. Ronny ironically plays a rocket sciientist who is a rayed as a bad manager because he cant bond with his staff. But when a staffer's precious daughter mistakes him for the Christmas Prince of her favorite bedtime stories, he's forced into the penultimate bond...a little girl and her Christmas hero.

I enjoyed the way Ronnie played an introvert struggling to be more extroverted. My only question is...why should HE have the change for everyone else? Why couldn't some people cut HIM some slack. But that's another movie. I absolutely loved the ending, even if it was completely over the top.

Oh, kudos to hair and make up. This is the first Hallmark movie where the black women hair styles were on point.

Honestly one of the best original Christmas movies I have seen in years, it will definitely go down a Hallmark Classic. I've watched hundreds of Hallmark movies over the years and this one is at the top -it checked all the right boxes, it was authentic and genuine, a real feel-good movie, enchanting with a great story line, main characters were very engaging, tears of joy and happiness..... the movie was fantastic. I've already watched several times this season , it has quickly become one of my favorites. As this movie presents an element of innocence by showcasing the imagination of a child, I found myself drawn to the plight of a single parent motivated by her love and the strong bond she shares with her child and as a parent willing to indulge in the creation of the magic.

I loved this movie. Tamera Mowry (Shelby) gave a great performance. As did Ronnie Rowe Jr who played her Boss (Evan). He reminded me of the Gretch, but unlike the Gretch, he wasn't heartless, just clueless about other people's feelings. However, as the movie went on we watch him come out of his Rocket Scientist Nerdy Shell and evolve into this sweet caring person. However, Evan being a rocket scientist was not the point of this movie, which is why they didn't focus on his occupation, but rather on his transformation. This is evident when Evan's boss explains that his work performance was not the problem, but it was his people skills that needed to improve.

Anyway, If you didn't see the plot of Gretch that stole Christmas in this movie, we weren't watching the same movie. At one point, during the Christmas party, I thought (Shelby) was going to say "his heart is growing" The ending was so sweet and so prince charming.

Lastly, I agree that Isabel Birch (Grace) wasn't the right fit for this part. She seemed to be a little kid trying to (act) like a little kid. It didn't seem natural.

The best thing about this movie was the acting. Tamera Mowry-Housley plays a widowed mother of an adorable little girl. She is a rocket scientist and the team's supervisor. The manager of the company is Evan, played by Ronnie Rowe, Jr. Now Evan is a very interesting character. To say he is not a people person is putting it mildly. He is brilliant but cold and uncaring of his employees. He cannot seem to understand or have empathy towards others. He almost behaves as if he is "on the spectrum." 3 valuable employees have resigned, siting his management as the cause and because of that he is in trouble with the board of directors. They tell him not to be such a demanding task master and get a life, essentially. If one more employee quits, he will be fired. Yet right after that, due a deadline, he informs his employees that they will have to work Christmas Eve *and* possibly Christmas. He is just clueless and disconnected. It is too much for Tamera, and she tells him off and quits on the spot. But that day, she had to bring her daughter Grace to work for a few hours, and the little girl, nicely played by Isabel Birch, takes one look at her mother's hateful boss, and believes he is the "Christmas Prince" from a story passed down through her family. She believe this fantasy figure, who picks out one little girl or boy every Christmas to grant 12 wishes to, is real. Tamera knows what's up with her boss's bosses and tells him she will return to work if he poses as the Prince through Christmas. If she doesn't he will lose his job. And he is horrified and even a little frightened. Yes, she probably should have told her daughter the truth and not blackmailed her boss, but then we wouldn't have a movie, would we?

As Evan spends more time with Tamera and her little girl, he starts to open up and warm up. His communication skills improve as well. During their first dinner, for example, his conversation is like, "I see you eat carrots. Do you eat carrots often?" Scintillating! But soon they are opening up to each other, confiding, and empathizing. He learns she is a widow. Three years ago, when her husband died, he approved her bereavement leave but didn't even care enough to ask who died! When she reminds him of this, he is shocked. It causes him to see himself clearly and make an effort to change his ways. Besides his personal relationship developing with Tamera and Grace, By the end of the movie he becomes a great boss, and even gets promoted, instead of fired!

That Ronnie Rowe Jr. Makes his character sympathetic is little short of a miracle. His transformation is slow and subtly done, even changing his body language and way he stands. Fantastic Job. Mowry-Housley was so funny, warm and charming in this. The secondary characters are entertaining as well. She has a support group she started to help her cope with her husband's death. It includes Caitlin Stryker, a Hallmark veteran who is always good. I've never seen Nathanael Vass who plays Lorenzo, her "work husband" but he was a treat as well. I hope I see him again. The actual plot was cheesy as heck, but the writing was bright and amusing, and considerably elevated by the actors' talents.