A Royal Date for Christmas

We like Danica McKellar ... a lot. Unfortunately she isn't getting the better scripts in these Christmas movies, and this is a prime example. The story is unusually drab, and the only real relationship tension is close to the end and makes the "Duke" look cold-hearted , particularly because he's just "kissed the girl".

Our "Duke", the presumptuously named Damon Runyan, and the other supposedly English characters only suggest one thing ... that Canadian actors are abject failures to affect a British accent. I mean, these accents are painful to listen to. I'd rather have Dick Van Dyke's Cockney travesty. LOL

Oddly, nine years ago Runyan played a rodeo cowboy in A Starry Christmas, a far superior movie and a far superior acting job. He paired with fellow Canadian George Canyon (a country singer) as his brother. The end of that movie didn't make any more sense than the end of this one, either. LOL.

I guess Danica McKellar and her new employers at GAC Family are hoping that they can replicate the magic of 2015's Crown for Christmas, which was a big hit for Hallmark and perhaps the best example of a good Royal Christmas movie.

Unfortunately for all involved, 'A Royal Christmas Romance' doesn't come close. It ticks the boxes, goes through the numbers - working class girl falls in love with a royal who has family issues or similar - and ends after a tidy ninety minutes. McKellar does what she can with what is a fairly dull script as Bella, who runs a boutique that the Duke of Tangford visits when he needs some clothes urgently. Ditto Damon Runyan as the Duke of T.

I guess this isn't a bad film per se. I certainly didn't hate it...it's just a film without any real stand-out moments. And you can set your watch by each of the tropey developments.

I would have enjoyed the movie A LOT more if the characters were actually dressed well. The colour pallet of the main character is horrible (red, blue, green) and it makes her being the stylist less credible. Also there wasn't a spark between the main characters but I finished the movie regardless.

It was the third romantic Christmas movie that I watched in a week but my least favourite because of the lack of spark between the characters.

You wouldn't miss a thing if you don't watch the movie but if you have time on your hands and love romantic christmas movies you can surely give it a shot!

I stumbled across this movie while flipping through the channels. I have a like/dislike feeling towards Danica McKellar. Some of her movies I really love and others where I think she acts too girlishly for a woman her age.

This movie started off with a good premise, but her acting ruined it for me. I really liked the plot and the actor who played the Duke was fantastic. This was my first time watching Damon Runyon in a romantic movie and I thought he was quite good.

However, the movie became too cliche for me, but I stuck with it until the end. I really hoped it would get better , but even the leading man couldn't save it. I get the fairytale undertone but a grown woman jumping every time someone interrupted her and the Duke touching was overkill.

I have to add that while I have seen a few good movies on GAC, I still find the movies subpar the Hallmark and Lifetime. The budget on the GAC movies must be pretty tight. When the guests at the different parties in the movie wear the same clothes twice, that's a problem. See the lady in the green evening grown who gossips with Bella at both events. Do you really think a woman would be caught in the same dress more than once within a week. Please!

While I liked the movie I can't say that I loved it. It needed more conflict... it needed a 'Bad Guy'. Danica did a great job but it sort of felt like something was missing.

I still think her best movie was Crown For Christmas. That one was amazing, and if you haven't seen it, you should watch it ASAP. It really captured the good old Christmas Magic.

The acting was all quite well done. And Danica ALWAYS looks incredible, in a red dress at any party/ball/dance she shows up at. It was fun to see her dance a little in this. Reminded me of how great she was with Gleb in her other movie.

If you're looking for a nice way to pass the time on a cold winter's evening, give A Royal Date For Christmas a shot. You won't regret it!