Nice story and chemistry with the leads, but the accents needed some work.
Cheryl Ladd's character was an absolute witch.
Enjoyable overall - worth a view!
10 out of 12 found this helpful
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kz917-11 January 2018
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MIssM1931 December 2017I want to mention that i'm not from the USA but I got to watch and tweet live. So yay!
Our main character has the opportunity of a life time when she gets to design the dress of the maybe future princess, but she didn't expect to fall in love with "Jeff" the man who doesn't carry the crown, after they have to work togethet to organize a ball.
The movie was good enough. Jessy Schram did a pretty good job as the lead character. She was basically Cinderella (as in Once Upon a Time) Honestly, I would watch all Hallmark movies Sam Page is in, and even though his character was as charming as usual, and making good decisions, the accent didn't work work for me.
The chemistry between the actors was a pleasant one to watch, but I do believe Jessy was the best part of the movie.
I am SO grateful that the ending turned out that way and didn't rush their relationship.
Definitely not the best movie but if you like these movies, it is one to watch. -
I'm a big fan of the Hallmark movies and enjoyed this one as well, but I agree with some other reviewers here that the accents in this needed work (Sam Page and Hayley Sales). It is of course a challenge when actors/actresses are required to use an accent not native to them, but if that's going to be done, it should be done well. That said, Sam Page and Jessy Schram were very attractive and appealing together, the story and acting were generally engaging, and there were some charming and humorous moments. Overall, A Royal New Year's Eve was enjoyable.
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joylynncarman31 December 2017I usually love all of the Hallmark movies, they are always happily ever after. Sam Page was not convincing at all. His accent was atrocious. He is usually a good actor, but this was definitely not his best effort! I had a hard time watching it, I kept thinking it would get better!
This is the first review I have ever written, but I felt compelled to speak up, so that hopefully it will help with similar movies in the future. -
dianamarinelli20 December 2020This movie was overall fine it is what you expect in a hallmark movie but the actors were fine
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Movie was great, but be prepared for the worst British accent.
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robsuey27 December 2019I loved the princess/ prince theme. And "The Pink Dress!" And the locations were stunning beautiful, but some things were just plain horrible. For one the accents were too phoney. Then Cheryl Ladds face! Bad face lifts what happened with that? Poor woman. And as much as I loved the main actress she was just way too skinny. She needs to eat before she wastes away. It pained me to see her boney shoulders.
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oceanspitfire5 January 2018I really do take rom coms like Hallmark at face value. Some plots are more creative than others. While many are cookie cutter predictable, the actors have great chemistry and are believable in what they're doing. I think the mistaken identity thing is a great storyline over all in any genre. Sadly, I am having to stop watching this movie part way through because the English accents from these royals- or accents from whatever small fake country he's supposed to be from, are so incredibly deplorable my ears want to bleed. I like Jesse Schraam, I've seen him in other stuff. He most definitely should not have been cast with this accent. And like I said I take these movies at face value, but I've also seen brad pitt destroy a perfectly good movie because of a horrific accent. too bad really, honestly had potential for a funny rom com story. I have to draw line somewhere. the other minor fake thing is a film set in New York and why they filmed in Vancouver I do not know. How many Hallmarks have I seen set AND filmed in NYC? Sorry Im from Vancouver and I love seeing local landmarks, but you cant run a camera around downtown Vancouver showing Howe and Dunsmuir and other places, then have everyone talking about how they are in NYC. filming loc. says only Van so I can assume rest of movie will also not show any NYC landmarks to make it believable.
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tect-035641 November 2019I really enjoyed this movie. The usual girl meets prince and they fall in love movie. No sex, no violence, no inappropriate scenes. Just a wholesome family movie.
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studioAT8 November 2023It doesn't seem to know quite how far it wants to lean into the whole 'Cinderella' story, ripping off the Hilary Duff film 'A Cinderella Story' through certain plot elements, but this remains good, solid Hallmark film fare.
It helps when you've got an actress in the lead as engaging as Jessy Schram, and Hallmark should use her more.
The less said about the accents the better perhaps, but I think even the harshest cynic would find things to like about this film.
I enjoyed it, I thought it was fun, with a winning turn from Schram keeping it all together. They could have given her friend a more modern name than 'Doris' though. -
phd_travel6 January 2018There is a voyeuristic quality of watching a disaster unfold that keeps one tuned in to this Hallmark romance that has just the strangest set of faults. Firstly the production is cheap with the costumes sets and props visibly shabby. Secondly the actors are familiar but not quite right for their roles. Sam Page is a strange choice. His British accent was in turns laughable and missing. Why didn't they just put a British actor in the role or not have the character have a British accent? Cheryl Ladd as the boss looks scary - there is a Faye Dunaway quality to her face now. Jessy Schram is the leading lady a fashioned designer who falls for the prince. The romance was fairly cute and predictable but the faults were just too glaring.
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evans-1547526 November 2018I thought this was one of the better prince and the pauper hallmark films particularly the banter between Jessy and the prince before she knew who he was, I don't understand the criticism of the accents he actually said he wasn't British so why on earth would he have a British accent,I bet all the people of this small European country are furious when Americans assume they are British,Cheryl Ladds face certainly distracted me more than the accents
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glori149123 December 2023I ended up watching this movie on prime video, since I was watching another Christmas movie (Reunited At Christmas) and it bored me and I had to stop it, this one is more cliché but it entertained me more. It is about an aspiring fashion designer, who is in charge of making the dress for a gala ball for the future fiancée of a prince (whom she initially meets and believes is an aspiring model, since he likes to go unnoticed) , they begin to meet and spend time together and fall in love. I think Christmas movies always hit even if you know it's not reality, but that's why we watch movies. If it teaches us that money is not everything, that the small details are what matter, that happiness is more important. I did not achieve it with the prince's double in Latin Spanish as very forced. I would have liked a slightly longer ending.
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rdettman-7464613 January 2018The "royals" accents in this film are among the least believable you'll ever hear. The leads do their best to be likeable but it's not enough. The music cues are over the top, even for Hallmark.
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smithduke7 January 2018Sam Page's accent was horrible! It ruined the movie for me! Overall, I enjoyed the story but is could have been so much better! Normally I love Sam Page but this is one movie that he was horrible in.
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flo-004968 January 2021Not being very good in English, I look at the French version (which is good quality). So I was not disturbing the British accent of Sam Page ......
From the point of view of history, we find once again a woman (Caitlyn) who works at the post, not very complimentary of a design company. During the film and the finality she finds her created dresses, taste the dishes, in short organize a princely wedding, if that's not absurd !!! I find Prince Jeffrey a bit Gouja and lacks maturity, frankly, he is better socially, than sure a throne.....
Nevertheless I like well are Body Guard (Barnaby) it sins the good word, is relevant in these actions. Let's talk a little bit about (Abigail) the director and a nasty woman, who takes everyone up, a strong head of history.....
On the realistion side, it's perfect, the different decor are sumptuous, and heal, the final scene is filled with diamond that shines, the ball gown is beautiful, Sam Page was the least convincing, disappointing. -
ronbokirk1 January 2018Overall a fair to good movie. Jesse Schram turned in a flawless performance,as did Crystal Balint. Haley Sales was out of (her) character playing a snob, and using a fake accent. Now we come to Sam Page. He has always been one of my favorite leading men, but this time he missed the mark. He used a very fake accent. Prince Jeffry was educated abroad so why could he not have been educated in America for an American or Canadian accent? If you are looking for a movie with great acting and bad writing this is the one for you.
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Jackbv12331 December 2017I was loving this thanks to Jessy Schram and Sam Page. It was not unexpected that Abigail would try to interfere, but she was so blatant, obscenely blatant, that absolutely every one around Caitlyn could see it. The prince was oblivious. He should have recognized what was going on and stopped it. And Caitlyn is a total wimp. She just took it all. Given how important the opportunity was, she could easily have quit the magazine. But then we wouldn't have had a story. A woman with this little backbone would be crushed being in a royal family. Jessy Schram often plays the totally energetic and optimistic woman. It seems she overplayed the obedient servant a little too much.
The story was full of humor and funny coincidences. Many of the lines early in the movie appear to be prophetic without the speaker realizing it.
Cheryl Ladd is perfect as the woman you want to throw in one of Prince Jeffrey's dungeons. Possibly too perfect.
These movies are known for sappiness. This movie has it in spades. I think it is too much. I believe the ending could have been more subtle and therefore more moving.
Despite my complaints, I enjoyed this movie thanks mostly to Jessy Schram. -
linda-plant216 February 2019A word of advice to all the film makers under the umbrella of the Hallmark Channel - stay away from making ANYTHING to do with 'royal', it doesn't work, particularly when actors portray such dreadful faux UK accents.
Its like watching Peter Sellers as Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther movies - laughable but infinitely more painful.
And what's with Jesse Schraam's hair ? is it a wig ? badly in need of a serious wash, or has never seen a comb. Whatever, it looked beyond awful. The on set dresser/hairdresser/make-up needs to get a handle on the appearance of these actors before they go in front of the camera. -
zyxnix11 January 2018Sam Page has got a reprieve from me for this gem. The Perfect Christmas Present was such a disaster I had banished him from Christmas Island. But this piece of work was his best by face. How did he pull off that accent with a straight face...it was just too much. May The Price of Parmistan live forever. Schram is OK. That was Cheryl Ladd?
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tricia190200124 July 2019How utterly fake and cheesy can it get ? A prince from a small country in Europe? With a British accent ? Never ! Even if the accent had actually been British .. but it is not. The middle aged and out of condition Barnaby is the bodyguard ? Never! Why on earth would someone like this leading lady with shoulders like razorblades agree to wear a halter neck dress,.pretty it may be but certainly not displaying those shoulders. And the 'Lady' whatever her name is refers to cutlery as ''flat ware'' ? Never ! Such a convoluted story . Why could he not have just been some billionaire or something ?
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craig-1093029 December 2019Sam Page plays a 30-something prince whose unbelievable accent is derived from a 75-year-old Sir John Gielgud (see Arthur, 1984). No chemistry between him and Jessy Schram, who has no breadth. As Kaitlyn, she is happy and peppy in all situations. It's Cinderella, sort of. The "royalty" thing is wearing thin. Cheryl Ladd (yes, Charlie's fourth angel) was simply mean as Rebecca, the fashion boss lady. Move on to another Hallmark movie.
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erollence31 December 2019I thought this movie was fine over all. Sure plenty of things to nitpick, but they also avoided some of the elements of most cookie-cutter plots-namely, the boy and girl having a falling out. Cheryl Ladd's character was really despicable. Character qualities aside, it's a shame that a woman with such classic beauty resorted to terrible plastic surgery. The supporting actors were reasonably good. I thought it was smart that the country of origin of the prince was never defined. There was a funny line about "size 0 models" that the lead actress laughed about, yet the lead actress was a whisper-thin size 0 herself. Still, I found myself rooting for the couple to find each other and fall in love, just as they were supposed to!
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JoBloTheMovieCritic20 July 20195/10 - by far my least favorite royal-themed Hallmark movie
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LuLuBelleJ7 December 2018Had potential, but missed the mark. Like everyone else said, Sams attempt at an accent was dismal at best. The casting was just meh... hallmark is desperately in need of improving their royal movies, to The likes of "A Princess for Christmas," "A Royal Christmas," "A Crown for Christmas". Good casting (not the saaaaaammmmeee old contract players), good NEW locations, Fairly Better costuming...). As for the rest: *** Hallmark, if you're reading this... PLEASE STOP IT WITH THE ONE-KISS WONDER IN E V E R Y SINGLE MOVIE. *Even in Family movies, showing affection with kisses is a normal, sweet way to express how people feel. The utterly STUPID interrupted kiss before the one final kiss is enough to make me want to change the station when I see it coming. Stop Dumbing things down. Please. Really.... Please. You insult intelligence. It's not like we don't "get" the whole family friendly format, but seriously? Cast members dialog is dumbed-down in sooooo many movies (not this one) you'd think you were watching Men-Child and Women-Child behavior. Enough with the only drinks allowed in the movies: Egg Nog, Hot Cocoa, and Hot Cider. People drink wine and sodas. A hot toddy can be extremely festive!