Jersey girl Sara DeMarco is a sweet, outgoing grade school teacher. She's been going out with Daniel for a year although she doesn't know anything about his family. He brings good news of his book getting published and then he proposes to her. The biggest surprise is that he's actually a prince and the heir to the throne of the small country of St Ives. His parents are not happy to have the commoner. Not only is she too casual with the help. Daniel would have to abandon his claim to the throne to marry her. When reminded of this, the sister Princess Fiona becomes much more supportive since she is next in the line of succession.
Sure this is Hallmark but I can't excuse weak work just for that. This is weak. On the positive side, Fiona Gubelmann is bubbly cute although bordering on annoying. She fits the role well and for the first half, this works well enough following the formula. It's a fun, often repeated Prince Charming fantasy. They don't have the cash to stage the needed extravagance. It's a poorer version of Downton Abbey. The problem starts with the manufactured stakes. There is no rooting interest for him to be King. He doesn't want it and she doesn't really want it for him. Other than tradition, there is nothing holding them to the throne. It should be his decision and it's actually annoying to have her decide for him. It's played as a great sacrifice but in reality, it's nothingness. It's telling that there is no villain in the movie because there are no stakes. The throne has to be something better to be an actual stake.
Sure this is Hallmark but I can't excuse weak work just for that. This is weak. On the positive side, Fiona Gubelmann is bubbly cute although bordering on annoying. She fits the role well and for the first half, this works well enough following the formula. It's a fun, often repeated Prince Charming fantasy. They don't have the cash to stage the needed extravagance. It's a poorer version of Downton Abbey. The problem starts with the manufactured stakes. There is no rooting interest for him to be King. He doesn't want it and she doesn't really want it for him. Other than tradition, there is nothing holding them to the throne. It should be his decision and it's actually annoying to have her decide for him. It's played as a great sacrifice but in reality, it's nothingness. It's telling that there is no villain in the movie because there are no stakes. The throne has to be something better to be an actual stake.