'Countdown to Christmas' movie review: 'One Royal Holiday'
The super high concept and super simple 'One Royal Holiday' (premiering Oct. 31 as part of the Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas) ... is somehow a well-executed, charming caricature of Hallmark holiday flicks.
In short: When Anna (Laura Osnes) offers a stranded mother and her son James (Aaron Tveit) shelter in a blizzard, she learns that they are the Royal Family of Galwick.
A few years ago, 'SNL' did a parody of Hallmark movies. It's pretty funny - but as a fan of Hallmark movies it's recognize that the parody painted dozens of movies with a pretty broad brush. Sadly, 'One Royal' is pretty much exactly the type of movie that SNL writers were mocking. 'One Royal' ... has almost no plot. It's literally just a royal mother and son ... spending the holiday season in a quaint Connecticut town. There's some tacked on b-plot about James needing to write a speech - but that plot doesn't really go anywhere. Anna works in the cardiac recovering wing of a hospital - that detail doesn't matter for 99% of the movie ... except when it does matter, it REALLY matters. All that said, a few standout performances buoy an otherwise unremarkable movie.
Osnes is a sheer delight as the effortlessly kind host just trying to lend a helping hand to a family in need. Anna is a bubbly, effervescent light of Christmas cheer - the personification of the holiday spirit. Sadly 'One Royal' doesn't give Anna much to do - aside from being naturally kind. She splits the movie either just being generally nice - or eavesdropping. Anna doesn't really have a storyline other than being the constantly sweet nurse who just can't allow herself to admit her feelings for James.
Queen Gabriella (Victoria Clark) is the movie's surprising and sweet secret ingredient. For a movie where every character is either an aristocrat or a small town commoner, she's the approachable and charming character who bridges the everyday folk of Anna's hometown and the royals. James is a bit of a caricature of elite, hilariously out-of-touch royalty. Honestly, it's kind of confusing why Anna starts get develop feelings for him. He's a flat character whose only dimension comes in the form of 'see, he's not TOTALLY stodgy!'
Okay, now to address something that I almost never address - technical issues. The movie relies on some very shaky green screen to simulate snow and some backdrops. It's just enough to take the audience out of the moment. And there's some sound issues - where characters actually sound like they are being recorded while standing in hallways. These missteps are just enough to keep 'One Royal' from feeling as polished as it should.
Final verdict: Osnes and Clark are rays of sunshine in an otherwise 'meh' movie. 'One Royal' is low stakes with very little chemistry in story with very little plot.
Score: 3 French hens (out of 5)
'One Royal Holiday' is rated TV-G and has a running time of 90 minutes. The movie premieres on The Hallmark Channel on Oct. 31.
