A Crown for Christmas
Review by Janelle Leonard
PLOT: After getting fired from her job as a maid at a ritzy New York City hotel, Allie reluctantly accepts a temporary gig as the governess to a young girl who is part of a powerful family in Europe that lives in a castle.
Featuring Danica McKellar (Allie), Rupert Penry-Jones (Max), and Ellie Botterill (Theodora, the young princess.) Also, thrown in to add conflict, Alexandra Evans (Celia)—the beautiful (only on the outside) long-time friend of Max.
MEET-CUTE: This was a literal painful moment. Allie runs into him with her maid cart. In a panic, she offers him a sewing kit and other odds and ends from it.
“You had me at sewing kit.”
Cheesy = 100%
When Rupert Penry-Jones says it = swoon.
REVEAL MOMENT: This takes place at the palace. Allie is trying to bond with the mischievous Theodora and kicks a glass Christmas ornament through the doors which happen to lead to Max’s office. (I’m still wondering how the ornament didn’t break.) And to add to it, Max is walking through the doors and gets hit. Allie realizes that the man she just hit with an ornament is the same one she almost plowed over with a maid cart in NYC. It’s revealed that Max is a king and a widower.
MY THOUGHTS: Yes, Christmas was months ago, but A Crown for Christmas is one of those movies that I can watch anytime of the year. Rupert Penry-Jones is one of my favorite male actors. (I first saw him in Persuasion). He was the perfect choice to play Max. I loved the playful banter and the way he looked at Allie—mostly because Allie is strong and not afraid to say things to him that no one else would.
The relationship between Theodora and Allie was special. Although Theodora tries, there isn’t a prank that Allie hasn’t already encounter in the raising of her two siblings. Allie and Theodora end up bonding over the losses of their mothers. It was fun to watch Theodora step in, when she realizes there’s a bond forming between her father and Allie. She doesn’t like Celia at all (neither did I).
ONE OF MY FAVORITE SCENES: Theodora gets yelled at by the uptight housekeeper for trying to put her father’s crown on top of the tree. Later that night, Max sneaks in and puts his crown on top of the tree. Allie of course sees this.
Disclaimer: I watched A Crown for Christmas on Amazon Prime (then ended up buying it). I was not required to write a review, and this does not influence my review, positive or otherwise. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
MY THOUGHTS
Royal romance movies are plentiful and, at times, quite similar regardless of the stars, the production value, or the plots. This doesn’t detract from the enjoyment factor of the movies, but it can impede their memorability. Such is not the case with A Royal Seaside Romance, a Great American Family (GAF) movie starring Brittany Bristow and Dan Jeannotte. These Hallmark Channel veterans brought all the charm and romance from their previous films to GAF with the sweetness, humor, and smiles that give royal stories heart. Against the beautiful setting of fictional Shaw Bay, Erin (Bristow) and Theo (Jeannotte) fall in love in grumpy/sweet trope of a plot that hadn’t yet been used in a royal romance. Positive, determined Erin brings peppy likeability to the dynamic duo, and Theo is just the right amount of equal parts reserved and aloof. The use a real estate storyline made for a fun and unique plot.
I absolutely loved this movie and hope to see these two star together again–and if it just so happens to be in another royal romance, then all the better.