Netflix just keeps on pumping out the original Christmas movies and The Princess Switch is their latest offering. Starring Vanessa Hudgens of Second Act and High School Musical fame, the premise of this film is beyond simple. Stacy De Nova is a baker in the Chicago who is invited to an international cake making competition in some made up European country that always features in these types of films. A Christmas Prince anyone?? She's initially reluctant, due to the fact that she's holding out hope of rekindling with her ex. When she sees him all loved up with his new girlfriend, she throws caution to the wind and jets off.
Alongside her is her best friend (platonic) Kevin and his daughter. The three embark on their journey to the snowy kingdom of Belgravia. And yes, it is jam packed with carol singers, Christmas trees, logs burning in the fire, and snow. Lots and lots of snow. Very quickly into the movie, Stacy bumps into Lady Margaret Delacourt who is identical to her – except for the uber posh British accent. Margaret is due to marry the Prince in a matter of days despite only having met him twice before they got engaged.
The two hatch a plan to swap places for 48hrs so that Margaret can experience life outside of the royal household. The Prince is expected to be away so seemingly nobody will know the difference between them. Plus Stacy will have Mrs Donatelli to guide her through the next couple of days. So now the characters have swapped roles the inevitable happens. The Prince does not go away. Instead he decides he wants to spend every waking minute Margaret and ultimately falls in love not knowing it's really Stacy. Kevin, the best friend, and Margaret also fall in love even though he thinks she's really Stacy.
Throw in mounting pressure to keep up their respective acts, a snoopy butler from the palace, a high stakes international baking competition, and some weird old guy who keeps popping up to give sage advice and you have The Princess Switch. It all seems rather implausible and that's because it is. Imagine seeing your actual real life double and not batting an eyelid?? Then imagine casually swapping lives with them?? Seriously!
Credit to Hudgens because she does very well playing two reasonably different characters. And she does have chemistry with both leading men so that's a plus. However, the film is as deep as a puddle. The storyline is convoluted and the script is just awful. But despite all of that, it wasn't actually that bad to watch. It's Netflix's version of a Hallmark Christmas movie and they're pretty much all the same anyway. If you like them, you'll like this despite it's myriad of flaws.
