This is a fairly predictable prince and commoner movie. The protagonists are a handsome couple that are basically developing quite a romance..The bad point is this. This movie comes very close to crossing a line and comes close enough to deserve being called on it. "Todd's not a bad guy, he's just hurt." Alice says this after Todd's overly aggressive behavior which results in a fight. Todd is guilty because he thinks he owns Alice. And he degrades her. He tells her she doesn't deserve anything better. I'm not sure that Todd would back off if made a firm statement of no. (Actually, he kind of doesn't.) She actually does say no several times, but then appears to waffle. Any man with any decency at all, any, would back off and stay away. But in addition to that Alice doesn't put her foot down. Every time Todd asks her to make a final choice, Alice doesn't. And Romance movies need to stop condoning this behavior. I've seen various degrees of this behavior in several romance TV movies. This movie is actually on the mild side. In some of them, the man is even more wrong, often grabbing the woman and kissing her without permission even as she struggles to break the kiss. This is unacceptable behavior and movies such as this need to make that clear. I have yet to see a romance movie that does.***SPOILERS*** I also didn't like the inevitable confrontation over the "lie". She says "what kind of fool do I look like", but the truth is that by jumping to conclusions and not trying to work it out, she is a fool and looks like a fool. Further, Duncan is just not that kind of person. Everything she accuses him of is just not true and he's not that stupid to think it is. But that's how these movies have to progress.I didn't rate this movie because I don't want my prejudice to affect the ratings.

As an avid viewer of all Christmas movies, it is difficult to find anything positive to say about this one..The story is line is formulaic..We all know how it begins, evolves, and ends. The problem with this film is that the characters do not evoke one tiny bit of emotion in the viewer. We are all familiar with the small town hard-working girl..who is meeting some family obligations..Her dreams do not reach very far. But what can possibly explain the prince's attraction to her, or her to him? The saddest part of this movie is the prince's bland look, a face without the smallest touch of emotion, and a voice that is flat and without any drama or nuance.. His eyes are completely bland, without emotion, his delivery of his lines is robotic. Why would this lovely young woman find him the least bit attractive except , perhaps as an escape opportunity from her sad life?This actor is so mis-cast. He needs more energy, more passion, more voice, more of anything to make him a vibrant, appealing man. sorry, but even used car salesman ..with all his rage and bluster, seems more appealing than this pale, flat, emotionless prince. the movie is saved by the attractive King and Queen (Kelly leBrock, matured into beautiful middle age)..and by the energetic, emotional diner owner hoping to become chef. The movie would actually survive on its own without the pale, bland prince in it at all.sorry..not a hit..clearly a miss.

As I have indicated in other IMDb reviews, it doesn't really matter what "country of origin" the production company chooses to stamp on its press releases, the Canuck film industry has over the years pretty much cornered the market on these specific type of X-mas treats, and you could not find a more typical variation if you tried.The settings are Canadian, as is the crew, and the extras are so Canadian it hurts. (Although -- a mercy -- somewhere in this millennium Canada learned that the first priority for its films was teaching its actors to lose the accent.) The story however is rock solid, the direction is more than competent, and the two leads, Viva Bianca and Kirk Barker are actually quite amazing. They work with the script very aggressively and sell it. Bianca in particular gives no indication she played the #1 heartless bi-yach in Spartacus and comes across as sweet, competent, someone you really would want to know.Recommended.

Lovely, if entirely predictable, TV movie about a prince (Kirk Barker) from a small European country who comes to America to escape an arranged marriage to a woman he doesn't love. While there he meets and falls in love with a young woman (Viva Bianca) struggling to keep her diner open and take care of her younger sister after their parents were killed in a car accident.Viva Bianca is just wonderful. I have seen her in a number of things but this is the first time I've seen her playing such a sensitive and "nice" character, and she does a remarkable job. A lot of times with made-for-television movies, the actors will phone it in and just show up to read their lines and collect their pay. But here you can tell she actually takes care with the part and tries to breathe some life and personality into what could easily be a cardboard role (and has been in similar movies I've seen). Her American accent is also superb in this. I've heard her use one before but this time it seems softer than her normal tone and there aren't as many of the usual 'tells' you get when some actors of other nationalities attempt to use an American accent. Again, she's putting an effort forth here that you can't help but appreciate given how lazy other actors can be with these things. For his part, Kirk Barker is good as the male lead. He's a little stiff but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt that much of that is intentional for the part, as I haven't seen him in anything before this. He and Viva don't exactly have sizzling chemistry but they manage to sell the romance well. Kelly LeBrock, Maxwell Caulfield, and Mark Lindsay Chapman are all fine in supporting parts. A little cheesy at times (especially LeBrock) but fine. Aaron O'Connell plays Viva's douchey ex. He makes for a fun villain. This same year saw him play the good guy in another Christmas TV movie alongside Katrina Law (another Spartacus alum like Viva). For a guy who's probably only cast for his looks, he does an admirable job. The highlight of the supporting players is Brittany Beery as the sister of our heroine. She's full of life and charm and just brightens up every scene that she's in. She and Viva share a great rapport that makes it easier to buy them as sisters.As I said before, the movie's very predictable and routine. But, then again, most TV movies are. What makes this one work is a nice cast, led by the lovely Viva Bianca in an enchanting turn, and some beautiful western New York scenery. If you enjoy movies of this type, you'll likely enjoy this one. Directed and co-written by Fred Olen Ray, of Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers and Bad Girls from Mars fame. Wait, what?