The Reluctant Royal
Writers: Neal Dobrofsky, Tippi Dobrofsky (teleplay); Samantha Herman (story)
Director: Kevin Fair
Cast: Andrew Walker, Emilie de Ravin, Simon Coury, Fiach Kunz, Elizabeth Moynihan, Jade Jordan, Jimmy Walker, Michael James Ford
Andrew Walker (Jingle Bell Run) plays Johnny, a Philly boy who knows how to fix a car but he can't fix his own love life. He's a love 'em and ... remain under a car while getting broken up with for being afraid of commitment. Still, he's got some stuff going for him. He knows how to make a mean smoothie and he's the karaoke king of his favorite bar. What more does he need? Does he need ... a castle, mayhaps???
Y'see, Johnny doesn't know it, but he's actually the long lost and only son of the Duke of Glasswick (Simon Coury) — and therefore he's next in line for the title. This is of grave importance because the Duke is planning to step aside and his head advisor Prudence (Once Upon a Time's Emilie de Ravin) is not fond of the snooty, probably evil nephew who has his eyes on the royal prize. When Prudence stumbles across this fact, she knows just what to do: travel to Philadelphia and recruit Johnny to the throne ... or whatever is the duke equivalent of a throne. A really imposing chair.
There's just one thing Pru wasn't taking into account: Johnny's a Philly boy who would rather eat a cheesesteak than jellied eel (which, thanks to this movie, I have now googled — don't). But if this uptight lady's offering a free ticket to England so he can meet his pops, the guy who spent a summer in the '80s courting his mom before disappearing and never responding to her letters? You bet Johnny's gonna go give Daddy Duke a piece of his mind!
So — will Johnny punch a member of the British royal family in the face? I'm not gonna spoil it for you!
Smalltown, U.S.A.: As I mentioned, Johnny is a Philly boy through and through, complete with accent and attitude. And mercifully, The Reluctant Royal is set in actual England and not Weird Europe!
Exquisite Exposition: In their first friendly walk-and-talk around the castle grounds, Johnny pokes at what he perceives as Prudence's fancy schmancy life in a castle. She replies, "I live in a castle because my parents were in service there. Mom worked in the kitchen, dad was head footman. Both died in a car crash when I was 8." You know it's a Hallmark movie if a character is offhandedly recounting their parents' sudden death to someone they just met!
LOL: When someone tells Johnny that his hair is tall, he says, "Thanks. I grew it myself." Another zinger that got me: "I'll be there after I meet with the King of Hearts and Mr. Potato Head." Andrew Walker is clearly having a blast in this role and he makes every joke work.
No Small Parts: I will use this section to talk about the movie's real scene-stealer: the Duke of Glasswick's suit. It's a lovely double-breasted Glen plaid suit with dashing peak lapels, pleated shoulders, and double vents. It's a thoroughly British suit and it speaks to the level of detail found in The Reluctant Royal. Okay, yes, I'm also passionate about menswear and I find myself gritting my teeth at the run-of-the-mill, interchangeable suits seen in Hallmark movies (and the dress shirts with collars that don't hover inches away from the neck even when buttoned up!!). I see an opportunity to praise a nice suit, I'm gonna take it!
What's In a Name?: Hey — Johnny is a reluctant royal. What else would you call this movie? Maybe they could play with the King Ralph vibes of the whole thing and name it Duke Johnny, or Johnny the Duke? Nah, they got it right the first time.
As I covered in last week's review of The Royal We, this strain of Hallmark movie is not my fave. Even a perfectly fine movie like The Royal We didn't do it for me. The Reluctant Royal, though, is so good that it snapped into focus what I don't like about this genre: plain lead characters.
The Reluctant Royal does not have boring leads! Usually in these movies — from A Christmas Prince and The Holiday Switch to The Royal We, that one with Danica McKellar, and probably one or three starring Lacey Chabert, I don't know — the surprise royal is the girl next door. She's sweet, plucky, and clumsy in a cute way. She's an everywoman who's meant to be relatable to the widest swath of the audience possible when she starts clashing with uptight aristocracy. I think this is why those movies feel the same every single time.
Andrew Walker's Johnny? He is such a specific character, one with a clear point of view and a real attitude. Like, he goes to England so he can tell off his deadbeat "dad," who just so happens to be a duke. That's a choice. But this choice makes the entire movie sing! Johnny feels unpredictable — kinda like if Mac from Always Sunny was dropped into Downton Abbey. Now that's a movie!
What The Reluctant Royal really captured for me, though, was the kind of easy, low-stakes, mid-budget, pleasant '90s rom-com that kinda only gets made today if Hallmark makes it. I'm thinking of movies in the Moonstruck, My Best Friend's Wedding, Four Weddings and a Funeral mold here. I think this tone is achieved because of Walker's singular performance, clearly, but also because of Emilie de Ravin's natural chemistry with Walker, and the abundance of unexpected and original laughs. There's a visual gag involving horses that's funny on its own, but Walker's delivery really makes it hilarious.
If the rest of these royal movies are like The Reluctant Royal, maybe I'll have to rethink my stance on this whole sub-genre. Also, can't believe I have to say this for a Hallmark movie, but stay all the way to the credits.
