The Prince and Me

Starring Julia Stiles, Luke Mably

Directed by Martha…

The Prince and Me

Starring Julia Stiles, Luke Mably

Directed by Martha Coolidge

A fairy tale for the real world, “The Prince and Me” is an every-girl fantasy in which the girl from the farm meets a royal prince who doesn’t resemble a frog at all. As far as this fantasy goes, the story is set — prince meets girl, girl likes prince, everyone lives happily ever after. Thankfully, this movie throws a few obstacles into the path of romantic happy endings.

Paige Morgan (Julia Stiles) is the typical over-achieving college student who is determined to stick to her life plan of being a doctor and traveling the world. She doesn’t have time to be in a serious relationship, unlike most of her friends, who are getting married. Eddie (Luke Mably) is a dashing, bad-boy prince from Denmark who travels to attend Paige’s school in Wisconsin, posing as a regular student, and ends up doing a lot more than asking girls to take off their tops.

Once Paige and Eddie have finally admitted their true feelings for each other, it’s time for Eddie to reveal his lie — that he is actually a Prince. Now, Paige must decide if she is willing to give up her dreams for what may be the love of her life.

The acting style and the chemistry of Julia Stiles and Luke Mably help make this film more original and enjoyable than it could have been with the familiar plot that is the framework for the action. Stiles plays her character convincingly and with consistency, allowing the audience to relate to her dilemma about what to do about falling in love with a prince. The transformation that Mably brings to his character, from rebel prince to regal king of Denmark, is believable and well-constructed throughout the movie.

Other characters add to the humor of the film, which is never lacking. Although the portrayal of college life is rather idealistic, some situations — such as Eddie’s sloppy roommate — are a perfect opportunity to display the comedic skills of all the actors in the movie. Without these funny moments, the already long movie seems even longer. Time isn’t handled very well. While some scenes last too long, other major parts of the development of the plot are glossed over, and as the characters go through their lives, it’s hard to know exactly how much time had gone by since the last major revelation.

Elaborate sets and costumes required to make this royal family real add to the fun of “The Prince and Me.” The setting of the royal palace is beautiful and the perfect background for some of the most dramatic scenes in the movie. Most of the dramatic scenes are predictable, but with the good acting and interesting sets, this can almost be overlooked.

“The Prince and Me” is a cute romantic comedy that will appeal to most people wishing for their Prince Charming. The realism of the story and the charisma of most of the actors save the movie from blending into all the other movies that have been similar in the past. For anyone looking to achieve a warm-and-fuzzy feeling, “The Prince and Me” is a good bet.