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Prince & Me, The

Cinderella meets Elizabeth Bennet (Pride & Prejudice) in this interesting take on royal romance. If you’re a fan of romance, but tired of wimpy “heroines” and perfectly-quaffed princes, you’ll enjoy The Prince & Me. It is somewhat predictable, yet strangely full of heart.

Julia Stiles stars as a stressed pre-med student at the University of Wisconsin. While tending bar at the local pub, she encounters the crown prince of Denmark, who is posing as a normal international student.

Luke Mably (as Crown Prince Edvard) only wants to escape his duties to his country. After viewing a “Wild College Girls of Wisconsin” commercial, he decides to shirk his duties and escape local media by enrolling at UW. Instead of falling for Edvard’s drunken come-on, Paige gives him a face full of soda water.

The next day, the two are paired up as chemistry (irony alert!) partners. The same day, Paige begins to feel the pressure of a Shakespeare class as medical school applications loom on the horizon. Paige agrees to help “Eddie” in chemistry (and in the laundry room) in exchange for his help with Shakespeare.

Predictably, they end up seeing things in each other they didn’t know were there at first, and subsequently falling for each other. Big surprise—two attractive and brainy people find one another. Luckily, the predictability ends there. Paige is not willing to trade her hard-earned future for the role of “royal wife.”

Director Martha Coolidge is at least partially responsible for the women-power theme throughout the film. After all, she was the first woman president of the Directors Guild of America. She was part of the equation which turned Paige Morgan into a strong role model, instead of a simpering, brainless damsel-in-distress (which is often the fate of women’s roles in Cinderella-like tales).

It may not be a movie you have to puzzle out or work your way through, but it is charming, cleverly-written, well-acted and superbly cast. Loosely based on true events, any fan of romance with a twist will enjoy this foray into Danish royal affection.

Written by: Tracy Elledge

Reviewers Rating: 8
Reader's Rating: 6.00
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