The Princess Switch is a Christmas romantic comedy film serving as part of the wider Netflix shared universe existing with the likes of ‘A Christmas Prince’ and, to a lesser extent, ‘The Knight Before Christmas. The plot of the film revolves around Stacy DeNovo, (Vanessa Hudgens), a young baker, who is invited to take part in a baking competition oversees, while there she crosses paths with The Dutchess of Montenaro, also played by Hudgens, and, the Dutchess seeing Stacy as a way to escape her royal responsibilities, talks her into switching lives.
As you can probably guess this film is chocked full with over the top romantic melodrama, the Dutchess is supposed to marry Prince Edward, (Sam Palladio), but she doesn’t really love him. Stacy hasn’t allowed herself to fall in love, after a personal tragedy, which is almost beat for beat the same as her other film, ‘The Knight Before Christmas’ although the reason is slightly different. Stacy is also oblivious to the fact that her fellow baker Kevin, (Kevin Richards) is in love with her; spoiler she doesn’t love him back. Can you guess what the resolution to all this drama is? Yes, Stacy, the baker ends up falling in love with the Prince and, marries him, with the weird if you still feel this way in a year rule from ‘A Christmas Prince’ coming back. The Dutchess, on the other hand, gives up the royal lifestyle and, falls in love with Kevin.
There will be plenty of people out there who will tell you that these films are trash and, to an extent they’re right but, the reason why I like them, this one especially, is because they throw any kind of logic out of the window and, random things happen and, you have to go with it. It is like a beautiful disaster you know you should look away but you can’t.
I truly believe that Vanessa Hudgens is in the midst of a career renaissance this and, ‘The Knight Before Christmas’ could both be so bad but, her performance saves both. She is lovable and, warm and easy to root for she places the every-woman incredibly well. What’s more she is convincing as both Stacy and, the Dutchess so much so that after a while you forget that both are Hudgens; you see them as entirely different characters. She is the heart a soul of these films.
Overall this film is more fun than it has any right to be, a great performance by Vanessa Hudgens and, throwing logic out of the window make this film surprisingly good.
Pros.
The Ridiculousness
Vanessa Hudgens
The Wider Shared Universe
Cons
It is drunk or, hungover trash viewing, but you knew that
3.5/5
Reviewed by Luke
Another Millennial Reviewer 