Vanessa Hudgens plays a baker and a duchess.
Vanessa Hudgens does double duty for Netflix’s Christmas rom-com flick “The Princess Switch,” about two identical looking women who switch places with each other—ultimately and predictably changing both their lives forever.
It’s “The Parent Trap” meets every other Hallmark holiday movie, and despite all that, its fantasy scenario works, thanks almost entirely to former “High School Musical” star Hudgens, who cheerfully brightens the rehashed enterprise as two sprightly young women.
First, there’s Stacy De Novo, a baker with her own shop in Chicago. She works with a chef, Kevin (Nick Sagar), a single dad with a smart daughter, Olivia (Alexa Adeosun).
Stacy is trying to get over an ex-boyfriend, and jumps at the chance to move on by joining a Christmas baking contest in the Kingdom of Belgravia. She soon flies to the quaint, tinsel-trimmed country with Kevin and Olivia.
A most unusual meeting takes place: Stacy accidentally bumps into the Duchess of Montenaro, Margaret Delacourt (also Hudgens), their jaws dropping upon realizing that they’re doppelgängers of each other.
Not long after, Margaret convinces Stacy to switch places for a few days, with only a few accomplices privy to the truth: Olivia and Mrs. Donatelli (Suanne Braun), Margaret’s trusted assistant.
Sheltered but plucky
Margaret’s engaged to the overly formal Prince Edward of Belgravia (Sam Palladio). She’s a sheltered but plucky royal figure who wishes to understand “normal” relationships.
With very little time to fully comprehend their radically different worlds, they see important things that their counterpart takes for granted, almost immediately after they’ve traded places.
There’s also a mysterious old stranger (Robin Soans) who seems able to subtly manipulate events, a kind matchmaker of sorts, who pops up whenever he’s least expected, but most needed.
The film by Michael Rohl (“Kyle XY,” “Smallville”) manages to be cute amid its implausibilities—the artificial but dazzling faraway land helps provide the “magical” ambiance.
But while unapologetically saccharine and sometimes corny, “The Princess Switch” allows the endearing Hudgens to play around, sporting a faux-“Downton Abbey” accent and reveling in being thrust into the spotlight one minute, and pretending she’s not “special” at all, the next—it’s undeniably enjoyable.
If only living the perfect life didn’t boil down to finding the ideal mate, but it’s a holiday rom-com, after all—and it delivers that escapist, candy-coated fare, predictable fairy-tale endings and all.
Her two characters secretly trade places at Christmastime and discover a lot of things to love.