''The Royal Treatment'' is a 2022 American
romance film
Romance films or movies involve romantic love stories recorded in visual media for broadcast in theatres or on television that focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters. Typically their journey ...
directed by
Rick Jacobson
Rick Jacobson is an American film director, television director and producer, and stage and television actor.
Biography
A graduate from the California Institute of the Arts film and television program, Rick Jacobson began his professional fi ...
and written by Holly Hester. It stars
Laura Marano
Laura Marie Marano (born November 29, 1995) is an American actress and singer. She is known for her role in the Disney Channel series ''Austin & Ally'' as Ally Dawson. Marano was one of the five original classmates in '' Are You Smarter than a ...
as Manhattan hairdresser Izzy, who is given an opportunity to work at the wedding of Prince Thomas, played by
Mena Massoud.
After its release on January 20, 2022, on
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fi ...
, ''The Royal Treatment'' became the week's most-watched film on the streaming service. However, it received negative reviews from critics. With the exception of Massoud, Marano,
Jay Simon
Jay Simon (born 17 December 1966) is an English actor best known for screen roles including: Doug in '' The Royal Treatment'', Alan Griever in '' Filthy Rich'',Senator Regulus in ''Roman Empire (TV Series) '' , Papa Monster and Edisson in '' The ...
and
Paul Norell
Paul may refer to:
*Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name)
*Paul (surname), a list of people
People
Christianity
* Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chri ...
, the majority of the cast is from
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
which is where the movie was filmed.
Plot
Izzy (Isabella) is a hairdresser. One day, the microwave in her salon causes a fire. The assistant of the salon's landlord, Doug, asks for payment for the damage so she gives the money she had saved for traveling the world.
The prince of Lavania, Prince Thomas, asks his assistant Walter to schedule a haircut. Walter mistakenly calls up Izzy's salon, telling her that she will be paid $500 for the haircut. Izzy agrees. When she meets the prince and starts cutting his hair, a housekeeper comes with tea and accidentally drops it. Izzy is upset at how badly the housekeeper is treated and leaves without finishing the Prince's haircut. She returns to the salon, where Thomas comes in to finish the haircut. Afterward, Izzy agrees to walk the prince back to the metro and the two share a fun night.
The next day Thomas, his fiancée Lauren, and her mother discuss who to hire as the makeup artists for the wedding. Walter recommends Izzy's salon. Lauren and her mother agree and Izzy and her friends travel to Lavania. They'll get $50,000 dollars as payment for the royal wedding. Another assistant, Madam Fabre, tests their makeup skills. Izzy passes but her coworkers don't so Madam Fabre trains them. Izzy goes to see the province and Thomas accompanies her. They have fun at the Uber de glares which is considered by the royals as a 'dangerous' part of town.
The next day, Thomas states to his family that he wants to do more for the locals. Izzy encourages the locals to donate to the less fortunate children by leaving items at the castle gate. Lauren tells Thomas that she wants part of their new estate to be for her work studio. Thomas finds the guard house full of donated toys for the children. He also decides to donate some royal furniture that the queen threw out. Izzy and Thomas drive the toys and some royal furniture to the orphanage.
Lauren's mother observes that Thomas and Izzy are getting too close. Lauren is not concerned, commenting that she would rather focus on her business ideas than marry someone she barely knows. When a photo of them ends up in the papers, Izzy is asked to leave. It is revealed that the reason why the King and Queen want Thomas to marry Lauren is because her family could help them get out of debt.
On the wedding day, Walter tells Thomas that he knows Thomas is in love with Izzy. Thomas tells Lauren he can't marry her. She is relieved as she also does not want to get married. Izzy returns to find that there was a major fire in the salon. When Doug visits asking for money, she tells him that she had spoken with the owner, who had expected Doug to rewire the property last year. The family makes plans to refurbish the salon but Izzy tells them she doesn't want to work at the salon anymore, instead choosing to be director of a local community center.
As Izzy gazes at the road from her house fire exit, she hears horse hooves. Prince Thomas rides to Izzy's house on horseback and confesses his feelings for her. They kiss. The movie ends with them going to get gelato on horseback.
Cast
*
Laura Marano
Laura Marie Marano (born November 29, 1995) is an American actress and singer. She is known for her role in the Disney Channel series ''Austin & Ally'' as Ally Dawson. Marano was one of the five original classmates in '' Are You Smarter than a ...
as Isabella "Izzy"
*
Mena Massoud as Prince Thomas
*
Chelsie Preston-Crayford as Destiny
* Grace Bentley-Tsibuah as Lola
*
Cameron Rhodes as Walter
*
Jay Simon
Jay Simon (born 17 December 1966) is an English actor best known for screen roles including: Doug in '' The Royal Treatment'', Alan Griever in '' Filthy Rich'',Senator Regulus in ''Roman Empire (TV Series) '' , Papa Monster and Edisson in '' The ...
as Doug
* Sonia Gray as Madame Fabre
*
Elizabeth Hawthorne
Elizabeth Hawthorne (born 30 April 1947) is a New Zealand actress who is known for her role as Mrs. Macready in the 2005 film '' The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'' and the Peter Jackson supernatural comedy ''Th ...
as Nonna
*
Amanda Billing
Amanda Billing (born 12 April 1976 in New Zealand) is a New Zealand actress best known for her role as Doctor Sarah Potts on New Zealand soap opera '' Shortland Street''.
Biography
Billing grew up in Masterton, and spent her university years i ...
as Valentina
*
James Gaylyn
James Gaylyn (born January 9, 1954) is an American-New Zealand actor. He is best known for his appearances in the ''Power Rangers'' franchise.
Biography
Gaylyn moved to New Zealand with his New Zealand-born wife in 1981. As a blues singer and dr ...
as Nate
*
Paul Norell
Paul may refer to:
*Paul (given name), a given name (includes a list of people with that name)
*Paul (surname), a list of people
People
Christianity
* Paul the Apostle (AD c.5–c.64/65), also known as Saul of Tarsus or Saint Paul, early Chri ...
as King John
*
Teuila Blakely
Teuila Blakely (born 12 January 1975) is a Samoan-born New Zealand actress, best known for her roles in '' Shortland Street'', '' Sione's Wedding'', '' Sione's 2: Unfinished Business'', '' Filthy Rich'', and ''Power Rangers Beast Morphers''.
E ...
as Queen Catherine
* Jacque Drew as Ruth LaMott
* Phoenix Connolly as Lauren LaMott
* Matthew E. Morgan as Buddy LaMott
Production
Filming began in both
Dunedin
Dunedin ( ; mi, Ōtepoti) is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand (after Christchurch), and the principal city of the Otago region. Its name comes from , the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Th ...
and
Oamaru
Oamaru (; mi, Te Oha-a-Maru) is the largest town in North Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand, it is the main town in the Waitaki District. It is south of Timaru and north of Dunedin on the Pacific coast; State Highway 1 and the rai ...
in
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
in February 2021. Film production involved 30 actors, 100 extras, and a sizeable film crew. Notable film locations included
Vogel Street (which stood in for
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
),
Fable Dunedin Hotel,
Larnach Castle, and
Olveston Historic Home (the latter two of which stood in for the Lavania royal palace), the
Otago Peninsula
The Otago Peninsula ( mi, Muaūpoko) is a long, hilly indented finger of land that forms the easternmost part of Dunedin, New Zealand. Volcanic in origin, it forms one wall of the eroded valley that now forms Otago Harbour. The peninsula lies sou ...
, the
University of Otago Registry Building
The University of Otago Registry Building, also known as the Clocktower Building, is a Victorian and later structure in the city of Dunedin, New Zealand. It stands next to the banks of the Water of Leith and is constructed from contrasting dark ...
, and Oamaru's
Victorian precinct.
The film was released on January 20, 2022, on
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fi ...
.
It reached the number 1 spot on Netflix the week of its release.
Reception
Courtney Howard of ''
Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' gave the film a positive review and wrote that it "takes expected genre trappings and infuses them with unexpected delights, creating an enlightened, enchanting and entertaining feature."
Lindsey Bahr of the
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. ne ...
awarded the film one and a half stars out of four and wrote, "Like a drug store chocolate bar, it just is. It might not be good for you, but it’ll go down shockingly easy, give you a minor sugar high (and possible headache) and disappear from your memory just as quickly..."
James Croot of
Stuff described the film as a "flimsy, forgettable rom-com farce." He also criticised Holly Hester's script, likening it to an early treatment rather than a "fully formed" screenplay. Croot described Marano's character Izzy as one-dimensional and noted the New Zealand accents of the non-royal Lavanian characters.
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Royal Treatment (film), The
2020s English-language films
2022 romance films
American romance films
English-language Netflix original films
Films shot in New Zealand
Films directed by Rick Jacobson
2020s American films