Royal Matchmaker (2018 TV Movie) User Reviews

Just have fun

[Jackbv123 · 7/10 · 25 May 2018]

Whenever I see the words "royal" or "prince" or anything related in the title of a Hallmark movie, I get a twinge of something, not quite disgust, but definitely negative. So I came into this expecting another cliché "royal" romance movie. Certainly if you go into this kind of movie expecting tripe, you are far more likely to find that. If that's the case, maybe you should watch something else. And yet somehow, it was fortunate that I didn't skip this one because I enjoyed this movie. Yes, I enjoyed it, but no, it won't rank in my top ten, or twenty, or ...

In this kind of movie, the thing I look for more than anything else is chemistry between the leads. And do they get enough screen time together to enjoy the chemistry. This movie was predictable, although there were some little things that were a bit out of the usual. It was smaltzy. It had a ton of clichés. But there was undeniable chemistry. It was subtle, but it was deep. There were also a couple of nice touches toward the end.

Bethany Joy Lenz was the right amount of optimist and insecure. Will Kemp was arrogant, but he also laughed a bit at himself, a kind of healthy contempt.

Like I said, if, going into it, you are determined that this type of movie is nothing but junk, don't watch it just to throw contempt at it. But if you do watch it, give it a chance to find something to like.

Royal Matchmaker

[Tigerbai1 · 8/10 · 25 March 2018]

Wonderful cast and story. Some will say its been done - so what. Everything's been done. We need new fresh faces and movies like this for each generation. Many folks for whatever reason will never see the older films. We are all so busy and there are so many choices these days. If you love romance you'll love this one. Very well acted and yes its sappy but so what. I personally love sappy. Remember Shirley Temple. Who wants to see doom and gloom not me. We go to the movies to experience something, feel something, see something, escape reality for an hour or two. This movie delivers.

A charming TV Romantic Comedy film with a plot we have seen before

[lisafordeay · 7/10 · 29 July 2018]

Royal Matchmaker is a 2018 TV Hallmark movie starring Will Kemp and Brittany Joy Lenz and tells the tale of a young woman named Kate(Lenz)who works as a matchmaker in New York. She gets word that a Prince named Sebastian(Kemp)is looking for a soulmate to marry and he has 4 weeks to find his true love. So Kate travels to the UK(I guess) and meets up with the prince. At first Kate doesn't like Seb at first as he comes across as cold and arrogant but when Kate gets a match for Seb with a woman named Petra,Kate ends up falling in love with him. But is it too late for Kate to say that she loves Seb despite the fact she is a matchmaker for Seb?

Overall this has a Cinderella vibe to it. I sorta knew from the get go what was going to happen as in most romantic films we have cold arrogant men falling for stubborn modern day women. To be quite frank I enjoyed this film.

If you like Kate and Leopold or The Prince And Me. Then catch it out. Plus the guy that plays Seb was handsome. Bethany was actually good as the matchmaker who tries to set up Seb yet falls for him along the way.

Overall I am giving this a 7.

Enjoyable fluffy fairytale fun.

One of the better "Royal" movies.

[rightisright · 7/10 · 5 January 2019]

Ms Lenz is a delightful lead for this different twist on the made to death Royal movie. She has a fizz and life behind her smile that many other Hallmark leads lack. I love the supporting cast, especially the radiant Brittany Bristow. I also love the secondary love story.

Started strong, finished weak.

[savethewatchmaker · 6/10 · 26 March 2018]

Royal Matchmaker started out a promising, tried-but-true premise that brought in fresh faces and, as always, beautiful views, but failed to finish as strong as it started.

As a fan of Bethany Joy Lenz, I was excited to see her work here in a Hallmark film. I found her delightful and engaging (although I did pity her for the horrendous heels she was forced to wear down cobblestone streets) as well as her costar Will Kemp, who was another newcomer to the Hallmark circuit but delivered his role as the bachelor prince well. Their relationship began tempestuously, as Prince Sabastian was unwilling to be matchmade by Kate, but quickly undergoes an unexplained change of heart and allows her to attempt to find him a partner; however, their frostiness to each other still takes a few scenes to dissolve. As a storytelling decision, this seems unwise, as it takes up precious time to rebuild their friendship that could be more valuably used (much preferred would have been the two characters experiencing an immediate spark upon meeting and finding it easy to connect), and by the time the half-point of the movie hits, a wild turning point arrives in which Kate's assistant gently accuses her of being in love with the Prince. Kate stutters and stumbles her way through the accusation, and soon comes to this realization herself--as an audience member, the suspension of disbelief had snapped, as these two had essentially no romantically charged moments up to this point. Their communication had remained strictly professional, and their chemistry had not blossomed as they went along--if anything, they had established a friendly rapport, but nothing else. Suddenly plagued by jealousy, Kate's behavior takes a very immediate turn.

This was amped up even further for the ending of the movie, when Sabastian decides to propose to Kate upon seeing her arrive at the ball (she had just been fetched from the train station by the King, who up until now, had made his intentions and opinion of Kate completely unclear and whether or not he supported the relationship between her and his son!). They kiss (one of the only times they've ever touched in this movie) and the movie ends approximately thirty seconds later. I would have been perfectly content without the movie ending on a grand proposal, which quite frankly, seemed much too rushed.

There were also a few other spots in the movie where I felt logic had abandoned the plot. For instance, the community center has a broken heater, and Kate brings the Prince in to potentially fix the situation. Over the course of a few days, he fixes the radiator, but admits that he's not sure for how long it'll hold, never mind that his family could easily pay the fee for a new heater and his father, the King, would most likely encourage this positive press. Or another instance: what on earth was the timeline of this movie? At the beginning, it's made clear that Kate has four weeks to find the Prince a match, but very quickly, the three matches she finds for him are dismissed and the King tells her there are only "mere days" left until the Jubilee Ball he wants his son to attend with a partner. Has she spent at least three weeks at the castle thus far? It had been grossly unclear.

Overall, however, the movie was sweet and enjoyable, and its flaws did not detract too greatly from its positives. The castle the movie was shot at was gorgeous, and in general, these royalty romances are popular for a reason: they are the true "escapist" fairytale movies for any romance lovers out there.

And on one last note: could Hallmark please find their leading ladies dresses that don't look like clearance items from the junior prom section when grand balls are involved?

Lighthearted & engaging

[ljglei · 9/10 · 15 September 2019]

Bethany Joy Lenz is a real joy! She added just the right amount of sparkle and fun to make this film enjoyable. The storyline is nothing new, but the dialogue was a just bit funny and believable. Just like icecream for dessert, this film is just made for a bit of sweetness & delight.

Cute movie to lighten up the mood

[sethisahil-13805 · 7/10 · 19 April 2021]

Given the short length,genre and predictable nature of the story, you shouldn't be expecting much from the movie. It's a simple yet sweet story.

Very Entertaining! Better then most "royal" Hallmark Movies!

[jtbwriter-13178 · 8/10 · 6 June 2020]

"Matchmaker" was better then most "royal" Hallmark Movies! It was an enjoyable escape from the horrors of today and I really liked the chemistry between Brittany Joy Lenz and Will Kemp. It was refreshing to see that the subplot had a little twist to it and I would watch it again!

Sweet

[davinci-74809 · 7/10 · 25 March 2018]

The settings are very nice ... Peles Castle, Sinaia/Romania and the train station and... lovely The end you know it is just a nice journey quite a surprise.

Didn't feel the romance.

[MIssM19 · 5/10 · 23 October 2018]

I enjoy "royal" movies as much as other Hallmark movies even though they all look and sound the same, but I somehow couldn't connect with this one.

Joy Lenz is amazing. I've watched her in several of her projects and she never disappoints me. She was probably the reason why I barely liked this.

My problem with this movie was that I didn't feel the romance between the two leads. A huge disappointment for me. And the final move by the Prince? Big no for me. I hate when they rush the relationship between the leads.

Queen of Hearts meets her Prince

[jewhitmer25 · 9/10 · 14 August 2021]

Will Kemp as Prince Sebastian and Bethany Joy Lenz as Kate Gleason are delightful and have a lot of chemistry, They so talented and play their parts magnificently.

The plot - it's a old, much used plot, as old as Cinderella,, the prince must find a wife. Hallmark, it is so great that you did not use the cliche of the woman of noble birth playing dirty tricks to get the prince to marry her. It is such a sweet love story. That is a plot line that I always dred when I watch royal stories.

My advice - watch this movie it is sure to delight.

Match making with royalty

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 8 December 2021]

To be honest, expectations were not massive for 'Royal Matchmaker'. Too many times royalty and Hallmark are not a good combination, a case of if you have seen one royal Hallmark film and see a few others after it's like watching the same thing on loop with only very slight variety. By the time this was made and released, the formula did feel tired and overused. Saw it anyway, as a Hallmark completest and also because Bethany Joy Lenz brightens up everything she's been in.

She certainly does here in 'Royal Matchmaker' and on the whole the film left me pleasantly surprised. It's not mind blowing and it was pretty much what was expected, except done better than most royal themed Hallmark films. This one didn't feel quite as tired and as far as the royal themed Hallmark films go 'Royal Matchmaker' to me is one of the better ones. A great film it may not be, but considering the type of film it is it could have been a lot worse too.

'Royal Matchmaker' isn't perfect by any stretch. There is nothing surprising here, the typical royal themed Hallmark film to pretty much the letter. Did find some motivations on the vague side and the ending rushed and somewhat abrupt.

Will Kemp's character was not a likeable one at first, with the writers over-writing his arrogance.

However, Kemp does play his role with confidence, without being cocky, and is suitably dashing. Even better, and the best thing about 'Royal Matchmaker', is Lenz, who is an absolute joy throughout which was not unexpected. Their chemistry is sweet and genuine, though awkward at first which was probably an intentional choice. Brittany Bristow also is like a ray of radiant sunshine and is amusing and endearing, absolutely agree about her being deserving of more lead roles. The rest of the cast are also solid and the characters generally while cliched are engaging, the only reservation being the male lead character's arrogance early on.

It looks very nice especially the locations, and the music is not drab or intrusive. The film is directed with assurance, though never anything that goes wow. The script is not too cheesy (though there are some admittedly in the early stages of the film) or sugary and it at least flows, and while the story is predictable and not perfectly paced it's light hearted and charming with nothing that can be seen as offensive.

All in all, worth a look if not an essential. 7/10.

Matchmaker hired for a Prince but she just might be the one herself.

[TxMike · 19 May 2022]

Hallmark movie. Predictable and pleasant entertainment. Filmed in Romania. My wife and I enjoyed it, as light entertainment before bedtime.

The King of a fictitious small country in Europe, where everyone speaks with a distinct British accent, desperately wants his adult son, future King, to find a mate, to be the future Queen. The Valet learns about a New York based matchmaker with a great success rate. They ask her to travel to their small country to make the match, find someone for the reluctant Prince.

If one were to analyze the situation and the story in detail one could find many flaws. But that isn't the point if you decide to watch a Hallmark movie. You just go with it and let yourself be entertained. The main characters are delightful and the movie is entertaining.

At home on DVD from our public library.

Royal Matchmaker

[studioAT · 7/10 · 12 March 2021]

'Royal Romances' are perhaps my least favourite tpye of Hallmark film, but this is a rare thing indeed because the male lead (Will Kemp) outshines his female counterpart by miles.

With an almost Hugh Grant-esque delivery, Kemp manages to make his character beleivable, and some particularly cheesy lines work too.

This was a good film, I enjoyed it, and it was nice to see a more dominant male lead.

Enjoyable and almost believable

[froglipp · 6/10 · 5 January 2019]

Enjoyed both the leads in this movie. The prince played by Will Kemp and his father the king were both very believable and charming. Kay Lenz was good but a bit casual and slumpy dressed for working for a king. A nicely done story of finding love and recognizing it.

"Royal" love movie at a beautiful location

[Didi_braun · 8/10 · 8 July 2020]

While the storyline was a bit obvious and classic, the filming location was beautiful and the lead actress did a great job. While the chemistry between the two wasn't perfect, it was still a great movie. Peles Castle from Sinaia, Romania was so realistic and different. Overall a really enjoyable Hallmark movie!

Most of the scenes are set in dreary rooms, not at all "royal."

[lallimj · 6/10 · 7 April 2020]

The acting by the leads is pretty good. The outside of the castle is lovely. However, much of the plot takes place in "dreary rooms": the children's center (which looks like a nasty daycare--the kid's aren't even having fun); or the utility room where the prince secretly works on HVAC. The prince has a "meet and greet" with three of the most eligible candidates, but we do not even get to see the "group date," rather the scene is set up, then cuts to commercial, and when the movie returns, it's the two leads talking about how the date went. Lame!

Can we give Brittany Bristow a lead role?

[sablesmom · 8/10 · 12 July 2019]

I liked this movie. I like Bethany Joy Lenz in all her roles. However, I am a fan of Brittany Bristow. Why is she always the "friend?" She is a great actress who deserves a leading lady role.

Prince uncharming

[phd_travel · 4/10 · 1 October 2018]

The castle is pretty but the prince isn't charming. Unlikeable and imperious. At least they used English actors and didn't get someone to fake an accent. The dialog isn't well written. Cringe worthy occasionally. The proposal immediately following the declaration of love felt rushed. Not one of the better Royal Hallmark movies.

Great movie

[krichter-24724 · 8/10 · 20 April 2019]

I loved it! These two Joy Lenz and Will Kemp, I thought had great chemistry together. Great acting.

Terrible

[brookenichole-98054 · 1/10 · 8 May 2020]

I feel like every Hallmark movie lately has been awful. Every single time I attempt to watch one there's nothing there. I just don't feel the same vibe that the older Hallmark movies have. Bethany Joy Lenz is adorable in every role she plays. She never disappoints. But the prince. He was the worst actor in the whole movie. Also, I'm here for some romance and what did I get? None. They had no connection and bored me to death. Which is why I skipped through the rest of it and found that nothing happened except her crying over a guy with no emotion. Skip this and watch some older Hallmark movies.

Who doesn't love a happy ending?

[omijer · 9/10 · 26 March 2018]

As a devoted Hallmark movie viewer, I looked forward to this film with my usual optimism and delight. Who doesn't love a happy ending? This story was a notch more intelligent than some of the fluffier "working girl meets prince, they fall in love, happy ending" scenarios. The heroine is a hard-working, intelligent, striving young woman with a business of her own, goals to meet, and a serious approach to achieving them..There are none of the giggles, eyelash-fluttering, cliche behaviors in this determined young woman.

Her match, the prince of a fictional European country, is also a notch above the cliches used in other Hallmark movies..He is intelligent, serious, mature, and , of course, unhappy.. That these two will eventually discover they are suited for one another goes without saying..and the story line is handled with a good script and excellent acting...However, here are this viewers small objections to a an most-perfect movie. Joy Lenz is an accomplished actress..Good for her, dropping her first name (Bethany) and making herself less 'cute' and more mature with 2 short names. She is well-known to Hallmark movie viewers...and always rewards us with a serious performance. However, in this film, it seems to this viewer that her physical appearance could have e been more seriously addressed. Her wardrobe was often in appropriate for the situation..lots of fluffy, bright-colored outfits, when a more businesslike demeanor should have been the goal.. Her hairdos were also messy, lots of stray, unkept looks..with one very mature, and quite appropriate hairdo being 'spoiled' by having a long tendril hanging down one side of her face. Her assistant had a much more appropriate wardrobe and hair styling.. The male leads were excellent. Will Kemp has elegant physical bearing..He is a trained ballet dancer and it is evident in the way he carries himelf. Simon Dutton, as the King is always reliably dignified and elegant. Although in a few scenes, his jacket and coat seem to be a bit tight and ill-fitting.

This is a delightful film, good emotions, serious characters, and a highly-recommended pleasure.

Great take

[dianamarinelli · 8/10 · 4 December 2020]

I'm really impressed on another Bethany movie she played the part very well. Well the story is predictable girl is a matchmaker, hire to match make the prince with a royal, feels sad when she matched him and has feelings and the story gets predictable after that. Did not like the ending when the prince proposes to her for knowing her for a short time but you know it's a hallmark movie

100% predictable tripe

[haggar · 3/10 · 26 March 2018]

Every schmaltzy stereotype is there, and the movie ends exactly like you could predict by reading the title and watching the first 5 minutes.

Terrible things must have happened to your brain for you to find any enjoyment in this feature.

Loved the chemistry between lead actors.

[violamartindnp · 10/10 · 27 February 2021]

Bethany is my favorite female Hallmark actress. She is a natural and pleasure to watch.