The Royal Treatment Review: Massoud & Marano Charm In Bland Netflix Fairytale
Netflix’s royal cinematic universe is expanding with its latest modern-day fairytale The Royal Treatment —this time, it's outside the holiday season. Audiences are introduced to Thomas, Prince of Lavania (Mena Massoud) and Izzy (Laura Marano), the spunky American hairdresser destined to shake up his stiff world. The Royal Treatment plays a lot like The Princess Switch and A Christmas Prince movies — minus the Christmas element. Izzy takes the opportunity to become the prince's wedding hairdresser, but things get complicated when he and Izzy start falling for each other.
Mena Massoud should have been among the new generation of leading men after his star-making turn in Disney’s live-action Aladdin. However, in predictable Hollywood fashion, Massoud has been unable to capitalize on that massive success. Here comes Netflix to the rescue, with a very boring leading man role for him to show off his charisma. Granted, as Izzy says in the film, Thomas is cardboard. If one can recall how bland Prince Richard and Prince Edward were from A Christmas Princeand The Princess Switch, respectively, then Prince Thomas was made in their image. No amount of charm can save Massoud from what is a dull role. But through pure Herculean effort, he manages to be somewhat tolerable and cute in parts.
Related: Aladdin Star Mena Massoud Hasn’t Had Any Auditions Since Disney Film Came Out
Despite Massoud’s best efforts, Laura Marano is set up to be this film’s primary protagonist, with so much more attention paid to crafting a sensible, empathetic, and optimistic young woman who is destined for bigger and better things. Izzy is very much the archetype Vanessa Hudgens has made popular in her Netflix films, The Princess Switch. Izzy is a proud
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