ROYALTEEN

(director/writer: Per-Olav Sorensen/Emilie Beck; screenwriters: Ester Marie Grenersen/Per-Olav Sorensen/based on book Arvingen by Randi Fuglehaug & Anne Gunn Halvorsen; cinematographer: Havard Andre Byrkjeland/Martin Otterbeck; editor: Wibecke Ronseth; music: Kristian Eidnes Andersen; cast: Mathias Storhøi (Prince Karl Johan, Kalle), Ines Høysæter Asserson (Lena), Elli Rhiannon Müller Osborne (Margrethe), Ina Dajanna Ervik (Tess), Veslemøy Mørkrid (Lise Karlsvik, Lena’s mother), Frode Winther (The King), Petter Width Kristiansen (Pappa); Runtime: 107; MPAA Rating: NR; producer: Janne Hjeltnes; Netflix; 2022-Norway-in Norwegian with English subtitles)

“This is an awkward sudser with few redeeming features.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Per-Olav Sorensen (“People in the Sun”) & Emilie Beck (“No place Like Home”) co-direct this Norwegian soap opera YA rom/com based on the Heir series of novels, using the first book in the series called Arvingen by Randi Fuglehaug & Anne Gunn Halvorsen. This is an awkward sudser with few redeeming features.

The middle-class Lena (Ines Høysæter Asserson) is a new student at the private high school attended by the crown prince, Karl Johan, called Kalle (Mathias Storhøi), a party animal, and the snobby princess, Margrethe (Rhiannon Müller Osborne), who is his twin.

An unexpected romance occurs between the crown prince and Lena when they are in the same class, as the prince finds Lena good company. But the romance upsets his mean-spirited sister.

Lena has a secret past she’s ashamed about, which will come as a big reveal before the conclusion.

The film tells us how teens should try to get along with others by dealing with their prior mistakes.

This is a film that targets a YA crowd. Others who stumble upon this film will likely be sorry. The editing is questionable, the story is vanilla and the characters are flatly drawn. The best I can say about it, is that it could have been worse.

REVIEWED ON 5/18/2023  GRADE: C