“Life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans.” -The Princess Switch (2018)

As we celebrate the holiday season and the beginning of the new year, many people start their new chapters with a game plan for their goals in the future. However, life may throw a few twists and turns that may result in a present full of unexpected adventures. This Christmas, add the movie, “The Princess Switch” to your holiday watchlist. This 2018 film, starring Vanessa Hudgens, narrates a romantic story that highlights the unpredictable nature of life.

The film revolves around Stacy and Lady Margaret. Stacy is a baker from Chicago who is fond of schedules and living life with a full plan. Margaret, on the other hand, is a duchess from Montenaro who is about to marry Prince Edward of Belgravia in a few days. When Stacy's best friend and sous chef, Kevin, secretly enters a prestigious baking competition for both of them, she is forced to go on a spontaneous trip to the Kingdom of Belgravia, where the contest is held. It is here that Stacy and Margaret accidentally bump into each other and realize they look identical. When Margaret proposes the idea of them switching places for a few days, they both learn to live the lives opposite to what they are used to, leading to unexpected realizations that change their lives forever.

On a technical level, the film’s cinematography beautifully captures the bright colors of Christmas. The settings unmistakably evoke the holiday season, with Christmas decorations adorning every location in the film from the palace to the establishments. The actors also deliver outstanding performances, with Vanessa Hudgens flawlessly transitioning between her two characters. She gives Stacy and Margaret distinct identities, making them easily distinguishable despite their identical appearances.

Story-wise, the movie presents a cliché romantic love story with royalty as characters. While we’ve seen similar plots before, the film focuses on delivering a romantic Christmas story that imparts an easily graspable lesson. It celebrates the true spirit of the holidays—living in the present with our loved ones by our side. The story primarily emphasizes the joyful moments the characters experience, providing viewers with a positive vibe from start to finish.

Diving deep into the characters and the story, I realized more of what the film tries to portray. First, all the characters in the movie are built to show relatability to real lifeexperiences. Stacy, like many of us, just wants a well-organized life. While unexpected events can be exciting, they can also be terrifying as they might lead to challenging dilemmas. Thus, many of us stick to plans with more predictable outcomes.

Many viewers will also relate to Lady Margaret. No, we are not all royalty, but we do have roles in society that we need to fulfill. In our daily lives, these roles can feel repetitive and exhausting. Sometimes, we long to step into someone else’s shoes and experience something new, things we might not get to try because of our responsibilities.

The movie begins and ends with a switch. Stacy ends up with Prince Edward, who was betrothed to Lady Margaret, while Margaret ends up with Stacy’s best friend Kevin. This underscores the story’s central message: life is unpredictable. The old man in the movie, who subtly influences the characters’ decisions and appears to change identities, symbolizes how life delivers us our unpredictable fate.

Ultimately, the movie offers an excellent blend of heartfelt storytelling and captivating visuals. From the way it captures the holiday atmosphere to the lessons it imparts to the viewers, “The Princess Switch” is a film that brings a jolt of sweet and romantic energy perfect for Christmas. Most importantly, it reminds us of the lesson not to place too much emphasis on the mysteries of tomorrow. Instead, we should learn to cherish the present, as the future often unfolds unpredictable and exciting encounters along the way.