The Hallmark Channel is rolling out the red carpet for royalty this March: each week, the channel is premiering a new movie filled with royalty and romance. This week’s premiere is The Reluctant Royal, starring Andrew Walker as an average guy who learns that, because he has royal lineage, he’s set to inherit an estate in England. It’s not terribly original, but as these films go, it’s still sweet, and Walker does a great job balancing being an everyman with becoming a proper gentleman.

Opening Shot: A mechanic who is wedged under a car speaks soothingly to the vehicle, saying, “Don’t worry, beautiful, we’ll get you running in no time at all.”

The Gist: Johnny Payne (Andrew Walker) is a Philadelphia mechanic who’s a little rough around the edges and doesn’t like being tied down or following rules. (He sings “Born to Be Wild” at karaoke so, you know, very literal things are happening here.)

One day, a woman named Prudence (Emilie de Ravin – Claire from Lost!), who has traveled all the way from York, England, arrives and informs Johnny that his presence is needed at the castle of her boss, William, Duke of Glasswick, because Johnny is the Duke’s son and Johnny is in line to succeed him.

Johnny reluctantly heads to England to meet the father he never met (Johnny is the product of a quickie marriage with Johnny’s mom, one that was quickly annulled) but learns he’s not the only one vying to succeed the Duke – there’s a social-climbing Cousin Alistair who is desperate to inherit a regal title, too. Johnny is immediately a fish out of water, and his father assumes he’s only shows up for financial reasons when, in fact, all Johnny wants is an opportunity to get to know his dad.

Prudence takes a shine to Johnny, partly because she really doesn’t want Alistair become the Duke, but she also appreciates Johnny for how authentic he is, he’s just a normal guy, just like she’s a normal gal who was born into a regular family, but ended up being a ward of the Duke after her parents died. Prudence essentially shows Johnny that there’s plenty of normalcy around these parts, despite the fact that they all live in a castle. When Johnny realizes that Alistair would relish his role as a pampered royal a bit too much – and make life hell for all of the servants Johnny’s come to adore – he whole-heartedly throws his hat in the ring to claim his title. Immersing himself in the world of rules and propriety, and also forging a real relationship with his father, Johnny settles in and starts to acclimate to life as a Lord. And having Prudence there as his supportive, flirty partner helps, too.

What Movies Will It Remind You Of? There’s a My Fair Lady vibe, as we watch Johnny get his proper glow-up and adjust to life in the castle, combined with your Princess Diaries/What A Girl Wants-style commoner-turned-royal theme, too.

Our Take: The Reluctant Royal is a warm, feel-good movie. It’s not just that Johnny and Prudence, despite all their cultural and class differences, find common ground and forge a romance. That part is nice, but also very expected. It’s the face that some of the other relationships also grow and develop (Johnny’s father William realizes he’s still in love with Johnny’s mother even though he hasn’t seen her for 38 years! Johnny and all the staff in the castle make smoothies together and bond!) and it serves as a reminder that, while Johnny may need to leave his old life behind, there’s a great new life ahead of him too. Change isn’t usually that simple and optimistic for most of us, but in this fantasy world, Johnny seems to be guaranteed a future of happiness. It’s a nice thought. A fairy tale told from the perspective of a prince, and with a true happy ending.

The film is very sweet, but also very basic. It recycles ideas we’ve seen a million times about an average person finding themself thrust into the royal spotlight, perhaps because it does happen regularly (is it a coincidence that this movie came out the same week as With Love, Meghan??? I mean, yes, for sure it is, but you can’t help but think of people like Meghan Markle and Princess Diana, women whose lives were upended by their marriages to royals, and their assimilation into their royal family was not nearly as seamless as it seems to be for Johnny). The twist here is that the protagonist is not a woman but a man. It’s a shift, one we rarely see, and Walker does a solid job retaining his rugged charm even as he assumes his new role. The Reluctant Royal doesn’t really feature any breakout performances or moments that make it stand out, it’s a fairly average, but like a jammy scone taken with afternoon tea, it’s still satisfyingly sweet.

Parting Shot: Johnny and Prudence are greeted by the Duke out in the horse stables. The Duke reveals that Johnny’s cousin Desmond is about to get married. When Johnny asks where the wedding will be, the Duke says, “Have you heard of the kingdom of Androvia?” “Of course I have, who hasn’t?” Johnny replies cheekily. He’s heard of it because it’s where last week’s royal-themed Hallmark movie The Royal We took place! Gotta love this synergy!!

Memorable Dialogue: “Can you imagine someone like that in a place like this?” snobby cousin Alistair (Fiach Kunz) sneers when Johnny arrives to the castle as the true heir to the place. Classic evil rich guy vibes.

Our Call: The Reluctant Royal is not necessarily great: it’s a safe, predictable romance that never veers from it’s course. But it’s still fun and features great chemistry between Walker and de Ravin. If you love classic Hallmark fare, STREAM IT.

Liz Kocan is a pop culture writer living in Massachusetts. Her biggest claim to fame is the time she won on the game show Chain Reaction.