MOVIE REVIEW Actress proves she's film royalty

Julia Stiles has had both stellar and unfortunate roles in her career.
By MILAN PAURICH
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
The lovely and talented Julia Stiles has been around for a while, but in "The Prince and Me," she has a scene that deserves to finally make her a star.
It's one of those magical movie moments where the leading man -- in this case, Luke Mably as Eddie, Crown Prince of Denmark -- suddenly realizes just how spectacular the object of his affection truly is.
One night at the campus watering hole where she works, Paige (Stiles) is cleaning up as Marc Cohn's "I Hope That I Don't Fall in Love With You" plays softly in the background. Watching from a polite distance, Eddie gazes at this comely premed student with what can only be described as profound awe.
For a brief, shining moment, the audience experiences the same lightning bolt of recognition that Eddie does. And like him, we fall head over heels in love with Paige -- and Stiles.
Stiles, who played opposite Julia Roberts in December's "Mona Lisa Smile," apparently picked up a few tips from the Oscar-winning actress on how to radiate a palpable glow.
Roberts became America's Sweetheart thanks to a similar scene in "Pretty Woman," when she switched from streetwalker garb into a designer evening gown and Richard Gere couldn't believe his eyes after seeing her Cinderella makeover.
Good job
Although Stiles has been very good before (in "10 Things I Hate About You" and Ethan Hawke's "Hamlet"), she's made some regrettable career choices along the way (particularly "A Guy Thing" and "Down to You") that have kept her off the industry's A-list. With her truly Roberts-esque performance in "Prince," this coltish beauty is indeed ready for her close-up.
A senior majoring in premed at the University of Wisconsin, Paige is one of those impossibly perfect young women that exist only in Hollywood fantasies.
She even comes from good Midwestern stock (her dad is a dairy farmer), and values education over such frivolous pursuits as dating and binge-drinking. (Which automatically sets her apart from the MTV spring break crowd this movie is hoping to attract.)
But, just as Paige begins applying to medical schools -- she's got her heart set on Johns Hopkins and plans to become a Doctors-Without-Borders physician -- Eddie walks into her life.
This future king of Denmark is a bit like Josh Duhamel's matinee idol bad-boy from "Win a Date With Tad Hamilton!": a dashing playboy who drives a Lamborghini and is seriously out of touch with the common man -- and woman.
After Paige lets him know exactly what she thinks of him (hint: it isn't nice), Eddie decides that he wants some of her wholesome small-town goodness to rub off on him. During a Thanksgiving weekend visit to Paige's Manitowoc home, their formerly platonic relationship turns not-so-unexpectedly romantic.
Surprise?
Everything is hunky-dory until European paparazzi descend upon the campus and begin stalking Prince Eddie and his American "bimbo."
OK, here's where things really get interesting. Eddie has somehow managed to conceal from Paige the fact that he's royalty -- although Soren (a very funny Ben Miller), the trusty valet who follows Eddie around like a lap dog, should have tipped her off.
Once Paige gets over her feelings of hurt and betrayal (which takes about five minutes of screen time), she's jetting off to Denmark to be reunited with her one true love.
I won't give away the ending except to say that "The Prince and Me" manages to have its cake and eat it, too. Director Martha Coolidge ("Valley Girl," "Rambling Rose") lets Paige keep her feminist principles and live a fairy tale.
Sure, it's all a bit too neat and contrived. Who cares when the storybook heroine is as enchanting as the radiant Stiles? Try not falling in love with her; I dare you.
XWrite Milan Paurich at milanpaurich@aol.com.