Title: Merry Gentlemen
Actors: Britt Robertson, Chad Michael Murray, Marla Sokoloff
Director: Peter Sullivan
Writers: Jeffrey Schenck, Peter Sullivan, Marla Sokoloff
Genre: Christmas, RomCom
Length: 1 hour 27 minutes
My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️🖤🖤
Watch Merry Gentlemen now on Netflix
Merry Gentlemen
Ashley had been performing with the Jingle Belles on Broadway, but her career took an unexpected turn when she was let go for being “too old.” Feeling disappointed, she returned to her hometown to stay with her parents. Upon her arrival, Ashley discovered that her parents were struggling to keep their beloved performing venue, the Rhythm Room, afloat due to mounting rent issues. Determined to help, she quickly devised a bold plan to save the venue: an all-male, Christmas-themed revue.
Review
Another week, another Christmas movie released by Netflix! I absolutely love this time of year. I’m already looking forward to the next holiday release, especially the one starring Lindsay Lohan, which is coming out later this week. So far, Hot Frosty remains my favorite Christmas movie of the season, even after watching Merry Gentlemen.
Let’s start with the positives. I love Britt Robertson and Chad Michael Murray—they’re both fantastic actors. It was also great to see Beth Broderick again! The last time I saw her on-screen was in Sabrina the Teenage Witch (back in the 2000s) and Netflix’s The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. It was refreshing to watch her in a different role this time. Another thing I appreciated was the choice to cast “normal”-looking guys as the other dancers. Sure, they all had amazing six-packs, but one of the dancers was older, which felt more realistic for a small-town setting.
This movie is essentially a Christmas-themed remake of Magic Mike. Both revolve around all-male, half-naked dance performances, with the main character finding love along the way. It’s been a while since I watched Magic Mike, but I remember the dancing being much more polished. In Merry Gentlemen, the choreography felt a bit awkward and definitely less spicy. It’s more family-friendly, which makes sense for a Christmas movie.
I do have one big question about Ashley’s career: she was a dancer for the Jingle Belles on Broadway, which is a Christmas-themed show. But what did she do for the rest of the year? Did she not have another job? And when she moved back to her small hometown, it seemed like she left her life in the city behind with no hesitation. What about her apartment and everything else?
While the main characters had decent chemistry, the romance felt a little rushed. I also wish Ashley’s parents had a bigger presence in the story. It’s their venue, after all, but they barely had any screen time or lines. Lastly, I was hoping for more Christmas vibes from this movie. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite capture the holiday magic I was expecting.
That said, the movie was still fun to watch! The cast was great, and if you enjoy these types of lighthearted Christmas films, you’ll probably enjoy this one too. Just don’t go in expecting award-winning material—it’s a feel-good holiday flick, nothing more, nothing less.