Ashley (Britt Robertson) is a dancer in a Christmas themed show called the Jingle Belles – a great name. The movie opens with the Jingle Belles stage routine, and it certainly puts you in the holiday mood.
The merriment is short lived when Ashley is fired immediately after the show in a move to refresh the cast. “Are you aging me out?” She exclaims before advising she still orders from the kids’ menu and was recently carded for buying beer. Dejected, she leaves her dream job, offering advice to her replacement. “Don’t get old.”
The Plot in Motion
Of course, we need the layoff to set the pieces for the rest of the story. With no job, Ashley returns to her hometown of Sycamore Creek, a purported small town with more bustle than Boston.
Ashley’s parents run a bar called The Rhythm Room which has run into financial difficulty. With the help of a hunky handyman named Luke (Chad Michael Murray) Ashley creates an off-off-off-Broadway show of her own to save the family business.
Britt Robertson is a wonderful lead for a Christmas themed story. She’s likeable with her interactions, even funny when getting fired. The character of Ashley fits in on a busy Manhattan street and a quiet small-town neighborhood, provided there’s mistletoe close by. The viewer can appreciate her dismay over losing her dream job, and reluctance to return home a perceived failure. Her passion for dance plays out as she creates a holiday dance show called the Merry Gentlemen.
Chad Michael Murray has seemingly transitioned from teen hunk to 40-something outdoorsman stud. The actor came to prominence on the WB network with minor roles in “Gilmore Girls” and “Dawson’s Creek” before landing a lead part in “One Tree Hill.”
He’s still unvaried, but I’m okay with that. We first meet the barbate Luke as he’s hanging a wreath with a partially unbuttoned flannel shirt. He recoils in disgust at any mention of New York, and teases Ashley by calling her City Girl. It gave me flashbacks to Chilton.
Family Ties and Full House
The supporting cast is solid. Ashley’s parents are played by Beth Broderick and Michael Gross – Gross being the father in the 80s sitcom Family Ties. Marla Sokoloff plays Marie, Ashley’s older sister who runs the neighborhood diner.
I’ve been crushing on Marla Sokoloff for 30 years. She debuted in “Full House” and later appeared in “Fuller House.” Sokoloff wrote the screenplay for “The Merry Gentlemen” and shows she has a knack for crafting a cheesy Christmas flick. The family dog is named Gizmo. Ashley is seen watching “A Christmas Prince.” Its subtle touches like this that make the movie work. Here’s hoping for many more stories penned by her hand.
The 2024 Holiday Movie season is off to a great start. “The Merry Gentlemen” is the second Netflix original I have watched thus far, and like “Hot Frosty” finds itself a spot in my seasonal rotation.
