The Merry Gentlemen

Ok this was alot better than I thought. The trailer made it seem like it was going to be a bad movie. But I was wrong. And to be honest I kinda tuned in for just Chad Michael Murray. I have not seen him act since the tv show One Tree Hill. And a movie he did a long time ago back in early 2000's called House of Wax and Freaky Friday. I have not seen him much in anything else. But it did feel good to see him act in a Netflix movie. And he got to dance his hotness out. I really did enjoy a PG hotness of a Christmas story. Something new that isn't the same old story but at the same time keeping it PG.

In theory this is a great premise for a movie...however all I could think about was how shocking Ashley's wig was...the colour, the style, the hairline, it was as flat as this film's whole vibe.

I couldn't concentrate on anything else, if the actress had short hair at the time is it too mind blowing for the female lead in a Christmas film to have short hair? I'm so confused. Just have a bob for Christmas, it's fine. They must've had budget for a decent wig, just that styling tucked behind the ear with a bit down in front of the ear to hide the wig line. Awful - just. Awful. Enjoyed the dancing though.

All of you reviewers who criticize this movie as being poorly written and having plot holes need to lighten up! Yes, it's silly. Yes, it's cliched, but so what?!?! If you expected more, that's on you. It's entertaining, the actors are gorgeous, the music and dancing are fun, and, honestly, that's probably all they were going for. Reviewing this as if it was intended to compete for Academy Award nominations does it a great disservice. It's a Hallmark-type movie, and IMO it's better than a lot of those I've watched. If you watch the gag reel at the end, you'll see how seriously the cast took it. They had fun and so should you. Just enjoy it for what it is or stop watching silly, romantic Christmas movies!

6.7 stars.

Honestly, it's the actors that kept me around for this one. First of all, I like both of the lead actors, I think they have a screen presence that really bursts. The elderly parents are well known actors too. But this narrative is weak.

You have a bunch of guys who apparently don't know how to dance, and then they become quasi strippers, in a rundown mom and pop restaurant/bar/club.

I don't know what to make of the narrative because it's somewhat unorthodox.

The lead actress's character is a Broadway dancer for about 10 years or so, and then she gets canned. But she looks like she's 28, which speaks volumes of the fickleness of the theater crowd. And then you have male lead, Luke the handyman, who helps her parents keep their bar operating.

Lead female comes home from the city because she's no longer employed, and figures she can create a male dance routine to regenerate and bring customers back into this failing business.

The dance routines are average, with a couple of real dancers, and a couple of guys who don't really know how to dance, and it just comes together in a flimsy way that fails to entertain.

But I keep watching, because I really like the two lead actors, and I would probably be suckered into viewing anything they are in anyway. Kudos to the casting it's the only thing that kept this charade going.

Frankly, leave this to Hallmark, because they know Christmas movies. I know why Hallmark wouldn't touch it; it's because the dancing was stripper adjacent.

Look... I love cheesy Christmas movies just as much as the next girl, I really want to like this movie, I mean, come on, Lucas Scott dancing on the stage shirtless. Hello?!! It just missed the mark for me.

There wasn't enough character/ relationship development, and it felt very rushed. I gave it a 5 because of shirtless Chad Michael Murray , though. I would have liked to see her parents and a little more and how they play in to make her want to step in more, the dad didn't say very much the entire movie, the scene where Chad gave her the necklace was a bit cringe and kinda out of left field, felt random.