A Merry Scottish Christmas

I have nothing but nice things to say about this Hallmark holiday film. I am loving these excursions into foreign locales and the sharing of other culture's holiday traditions...and this is no exception. In this film we travel to Scotland for a Christmas with siblings Brad and Lindsay.

They arrive at the fictional Glenncraig, or the lovely and very real Duns Castle which was used in the filming, at their mother's invitation. What they don't know is their mother was meant to be the Duchess there as first born and Lady Josephine. A role that she ran away from to go to America where she became Brad and Lindsay's mother. Her brother, Danny, became the Duke in her absence. Unfortunately, Duke Daniel has recently passed away, leaving the castle and estate to his absent sister and potentially Brad and Lindsay.

It was fun seeing some Scottish Christmas traditions with the bonfire to celebrate the Christmas solstice, the Shetland ponies, the banquet and ball...The dancing, the kilts, the Scotch.

"An enchanting time and place, the romance, the history, the moors, Glenncraig is straight out of a fairytale at Christmas time."-Mac

This was a story about family and home. I thought it was a beautiful touch to use Michael Buble's song "Home" at a key point towards the end. It was fun to see the reunion of two Party of Five members, reunited as siblings again. The real revelation however is the Scottish actor James Robinson, who played the castle estate manager Mac Bell. Perfect for the role of a romantic lead, he is handsome and his Scottish burr really added a note of authenticity to the film (along with the proper Scottish pronunciations!). Kellie Blaise was also a nice addition to the cast as Sarah Morgan, Brad's wife. What lovely hair she has. Gerry O'Brien, was perfect as the voice of reason Graeme Stewart. The surprise appearance by Will Kemp for a dance with Lacy Chabert, was fun especially in light of their co-starring in Hallmark's Dancing Detective series.

This is a film I would recommend to anyone who likes to armchair travel and who is a fan of Christmas and family. (Also I might recommend this to Party of Five fans who might get a kick out of the Scott Wolf-Lacey Chabert reunion.)

"A Merry Scottish Christmas" (2023) certainly delivers on its promise of a festive journey, but it's a sleigh ride that's more steady than stunning. The plot, revolving around Lindsay and Brad's trip to Scotland to reunite with their mother Jo, is a familiar template for holiday family reunions. While the Scottish backdrop adds a charming twist, the movie often feels like a scenic postcard that's missing a heartfelt message. The sibling dynamic is adequately explored, and there are moments where their estrangement and eventual bonding tug at the heartstrings, but these scenes are often overshadowed by predictable plot points and clichéd Christmas cheer.

The film's saving grace, however, lies in its visuals and soundtrack. Scotland's picturesque landscapes are a treat, and the filmmakers do a commendable job in capturing the country's rugged beauty and cozy, festive atmosphere. The soundtrack, filled with a mix of traditional Scottish tunes and classic Christmas carols, creates a delightful ambience that complements the scenic beauty on screen. Yet, these elements feel like festive wrapping on an otherwise ordinary gift; they enhance the experience but can't quite make up for the story's lack of originality and depth.

In conclusion, "A Merry Scottish Christmas" is akin to a warm, albeit slightly itchy, Christmas sweater. It's comfortable, familiar, and has a certain charm, but it's not something you'd rave about to friends. The film does a fair job of spreading holiday cheer and showcasing Scotland's beauty, but it ultimately falls short of being a memorable addition to the holiday movie genre. It's a decent pick for a cozy, low-expectation evening, but don't expect it to become a Christmas classic.

The reunion of the Party of Five stars Lacey Chabert and Scott Wolf will attract the attention of many. They play estranged brother and sister Lindsay and Brad. They each went separate ways at adulthood and that left resentment. That resentment gets lip service for a while but the two quickly act far friendlier toward each other than the backstory would imply. But the big story in the plot is that their mom, also estranged from them, is heir of a duke.

Lindsay meets Mac, the estate manager, and they begin developing a romance, but that plot thread is secondary to the family reconciliation and their dealing with issues related to their inheritance.

The acting is mostly OK, but somehow I didn't feel it much from Scott Wolf. I think I was put off by his over enthusiasm which could have been overacting. The dialogue was also OK with some funny moments. We saw a bit of Scottish scenery and traditions.

There were no great highs or lows or surprises. The tension was all relational and didn't involve any threats to body or livelihood.

One mystery to me was Mac's brother-in-law. The actor looked familiar but I couldn't place him.

The last Lacy Chabert movie we really liked was Christmas in Rome, and this one didn't live up to that standard.

The main draw of this movie was the Scottish setting. Once the main group of characters arrive, the mother tells her son and daughter she was in line to be the Duchess, but didn't want the lifestyle control that went with the title and sticking with her family.

The "sort of" outrage shown by the son and daughter didn't ring true for us. It seems manufactured to put some tension in the story, but it was pretty much the only tension in the story.

From there on, we saw charming scenes of local life and traditions, but they didn't interest us enough to wish to watch this again, and the movie trundled on to its entirely predictable ending.

Wow, Scotland in the winter looks beautiful. So green. Like you could jump right in the ocean or walk around in a t-shirt without trouble. Wait, it was not summer? This was supposed to be a Christmas movie? Huh. OK then. On to the story, our siblings find out their mother was a secret duchess and they now are in control of a Scottish castle, cuz that's a thing. If you've seen Party of Five, you know Lacy Chabert and Scott Wolf have had parent issues before, but this didn't seem so much as a problem. They were just annoying about it. Lacy falls for the groundskeeper, dances with someone she should actually be dating (Will Kemp) and leaves the castle only to return and stay. The last 10 minutes of the movie happened so fast that you really need to look up from your phone to catch all the flip flopping. I'm giving this one seven stars for the acting (mostly the tour guide and bar keep) and the setting. I read that the castle they used was actually in Ireland - which is not cool Hallmark. Always dissing the Scots.