Netflix
has added another hit to its ever-growing list of Christmas movies with The Merry Gentlemen
. Starring One Tree Hill and Freaky Friday’s Chad Michael Murray
and Brit Robertson, the film debuted at the top of the global movie chart. For anyone who has been following this year’s weekly drop of Christmas cheer from Netflix, it should not come as a surprise at all. Sliding in on the heels of Hot Frosty, The Merry Gentlemen is another festive piece of fluff…which this time comes with the added allure of being about a group of people saving a bar from closure by turning it into a strip club. Gather all the kids around the tree for this one.
The Merry Gentlemen finds Robertson playing Ashley, a former dancer who is deemed too old to be a New York City “Jingle Belle” and therefore makes her way back from the Big Apple to her little hometown just in time for the holidays. However, things are not particularly festive, as her parents’ bar is set to close, and they are on the verge of eviction unless they can cough up the cash to clear their $30,000 debt. In order to do this, Ashley comes up with a fool-proof plan – turn the local handyman (Murray) into a stripper and watch the cash fly in.
If it all sounds a bit overly generic, simplistic, and more than a little convoluted…you would seemingly be right. Unlike the surprisingly well-reviewed Hot Frosty – which defied its bonkers “snowman comes to life as hunky guy” plot to debut with a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score – The Merry Gentlemen has received an anything but gentlemanly reception from either critics or audiences.
Is Netflix’s ‘The Merry Gentlemen’ Worth Watching?
If you believe what you read on Rotten Tomatoes, then the answer seems to be a resounding “no.” Although only seven critics have reviewed the movie at the time of writing, five of those reviews are “rotten.” There are many reasons given as to why the film doesn’t work, from the comments that it is “Magic Mike without the magic,” the two lead stars feel “tired,” and that the movie is simply “content” that is an “obligation” for certain providers this time of year.
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From an audience perspective, there is little more joy of the season to be found. Out of 11 reviews, seven give the movie two-stars or less, and those who give it more seem only to do so based on being able to spend some time looking at Murray and his friends showing off their boxer shorts – and that is all they show… just in case you were expecting more. As Stephanie H put it:
“Terrible dancing, worst acting. It’s so forced and uncomfortable to watching the so called strippers.”
The Merry Gentlemen may be leading the pack right now, with Hot Frosty dropping to the number two position, while Meet Me Next Christmas – another former chart-topper – remains in the running at number seven. With more of these cheerful, if often forgettable, warm and cosy movies to come, this won’t be the last wintry offering we see dominating Netflix this holiday season.
- Release Date
-
November 20, 2024
- Writers
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marla sokoloff