Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Green
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Innuendo, shirtless male dancers in ho-hum holiday romcom.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Merry Gentlemen
What's the Story?
Ashley (Britt Robertson) is living her dream as a Broadway dancer in THE MERRY GENTLEMEN. When she's let go and replaced by a younger dancer, she heads home for the holidays to regroup. Once there, she discovers that her parents have fallen into debt over the bar they run. The bar used to be a gathering place in town that featured local acts. Ashley comes up with an idea to choreograph a male "revue" (men dancing shirtless) to try to raise money and save her parents' establishment. She enlists hunky handyman Luke (Chad Michael Murray) and others to help.
Is It Any Good?
'Tis the season for topless men on Netflix. First Hot Frosty, and now The Merry Gentleman. In this movie, Hallmark romance meets Magic Mike. Unfortunately, while the film is undemanding, it doesn't go deep enough in setting up its characters to make us truly care. We learn nothing of Luke's background, beyond being jilted by an ex-girlfriend, and of course his abs. If you're looking for an emotion-filled film about men stripping to raise needed funds, check out the British classic The Fully Monty instead. If you're seeking mindless holiday fluff, this'll do.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the idea of moving home from the big city to a small town, as Ashley does in The Merry Gentlemen. What stereotypes of "city" versus "town" do you see in this film?
Have you watched other movies featuring male "strippers" or shirtless dancers? How does this one compare?
Could this movie have taken place at another time that wasn't Christmas? How would it have changed?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : November 20, 2024
- Cast : Britt Robertson , Chad Michael Murray , Marla Sokoloff
- Director : Peter Sullivan
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Romance
- Topics : Arts , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Holidays
- Run time : 87 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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