“A Merry Scottish Christmas” was released in 2023 but just
recently posted on Netflix. It is a Hallmark Christmas movie as well. A family
is reunited in Scotland for Christmas and spends it in a castle. There, a
family secret is revealed and the movie talks about how the family grapples with
the news. The movie was directed by Dustin Rikert. It was written by Audrey
Shulman, Andrea Canning, and Dustin Rikert. The movie is centered around the fictional
Glencrave Castle. It is a stunning location that really accentuates the
beautiful Scottish landscape.
This movie gives into a lot of the classic Christmas movie stereotypes. The main character, who comes in to save the day, is from a big city, even if it is in a different country. The main characters, who are siblings, have to save the castle. There was royalty-free Christmas music. Lindsay’s brother and his wife were questioning their relationship. The castle ends up being a family heirloom that needs to be saved. Lindsay wore a beanie multiple points throughout the movie.
Admittedly, I predicted the major plot point that happens at
the end. While we do not see how it plays out after that fact, I would venture
to guess that it did happen, given the character’s expertise and training. It
almost felt like it was not going to happen, which broke my heart, but this drama
and tension held me to the end and made me emotional.
Overall, it was a decent Christmas movie. A lot of Christmas movie tropes were present but they were not as obvious as they are in other movies. The music was great with the addition of bagpipes and other traditional Scottish instruments. The movie really drives home the importance of family, especially around the holidays and when things get tough.
8/10 McMistletoe Mochas