Though predictable and unoriginal, 'Christmas at Castle Hart' is entertaining nonetheless with some beautiful Irish scenery and landscapes, appealing performances, and some lovely Irish dancing and Christmas celebration. At the center of our story is Brooke (played by Lacey Chabert), a thirty-something divorcee who, along with her sister Margo (played by Ali Hardiman), were recently fired from their (waitressing) jobs with one of the most sought after event planners. Margo thinks they should start their own event planning business, but first, what about a trip to Ireland for Christmas to search for their father's Irish roots? They're off. While at an Irish pub, they meet Aiden Hart (played by Stuart Townsend), who offers to give them a personal tour of Castle Hart. While there, they are mistaken for (or rather pose as) the elite event planner they used to work for and are hired to plan a Christmas party at the castle hosted by the Duchess of Abercorn (played by Kate O'Toole). The catch is, they only have 12 days to plan this grand Christmas event. All in all, it is an entertaining story. The writers do a good job of developing the dialogue between the sisters, which made me chuckle a few times. Indeed, the (light) humor is entertaining throughout the movie. I especially like the 'the partridge is still in the pear tree' scene. It made me chuckle. The romance and dialogue between Brooke and Aiden were pretty good, a bit of a soft touch in this one, which I felt worked fine on-screen. The family roots element of the story gets lost a bit in the narrative. However, it does remerge with a twist in a touching scene at the end. Many reviewers took issue with the morality of the movie's message. Of course, I understand the points made regarding the nature of lying and deception in the film. However, if I am being honest, I didn't think much of it while watching the movie. That is, it did not take anything away from my viewing experience. Given that deception/mistaken identity is a very popular plot device used by writers in this genre of film, maybe I have become immune to it and its implications. Or maybe, I don't take Hallmark movies too seriously. It's probably a bit of both. The acting overall was strong. Chabert, a Hallmark regular, had her usual warm performance. Townsend, a well-known Irish actor, was also convincing in his role as Aiden, the Earl of Glaslough. The two had pretty good chemistry as well, which kept me engaged with the story. Hardiman does a good job of portraying the corky, goofy sister Margo. And I can't forget the no-nonsense performance by O'Toole. Well done. From the snow-covered Irish countryside, along with the beautifully decorated castle, to traditional Irish dance and song, the film has a pleasing Christmas feel to it, which most will enjoy. If you are looking for something warm and fun with a touch of Irish holiday cheer, 'Christmas at Castle Hart' might be the Christmas rom-com for you.
