Good Craic!

I really really liked this! It was most pleasant. Not a lot of drama or romance, just a nice story of a family reconnecting and coming together and embracing a new perspective on themselves and their future. There is a bit of a romance of course but really only to provide a path forward to a healthy life/work balance for our single workaholic heroine and hope for a future happy home life. It is also the story of a married couple who have grown apart rediscovering each other and recommitting to their marriage. And it’s all set and filmed in a real castle in Scotland! What could be better?

Lacey Chabert and Scott Wolf famously of the old TV series Party of Five reunite as brother and sister, Brad and Lindsay Morgan.  Over the years the once very close pair have drifted apart and haven’t spoken or met for 2 years. Refreshingly, there wasn’t a huge disagreement or misunderstanding involved, it was just their busy lives and important time-consuming careers getting in the way.  I venture to say that too many families can sadly relate to this same situation. One little thing leads to another, a perceived snub, a hurtful word or two, until two family members are well and truly estranged.

Brad and Lindsay’s mother has brought them together, along with Brad’s wife Sarah to spend their Christmas vacation in Scotland at Glencrave Castle. Little do they know that their mother has actually inherited the castle and the estate and is a countess. When she was 20, she ran away to California with an American, the pair’s future father, and never returned. The title and the responsibility of running things went to her brother who passed away a few weeks prior. So now the jig is up and she has no choice but to spill the truth of her past to her children and to figure out what to do about her inheritance. When she was 20, she wanted no part of the massive responsibility that being a countess entailed. She wanted the freedom to choose her destiny. Yay, America! Her life in Scotland didn’t fit then and doesn’t fit now. She wants to pass it along to Brad and Lindsay, or at least give them the choice to take on their legacy or sell up. Now they must decide whether to return to their lives in California or become the titled owners of the castle, its 30,000 acres,  and the huge responsibility that that entails. Along the way, we are immersed in the scenery and Christmas traditions of Scotland and the robust social life of the village that is supported by Glencrave. And that includes a funny and delightful cameo appearance by actor and dancer Will Kemp, Lacey Chabert’s frequent partner in several Hallmark productions.

The dilemmas and troubles of the family were involving as they worked to iron things out between mother and children, husband and wife, and brother and sister. There were both chuckles and touching moments to spare.  Of course, the scenery and atmosphere were as important as the plot and characters. And I really enjoyed the nuggets of history and lore as well. Who knew that Christmas was banned in Scotland until 1958? Although celebrated privately by some families, to most it was just another day until the 1960s. It all concludes in a heartwarming and satisfying fashion and I forgive them for any mistakes they may have made regarding how the Scottish peerage actually works.