When it comes to Christmas movies, sometimes you can tell why they are a Christmas movie and sometimes you just know that it could be an any time of the year movie. Now, I believe that any time of the year is the season to be Irish. While I can respect that the reasons why this movie is a movie in the Countdown to Christmas lineup, I also believe that this movie could work anytime of the year.
And I will watch it anytime of the year.
Being a person that watches hundreds of Hallmark movies a year, there are some that I connect to and some that I have found to be over hyped. When it comes to ‘Tis the Season to Be Irish, I do believe that it wasn’t hyped enough.
Fiona Gubelmann stars as Rose Walsh. She’s traveling the world, flipping houses, and never setting down roots. She doesn’t want to be committed to one space and to have to ever have to give up her freedom. She’s head strong and fierce, creative and endearing. Rose is the woman that we all want to be – invincible and yet able to convey a sense of vulnerability.
Eoin Macken is playing Sean, the quintessential Irish man. He’s family oriented, extremely handsome, endearing accent, and a hard worker. He still lives in the town that he grew up in and believes in legacy and history.
One from the states. One from Ireland. How do the two meet? Well that would be because Rose decides to buy a run down home to flip. It’s one of those buy cheap homes and you need to live in the community kind of homes. She thinks that she’s going to make a killing, and unfortunately doesn’t read the fine print on the contract.
Now, I can’t fault Rose for that, because the fine print can and does get very long and tedious. But we quickly learn that reading the small print will mean all of the difference to Rose and her quest to flip the home.
When arriving in Ireland, Rose sees the cottage for the first time and saying it is run down is being nice. It is a nightmare. Looking at it, I thought that they’d be able to knock it over by breathing. She meets Sean, who is a stickler for the fine print and is also the person that she has to come to for all renovations. The fine print says that they must all be approved by the historical society.
From the moment that Sean and Rose meet, you can’t deny that the two have an chemistry that is all of their own. They instantly clique, even though they are fighting all the time. It’s as if there is this love/hate but the hate is more attraction than anything.
The thing about attraction though – when you don’t want it to be happening, you’re going to be doing everything that you can to fight it. Fighting attraction is a difficult thing when its something that controls you.
Sean is determined to preserve the towns history and when he finds out that Rose wants to just flip the home, he fights her on it. Rose, who doesn’t ever seem to back down from a challenge, seems determined to back down from this one. She decides that she is just going to sell the home and leave – head to flip a home somewhere else.
It’s over the next few weeks that you see Rose and Sean working together to get the house to a point where she can sell it – you see them bond. It’s not something that could be easily done if it wasn’t for the actors playing the characters. Fiona Gubelmann and Eoin Macken have a great chemistry on screen. The person who really sells the attraction and the developing relationship is Macken though. The subtle glances, touches, and acts of kindness that he gives Sean when it comes to Rose have you all in.
It’s also the way that Sean is distant, doesn’t want his heart broken, and is afraid to commit that keeps you watching. It’s the will they or won’t they moments that have the viewer entranced. Seeing Rose fight the way that she feels, but knowing that it is out of fear makes you scream at the television, wanting her to see that all love isn’t bad.
I enjoyed their subtle moments. I enjoyed the question of will he allow her in or will she allow him in. I loved that the town was invested in seeing them succeed. I loved that every second that went by, you were watching two people really find growth and love that could be stable. You were rooting for them.
You were believing that this could and should happen.
Maybe I loved it so much because I related to Rose and her way of wanting to keep distance from all emotions. Maybe I related to her because nothing scares me moer than the idea of home and finding it.
But maybe, just maybe, I needed to be reminded that home is a beautiful thing. That in finding home and having people to answer to, you’re also finding love, safety, and comfort. Maybe I also just wanted someone to root for.
I clapped when she decided to not sell the home. I cheered every time the lamb would find her. I cried when she fell asleep watching Christmas movies with him and he leaned his head on hers.
I cried again when he found her and she said that he was her home. That he’s the person she wants to keep coming back to. I cried when he said he would go anywhere with her. I screamed when they kissed.
I believed.
I believed in love.
I believed in the idea of home and if you know me – that’s an almost impossible thing to make me do.
OTHER THOUGHTS
- Seans Mom is one of my favorite characters and I love her. She won’t take no for an answer
- When Rose leaves the Christmas party, I was so mad for her. But I was also mad at her because she was really out of line. And yet I was also cheering for her, because if you don’t take chances, you never know
- Sean’s Mom and all her proverbs… I need the book
- The friendship element of this movie was such a great part and reminded me that you can make any place home if you really want to and if you try hard enough.
- Mistletoe gathering…
- Still won’t get me to try plum pudding or mince pie
- The gift basket – girl, you could have done better
- Danny Boy…. if you know, you know and I am sure you cried
- All the walks home… chivalry is so good in this film
- Rose’s friend back home. She’s the real MVP – telling her friend like it is
- Sometimes the hardest thing about moving somewhere is figuring out where you belong
- Love the symbolism of the plunge – that was too good
- There is no way I am going in ice cold water for anyone
‘Tis The Season To Be Irish is a must watch. It’s one of those Hallmark movies that will be great year round.
