We’ve reached November, and Christmas will be here before we know it. But it’s already that time of year for the release of a cosy, festive British movie with an all-star ensemble cast. This year, that arrives with Merry Christmas Aubrey Flint, from director Jack Spring.

The film stars John Bradley (Game of Thrones) as the titular character, Aubrey Flint. After losing his mother on Christmas morning when he was a child, Aubrey has built his life around routine, history books, and a miniature Napoleonic army. He also hates Christmas and mostly keeps to himself, seemingly only caring about a select few people such as Mr Hopkins (Richard E. Grant) at the model shop.

But after an incident with a snow globe at a holiday shop gets Aubrey into trouble, he is sentenced to community service at Willow Lodge, a retirement home run by Ellen (Sophia Di Martino) that’s fighting to survive amidst a battle to prevent the home from being sold to a property developer. While there, Aubrey meets a group of energetic, somewhat eccentric residents (including Celia Imrie), and he’s reluctantly drawn into helping them put on an amateur production of Charles Dickens‘ A Christmas Carol, which Ellen hopes might get the retirement home recognised as a community theatre and ultimately save it from being sold.

It’s a familiar story that’s been told in various formats before, and it seems reminiscent of A Christmas Carol—not just because that’s the play the retirement home residents put on. The character of Aubrey Flint appears to be like Ebenezer Scrooge, hating Christmas and having to learn how to connect with people in the present rather than focusing purely on the past. But he’s still the kind of character that you like and find yourself rooting for, even if it feels as though the film tries too hard at times to make him feel cold and out-of-touch with the rest of the world. (I mean, surely he’d have heard of Bram Stoker’s Dracula before?) His negative history with Christmas makes it understandable why he dislikes the holiday, but sometimes the hatred seems a bit too forced and comes across as excessive.

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Additionally, there are a lot of plotlines in the film, possibly too many for the 98-minute runtime to handle. Not all of them receive as much screen time or feel as developed as others. Therefore, the script tends to play it rather safe, resulting in a story that’s largely predictable.

However, just because the film is predictable doesn’t mean it isn’t enjoyable. It’s still a fine story of confronting grief during the holidays, embracing community, and forming friendships. Plus, the casting is delightful, with an ensemble that features Adjoa Andoh (Bridgerton), Karl Pilkington (An Idiot Abroad), Kiell Smith-Bynoe (who is smashing it on the big screen right now with roles in Wicker and Ghosts: The Possession Of Button House), and the voice of Jim Broadbent (Bridget Jones’s Diary).

Ultimately, Merry Christmas Aubrey Flint is a charming film that will certainly be a crowd-pleaser this holiday season.

In Select UK & Ireland Cinemas November 6th / John Bradley, Celia Imrie, Richard E. Grant, Adjoa Andoh, Sophia Di Martino, Kiell Smith-Bynoe, Karl Pilkington / Dir: Jack Spring / Signature Entertainment / PG

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