The Merry Gentlemen ending explained: Does Ashley and Luke end up together?

The Merry Gentlemen, a Christmas-themed rom-com, made its debut on Netflix on November 20, 2024. Directed by Peter Sullivan, the movie is a fresh take on holiday love stories, combining charm and humor with a dose of dance and drama.

The film stars Britt Robertson as Ashley Davis, a Broadway dancer who finds herself at a crossroads, and Chad Michael Murray as Luke, a handyman with a complicated past.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers.

The Merry Gentlemen follows Ashley as she returns to her hometown of Sycamore Creek after losing her job with The Jingle Belles, a popular Broadway dance troupe. Faced with the news that her parents' nightclub, The Rhythm Room, is about to close due to financial struggles, Ashley steps up to save it.

Drawing from her Broadway experience, she comes up with the idea of putting together a male dance revue, to raise the money needed to keep the club open. This is where Luke, a local handyman who has been helping around the club, comes into play. Initially, Ashley sees Luke as just a helpful guy around the club, but their interactions soon lead to a budding romance.

As Ashley and Luke work together to put on the show, their feelings for each other grow. But just when things are looking up, Ashley receives an offer to return to The Jingle Belles with a higher salary, throwing a wrench in the budding relationship. Torn between her career and the new life she's starting with Luke, Ashley faces a tough decision.

At the end of The Merry Gentlemen, the tension escalates when she ultimately chooses to return to the city, but after a change of heart and a heartfelt confession, Ashley returns to Sycamore Creek, where she and Luke end up together.

The Merry Gentlemen: Why does Ashley return to Sycamore Creek?

Still from The Merry Gentlemen (Image via Netflix)

When Ashley Davis, a once-successful Broadway dancer, returns to her hometown of Sycamore Creek, things aren't exactly looking up. Having just lost her job with The Jingle Belles, the popular dance troupe, she is struggling with her career and her future. Things take an unexpected turn when Ashley finds out that her parents’ nightclub, The Rhythm Room, is about to close due to financial problems.

This is a huge blow, as the club holds significant sentimental value for Ashley and her family. Faced with the reality that her hometown is on the brink of losing a beloved institution, Ashley decides to take action. She doesn’t just want to sit around feeling sorry for herself, so she steps up to help save The Rhythm Room.

She comes up with an ambitious idea: to organize a fundraiser featuring a male dance revue, hoping the spectacle of shirtless men will draw a crowd. It’s a bold, somewhat cheeky plan, but one that she believes could work.

Ashley is determined to do everything she can to save her parent's legacy, even if it means stepping out of her comfort zone. In this moment, Ashley’s journey begins, combining both personal growth and the desire to revive something that means so much to her.

The Merry Gentlemen: What is the growing connection between Ashley and Luke?

Ashley’s plan to save The Rhythm Room wouldn’t be possible without Luke, a local handyman with a rugged past. At first, Ashley views Luke as just another guy doing odd jobs around the club, nothing more than a helpful hand. But as the two spend more time together organizing the event, their connection starts to deepen.

Luke is straightforward, a little sarcastic, and yet undeniably caring, making him the perfect foil to Ashley's more polished, Broadway background. It doesn't take long for sparks to fly between them. In the beginning, Ashley is hesitant to pursue anything romantic with Luke, partly because of their different worlds and partly because she's still struggling to figure out her own life.

But Luke’s warmth and support make it impossible for her to ignore the growing attraction between them. He listens to her when she needs someone to talk to, and she finds herself looking forward to their time together.

Their relationship progresses as they work side-by-side to make the male revue happen, leading to moments of undeniable chemistry. But, as their bond strengthens, Ashley starts to worry about where this new connection could lead, especially when she’s offered a job back in New York. It creates a complicated emotional push and pull.

The Merry Gentlemen: What career choice does Ashley face at the climax of the film?

As the event draws near and the fundraiser starts to take shape, Ashley faces an unexpected and difficult choice. Out of nowhere, she gets an offer to return to The Jingle Belles with a higher salary. For someone who had felt like she was out of options, this seemed like the perfect opportunity to get back on track with her career in New York. But as tempting as it is, Ashley’s heart is not fully in it.

She’s become deeply involved with the club’s revival and, more importantly, with Luke. But the idea of getting back to her old life in the city, with the security of a well-paying job, is hard to resist. Torn between her career and her budding romance, Ashley spends a lot of time wrestling with what she truly wants.

At first, she decides to leave Sycamore Creek and accept the offer, believing that she cannot pass up the chance to secure her future. But on her way to the airport, she realizes that there’s more to happiness than that.

The decision to walk away from the job in New York and return to Luke shows her growth, she prioritizes love, family, and personal fulfillment to create a balanced life. In the end, Ashley finds peace in the decision to stay, and with Luke, she embraces the possibility of a new chapter.

The Merry Gentlemen is available to stream on Netflix.

Edited by Ameen Fatima