Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love (2016) Reviews

• Wow! If family matters most to you then you must watch this inspirational film

  Ed-Shullivan2017-02-09

  This is such an under rated film that I just do not understand why so little attention has been given to Christmas of Many Colors. Maybe today's society is so tied up in social media and taking selfies that inspirational films such as Dolly Parton's latest production that reflect a very strong family bond and selflessness are considered passe? Heck, we are well past the Christmas season but I just watched this film for the first time and now I wished I had watched it sometime in December as I am sure it would have motivated me even more so to spend more time with my own family and close friends. The little girl who plays the pre-teen Dolly Parton, Alyvia Alyn Lind is an amazing actress. There are a handful of people blessed with the God-given talent who shine in front of the camera and Alyvia Alyn Lind is most certainly one of those brightest of today's stars and she will continue to shine brightly for many, many years to come. She reminds me a lot of both a young Shirley Temple and Jodie Foster. Dolly herself has always said she liked to perform from a very young age and that she loved to be the center of attention. Alyvia Alyn Lind who plays young Dolly wants so badly to star in her 1955 Christmas pageant in the starring role as the virgin Mother Mary that she prays to God for the opportunity and she sucks up big time to her teacher Miss Moody, played to perfection by Mary Lane Haskell. There is a few scenes where the interaction between young Dolly and her teacher made me cry with tears of joy. I know this film is loosely based on Dolly Parton's own family life and I assume that Dolly took many liberties in embellishing some of the mini-miracles that are reflected in Christmas Of Many Colors but if you take the time "as a family" to sit down together and watch this film you will see why these mini-miracles are key to this inspirational story. Dolly's parents Robert Lee Parton (Ricky Schroder) and Avie Lee Parton (Jennifer Nettles) are back again for this film sequel to the 2015 film Coat of Many Colors. Who would not want Robert Lee and Avie Lee to be their parents? They emit love and kindness even with a house full of wall to wall children and little money to spare. The entire cast including Reverend Jake Jones played by Gerald McRaney who plays Avie Lee's father and Dolly's grandfather, and her Uncle Billy played by Cameron Jones are all well cast. Heck, even Dolly Parton has a few cameo appearances in this sequel that are inspirational and I believe Dolly included these scenes as her dream did come true. So this film encompasses the Christmas spirit at its best, from the Christmas pageant, to the power of prayer, to the gift of giving being so much more inspirational than the gift of receiving. I believe this film, The Christmas of Many Colors will become a family tradition in the vein of the 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life. I really enjoyed The Christmas of Many Colors: the Circle of Love and it will be on Mrs. Shullivan's and especially my must watch Christmas season watch list for many years to come. It is a Christmas classic! I give it 10 for 10 shiny Christmas ornaments and a must add to our Christmas tree watch list.

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• A great sequel to Coat Of Many Colors

  jrbjc2016-12-22

  This movie, "Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love", as a sequel to "Coat of Many Colors" really stays true to the concept of the first one -- it brings to life the childhood of Dolly Parton and emphasizes the special events and moments that shaped her life. Through both movies, she draws us into an era where life was simple, but hard, and the love of family, combined with faith, proved to be a powerful combination that could stand the tests of life. The cast has been superb both times; this sequel was flawless in its transition from the first movie. It felt completely natural and I was instantly drawn back in to the story line. Ms Nettles surprised me once again at how gifted she is as an actress, and Alyvia Alyn Lind further established herself in my book as the best child actor to appear on the scene in a very long time. I personally feel honored to have these special glimpses into Dolly's life, and I believe her stories were definitely worth telling, and I'm so glad they have been. When I was growing up, when "9 to 5" came out, and she was in her prime as a country star, I had a completely different perception of Dolly Parton, and these movies have made me feel like I have been invited into her intimate life and can understand the amazing woman she really is. I have a huge respect for her now, and I'm thankful she has blessed us with these heartwarming stories that bring us back to what life is truly all about, when all the chaos and fluff are stripped away. These movies make me have the same warm, feel-good, aftertaste that I always had from Little House on the Prairie. Triumph over tragedy, faith in God, the importance of family, and that love always wins in the end -- the basics never fail us. If you have never seen "Coat Of Many Colors", I encourage you to watch it first.

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• Listen and Yule hear a story...

  lee_eisenberg2016-12-05

  I understand that "Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love" is based on something that happened early in Dolly Parton's life. It tells the story of how little Dolly and her siblings, growing up dirt-poor in rural Tennessee, made some extreme sacrifices to get their mother a gift one Christmas. Parton herself co-stars as a sort of guardian angel to the young Dolly. I was surprised to see that the director is Stephen Herek, who has directed movies as different as "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" and "Mr. Holland's Opus". It's not any sort of masterpiece, but I liked how it affirmed that despite the numerous hardships, this was a close, loving family. Dolly Parton is one person who makes clear that not all rural people are ignorant yahoos. As she once said: "I may be a country bumpkin, but at least I'm a smart country bumpkin."

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• Well done, inspiring

  vchimpanzee2016-12-01

  Once again, Dolly Parton's family is struggling. It is almost Christmas and the children's presents will total about $25. That's a lot of money for these people. But Dolly's mom won't get anything. She'd like the wedding ring at Mrs. Bass' store and Lee (who once called a ring just metal) would like to give it to her, but the family just doesn't have the money for something like that. And it's time for the Christmas pageant. Dolly wants so much to be Mary and the other girl gets to do it every year. Her best friend Judy is expected to be the rear end of the donkey. But Dolly asks that Judy be the angel Gabriel, and it causes problems with their friendship since Judy seems to think Dolly is saying Judy isn't good enough for her. Dolly does get the part of Mary, but Rudy is Joseph and that's not ideal. Judy does get to be Gabriel but it doesn't make her happy, and she and Dolly will have lessons to learn about friendship. Meanwhile, the patient Miss Moody takes Goody's headache powders, again and again. The Parton kids figure out they can get their mom that ring if they sacrifice their Christmas gifts. And sell everything in sight. And if Dolly cleans Miss Moody's fabulous house (no, teachers aren't paid that well; it was her parents'). And if Dolly sings on the street--and of course we know she's very good. Uncle Billy comes for a visit and Lee does not approve of his way of making a living. Uncle Billy, a singer, reminds his sister Avie Lee that she could have been a celebrity if she had kept singing. And we do get to see she is really good as she performs with the family. And Uncle Billy wants to see Dolly get the chance her mom never had. Dolly will even skip school to do it. Lee won't hear of his daughter having that kind of life. A new complication: a painted harlot appears dressed all in red with a red Thunderbird and way too much makeup. Mrs. Bass wants that sinful woman to go away. But she keeps coming back, giving Dolly encouragement and even money. Which Mrs. Bass takes away from the little girl because the money (apparently) came from sinful behavior. The painted angel, as Dolly refers to her, returns several times but is never anything but wonderful. Lee can't get his truck to work and that means trouble for the family, since selling wood he has cut is the only source of income, unless he goes to the mine. There are good-paying jobs there, but it is dangerous work. More sacrifices are made, more generous gifts given, more lessons learned about the true meaning of Christmas. And so Christmas arrives. Has the family made enough money for the ring? Forget that. Lee is determined to provide for his family, so he makes that terrible choice. And the family has one crisis after another, and some of these are life-threatening. Will the family make it through? You know they will have to. But it's amazing to watch their mother go through being concerned and then stronger than she has ever had to be. Once again, we get more wonderful performances. Alyvia Alyn Lind is the perfect young Dolly. When she sings in one scene I actually think I'm hearing the real Dolly. Jennifer Nettles should have been Emmy nominated last year, but cable shows seem to get most of the nominations, and she's fantastic again but it just won't happen because last year was slightly more challenging. Gerald McRaney is of course quite good as the preacher grandfather who is so grateful his son-in-law is finally on the right track. And the baptism scene is funny. Mary Lane Haskell does an outstanding job as the patient teacher, who along with Dolly has an amazing scene in Miss Moody's house. Hannah Nordberg does a good job as Dolly's best friend. Farrah Mackenzie is so cute as young Stella, while the real Stella gives us a great performance as the snooty businesswoman who learns an important lesson. And for someone who was once told she can't act (Her response I believe was something like "Honey I know I can't act. It's your job to make me look good."), well of course Dolly herself does a wonderful job essentially playing herself, but really acting as a sort of angel to her younger self. The real Dolly also sings several nice songs. They wouldn't be among my choices for a Christmas music radio format. But here they were nice and I'm sure people would like them. Have I left anyone out? They were all good. Nothing here is really inappropriate for young kids, but I would be concerned about how some kids handle the life-threatening situations. It's pretty scary. But the way everyone handles what could have been disasters is nothing short of amazing. You know in a kids' movie things will have to work out. It's a Christmas miracle that everything worked out. A wonderful and inspiring experience for the whole family, with real messages of faith.

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• Dolly did it again

  sweetkywoman_424592016-12-02

  Great movie,a must see,Christmas and the children's presents will total about $25 oh how we wish it is the same today and the kids even give that up just for their mother to be able to get the wedding band that she so wanted for 8 years!!!How the her hubby went to work in the mines to get the money just for awhile cause if he stay where he was it it take three months to earn the money and he get cover up and the Lord pulls him out of the mines to be able to return home to give Dolly's mother the ring for Christmas PRAY this movie will help us coal miners to keep what we was promise our UMWA health Insurance and pension that our husband work so hard and in very dangerous place

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