Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love

Perhaps based on true life events, but it appears that it may be also be a semi-fictional fable as well. I will leave it up to the viewer to make that determination. It all revolves around the school's Christmas Pageant of the Nativity, and the whole family pitching in to buy Mama a gold wedding ring. Daddy risks life-and-limb to work in the dangerous coal mine to make enough money so he can buy the ring. The 2 main dramatic moments involve a mining disaster and the entire family trapped inside of a snowbound house. It's a Christmas miracle. Dolly makes an appearance and I am not sure if it is meant to be her future self or a "painted lady" in the town. Truly great family entertainment and justly nominated for an Emmy. (Rated 3 hankies)

This was another feel good holiday film from Dolly Parton, who is generous enough to share autobiographical and inspirational stories from her youth.

Heavy message about sacrifice, thinking of others, and leaning in to one's faith.

Good cast. Great performances.

Leaves you feeling good about life and others the way every holiday movie should.

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. But it's amazing to watch the mother go through being concerned and then stronger than she has ever had to be.

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. Will the family make it through? You know they will have to.

It's a Christmas miracle that everything worked out. A wonderful and inspiring experience for the whole family, with real messages of faith.

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."

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.