A Dog for Christmas

This movie totally ruins Santa and Christmas for children. It needs to come with a warning so that people with young kids who still believe in Santa do NOT watch it. It certainly should not be listed as a "family" movie. The story line is ridiculous and the acting is horrible. There is a scene where grandpa is reading "The Night Before Christmas" with all the kids snuggled in bed awaiting Santa to arrive, and then they go and show the dads carrying all the presents in from the car, and discussing the fact that they have to do all the work of getting the ""Santa" presents ready. Then they show grandpa up on the roof stomping around trying to make the kids think it's Santa. Then when horrified parents watching this movie with their children who have been fielding questions for 10 minutes about why is wasn't Santa putting those present under the tree think that not all is lost and the movie will explain about the magic of Santa their hopes are dashed. Grandpa and the dad just get into a fight because it was grandpa who bought the dog. No mention of Santa at all. The trailer for the movie should not have pictures of Santa all over it if they were going to show that Santa was not real. If the creators of this movie set out to destroy childhood they did a great job.

I couldn't even make it thru the first 5 mins. I kept fast forwarding, hoping it would get better, but it didn't. I can't believe Dean Cain and Richard Kane let themselves be in it. Skip it and find something worth your time. 7.9/10 - NO way!!

Hello all, I am the writer and producer. I wanted to reply to the comments here.

In general, I agree. If you sat down to watch this movie with your little kids, and you're expecting a cute Christmas movie - you're going to think that this is the worst movie ever made!

The movie was never intended for kids, grandmas, or the Hallmark crowd. The title "A Dog For Christmas" was forced on me by the original distributor. It's a terrible title, there's no dog in my movie! Same thing with the artwork. I was given no say in the matter. The movie has nothing to do with Santa. But the original distributor did not care, at all.

If you watch the movie for what it is, you might actually like it. So what is it? It is a lower budget version of Christmas Vacation, made for adults who have seen Christmas Vacation twenty times and would like to try something new. Does the movie have a plot? Barely. Does Christmas Vacation have a plot? Barely. Both are movies about having your entire extended family in for Christmas. Both are quite funny and relatable. One (ours) has a much lower budget.

Send the kids to bed. Have some drinks. Enjoy the movie.

With a title like "A dog for christmas" you'd think there would be a dog in it? The dog shows up 6 minutes before the end of the movie. It is in no way about the dog at all. I feel bad for Richard Karn, who has fallen from grace and into this christmas hellscape. I normally like quirky movies like this but man when you offer up a dog, you gotta give me a dog.

A Dog for Christmas is a movie that sets out to be a heartwarming holiday tale but stumbles at nearly every turn. Unfortunately, what could have been a charming and uplifting story is overshadowed by amateurish execution, poor writing, and lackluster performances.

The plot, which revolves around a young girl's wish for a dog during the holidays, is painfully predictable and lacks any emotional depth. Instead of tugging at heartstrings, it delivers shallow, cliché-ridden dialogue that feels more like filler than meaningful storytelling. The characters are one-dimensional, and their interactions are wooden and uninspired, leaving little room for viewers to care about their journey.

The production quality is also disappointing. The cinematography looks like it belongs in a low-budget TV commercial, with flat lighting and uninspired shots that fail to capture any holiday magic. The editing is choppy, and the pacing drags to the point where even a relatively short runtime feels endless.

Perhaps the most glaring issue is the acting. While it's clear that the cast is trying their best, their performances lack polish, ranging from overly exaggerated to completely disengaged. Even the dog, arguably the star of the film, feels underutilized, with only a handful of charming moments that fail to salvage the overall mediocrity.

A Dog for Christmas might appeal to viewers looking for background noise during the holidays, but even then, its lack of charm and professionalism makes it a tough recommendation. If you're searching for a feel-good holiday film, there are far better options out there.