A Dog Named Christmas

George McCray (Bruce Greenwood) is a farmer who had served in Vietnam and suffered a limp in one of his legs. He also had a couple of dogs. One as a kid-Tucker-and one during the war-Charlie. Having lost both, he's hesitant of letting his last-born adult offspring, Todd (Noel Fisher)-who's a little handicapped, have one permanently, making him promise to return this temporary holiday adoptee to the shelter after Christmas which becomes the dog's name. His wife, Mary Ann (Linda Emond), knows what he's been through and disagrees with him, though respectfully to the point of not pushing it. I'll stop there and just say this was quite heartwarming which is what you usually expect from a movie presented on "Hallmark Hall of Fame" but not cloyingly so. I mean, all those Christmas party scenes with the relatives and Todd's bonding with the animal and...well, if you don't mind feeling warm inside, this movie is definitely for you. But, yes, there are some compellingly dramatic scenes like those flashback ones of George back during the war or one on the farm later on in the movie. Nice use of Sarah McLachlan's "Angel" (which I just watched her perform on a "Dancing with the Stars" results show) and another song written and sung by leading man Greenwood himself near the end. And seeing the author, Greg Kincaid, with his own adopted dog Rudy in a spot asking for anyone who'd like to get a pet for the holidays was a touching plea. So on that note, I recommend A Dog Named Christmas.

The movie begins with a voice I believe to be George McCray narrating, following the adventures of a dog who won't stay in one place, but has to keep going until he finds the perfect home he was meant to have.

In the community of Crossing Trails, Kansas, George's farm has been in the family for many generations. His wife Mary Ann teaches at a local school. They have four children; all except 20-year-old Todd have grown up and moved out. Todd is disabled but seems very capable and responsible.

The local animal shelter wants people to adopt dogs just for the Christmas season, to give the shelter employees a break. Todd, who raised sheep for 4H, is very excited about the idea, but George doesn't want him to have a dog. He believes Todd will want to keep the dog after Christmas, which of course the shelter employees hope some people will do. George has had dogs, as we see in flashbacks, but for some reason he is very opposed to the idea of having another one. Perhaps it has something to do with what happened to Charlie, who was his canine companion for a time as he served in Vietnam.

George finally gives in and lets Todd have a dog, but he makes it clear the dog will be Todd's responsibility. Todd goes to the shelter and looks at many dogs before he finally finds THE ONE. Someone has trained this dog well; he responds to the usual commands. He has no name yet, so Todd names him Christmas and takes him home.

Todd's two brothers are married and celebrate Christmas with their wives' families, so the big family Christmas, which includes some friends who are not relatives, takes place several days early. Todd, his parents and his sister Hannah will have a smaller celebration on the big day. For the early event, the various families show up and have a good time before finally sitting down at the table in a real Norman Rockwell scene.

And what happens next is pretty amazing.

We all know how this movie will probably end, but it will be a lot of fun getting there, with all the twists and turns and doubts about whether it really will end the way we think.

Noel Fisher does a wonderful job. Todd has been taught to be responsible, and unlike most TV children, he really is. He's easy to like and everyone in the movie likes him. No one treats him as if he is disabled, and sometimes it seems as if he is not.

Bruce Greenwood is very good as a loving but stern father who wants his son to succeed and won't coddle him. George knows the value of hard work and what it takes to run a farm, and even though we see his injury in Vietnam still bothers him, it doesn't stop him from doing anything.

Many of the leading actors also do a very good job. That includes the dog, of course.

This is a movie the whole family can watch, as are most Hallmark Hall of Fame presentations. There are a couple of scenes that might bother younger children, one in Vietnam and one in the present day, but neither scene is that bad.

It's a wonderful holiday film.

One of the most heartwarming beautiful movies I've ever watched. It is on my watch list every year for Christmas. Finally I managed to record it so I can watch it any time I want. I love animals and I love the way that boy never gave up on the idea to not only save and have one but help more dogs find a home during the most beautiful time of the year.

And the boy who played the mentally challenged kid did a wonderful job. Watch it during the holidays and you will feel the same way. Of course I am a sucker for Hallmark and Lifetime movies, but really, you gotta watch this one :-) I don't own a dog, just a cat, but if anything ever happens to me, I hope someone takes my sweetheart in like this boy did with Christmas

This was a typical Hallmark Hall of Fame movie: warm, fuzzy, slice-of-life Americana, and I think everyone pretty much knew how it was going to end. Nothing wrong with that, however; we all need a certain amount of that to keep our spirits up. I liked that it wasn't too formulaic--you know, the crusty, closed-down father who really loves his son but can't show it, etc. That wasn't the case here. Bruce Greenwood's character kept a few things close to his vest (Vietnam, the loss of his dogs), but he was certainly not closed down, and was capable of giving and showing affection. Clearly he had a stable, loving family. I loved his relationship with his son, the way he would tease him and the son's mock-indignant responses, which both knew were all part of the game, and the matter-of-fact way he and his wife raised him: firm but loving, realizing he had special needs but not wanting to coddle him too much (a little overprotective at times, perhaps, but who wouldn't be?). The scene where they get out of the car to walk to the shelter and Todd holds his father's hand--not out of physical need but out of love--was one of those little moving touches throughout the movie.

I also liked the fact that Todd was completely accepted, not only by his family (even his young nieces and nephews), but also by his rural community. Everyone treated him with respect and affection without forgetting that he was developmentally challenged. There was no doubt that he was the way he was because of his loving home life. Yet he wasn't cloying because he wasn't perfect (hated to clean his room, for example).

And Noel Fisher deserves a lot of credit for his performance. I'd seen him in "Law and Order Special Victims Unit" where he played a really creepy psychopath and I barely recognized him as the same actor. He was able to capture the sweetness and simplicity of Todd without being condescending or going over the top: the wonderment in the eyes, the way his mouth hesitated sometimes before speaking as he tried to process what was going on, even the way he moved, like a child in a man's body. I loved the fact that he was so uninhibited about showing happiness and affection. I wonder if the actor knew or studied such people in real life, because he seemed to understand so many subtle aspects of how they behave--but all done very respectfully and realistically.

I tend to be wary of sentimental made-for-TV movies in general, but I have to say I was pleased with this one, predictable though it was.

Great story that will engage the interest of all who love animals and hopefully change the views of those who are not animal lovers. As Anatole France said, "Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." This movie demonstrates love for animals, family and is a great advocate for the learning disabled. This movie will help us all understand this quote from Mahatma Gandhi,"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated." Hopefully it will encourage people to adopt from our overcrowded animal shelters and to participate in spay/neuter programs also. This movie will be added to the classic Christmas movies our family watches every Christmas.