Natale con Bob

Not having seen the first instalment of this movie series, I come at it with no expectations. Overall, I agree with most of the reviewers on here: it is a touching story (based on real-life, which is always a plus). I enjoyed watching the relationship between James (played by Luke Treadaway) and Bob (played by Bob the Cat), their interaction and the way James bonded with Bob. I found myself getting quite upset (maybe even shedding a tear or two) when, for example, Bob got sick. So, for me, at least, the film engaged me, it pulled me in. I did think that some elements of the plot were underdeveloped, the main one being, the shop owner/friend who started the petition. I think this was rather rushed. The acting was strong. Bob is played by a cat, so I will avoid critiquing Bob's performance here. But at the very least, Bob was cute, especially in his Christmas outfit, which is one of the adorable element to this film of course. Luke Treadaway's performance was pretty good. Keep in mind that he is trying to play someone in real-life as opposed to a fictional character; his performance was believable, I believe. The supporting cast was strong with some heartfelt performances. I did not find the film very uplifting in the sense that I thought things were going to get easier (but again, I did not see the first instalment of this series); it felt more to me like, James is going to struggle but he knows he has Bob and others to help him survive. I am not sure that is uplifting in a traditional sense ....but maybe it is for some. Overall, it is a touching story with some quality performances and an adorable cat, of course. If you are a cat lover and looking for a family holiday movie, then this one is for you.

In a regular year I'd probably dismiss this as schmaltzy hallmark nonsense but it is indeed the year of our lord 2020 and I am in desperate need of anything that makes me feel optimistic about the world. The film also importantly features a very cute cat (which is my kryptonite) so no apologies for enjoying this.

Found this one overly preachy and formulaic.

It's good to see Luke Treadaway return as James, as well as Bob the Cat; before his sad passing. However, everything else felt too forced in 'A Christmas Gift from Bob'. The plot is boring and predictable, with most of the dialogue feeling like it's telling us about issues rather than showing us; which is the opposite of the 2016 film.

Away from Treadaway, who is solid, there aren't any exceptional support casts - though I did like Phaldut Sharma's Moody. It misses Ruta Gedmintas and Joanne Froggatt, though I can understand that they might not have fitted with the story that they went for here; especially Froggatt.

It does have some sweet scenes still, as well as the expected cat cuteness. Unfortunately, it just didn't work due to the earlier mentioned problems - at least in my opinion. It's nothing terrible, granted.

Such a cute film, got very invested. If you want something easy to watch I recommend !

A Gift from Bob is a 2020 Christmas biography film and sequel to the 2016 film, A street cat name Bob. The storyline is about strength, friendship inspiration and teaches people about the meaning of Christmas. A lovely light hearted film to watch especially if you are a cat lover. No way as good as the first film but still okay to watch. Good acting and is very well directed. Something to watch on a Sunday evening with the family. I thought it was okay to watch and enjoyed it myself. This movie is currently streaming on Prime right now for free. Based on a true story