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

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.

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.

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)

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."

The question isn't whether you love Dolly Parton - it's whether you love her anywhere near as much as her movie does. Dolly is painting her image for us as we watch, and in addition to being an incredibly talented singer and songwriter and an almost supernaturally appealing performer, Parton has always been one smart cookie when it comes to that image. She laughs at herself first, and people love her for it. Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love shows how strong her faith was at a very young age, and still continuing her walk and faith with God today. To the extent the film has an actual center, it's occupied by Parton's parents Lee and Avie Lee, played by Ricky Schroder and Jennifer Nettles. Christmas is coming, and Lee wants to get Avie Lee a special present, but he can't do it without making sacrifices, and asking the kids to sacrifice as well. That's one story, anyway. There's also Dolly's determination to star in the Christmas pageant, and drag her best friend with her, center stage; Lee's doubts over Avie Lee's premonitions; Grandpa's problems with his son's behavior; and two would-be fatal disasters, each resolved by divine intervention. A few of those stories might have worked; all thrown together, well, let's just say it's a coat of too many colors. As Parton herself narrates, whether you accept the film's belief in miracles is up to you. The problem isn't whether you believe you're seeing God - it's whether you believe you're really seeing Parton as a child rather than an adult Dolly shrunk to child size. Parton may well have been as universally adored as the film would have us believe, but simply telling us that is not enough: A movie has to make it seem credible as we watch the story unfold. So enjoy Colors for what it's worth - for the message, the music and Parton's benevolent spirit. Just know there must be a better movie to be made about her life than NBC is offering. What a Christmas gift that might have been.