Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square is Painful to Watch

Yep, I wrote it.  Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square will be available to stream on Netflix on November 22, 2020, and it’s painful to watch.  Before I start receiving nasty grams from Dolly Parton fans, please know that I’m actually a fan of Dolly Parton’s music and I’d love to visit Dollywood someday.  But even Dolly Parton can’t save this holiday movie on Netflix.  

Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square is Painful to Watch

This is probably the shortest movie review I’ve ever written. Christmas on the Square is about a woman named Regina (played by extremely talented Christine Baranski) who owns a small town called Fullerville.  When she decides to sell the town, she becomes persona non grata among the town residents.  Dolly Parton makes several appearances throughout the movie as an angel.

Overall, the storyline was bizarre, for lack of a better term.  It has religious undertones which is understandable since it’s a Christmas movie, but I thought it was odd that that the townspeople were singing about axing, smacking, choking, toasting, roasting, and roughing up Regina a bit - while in church.  Now only that, but they are led by the town pastor.  The movie is rated PG, but this isn’t a movie that I’d watch as a family.  My 8 year old son wouldn’t really understand it, plus one of the scenes involves a little girl serving alcohol in a bar and the same girl involved in a car accident (although nothing graphic is shown).

At first, this movie seemed like it was going to be a bit more comedic but then it quickly became very serious in nature.  There are a few twists near the end that I won’t spoil for those who still want to watch the movie, but it just seemed like the movie was all over the place.  If you’re looking for a family friendly movie to watch on Netflix, then I’d recommend Jingle Jangle:  A Christmas Journey instead.

About Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square

A rich and nasty woman, Regina Fuller, returns to her small hometown after her father’s death to evict everyone and sell the land to a mall developer - right before Christmas. However, after listening to stories of the local townsfolk, reconnecting with an old love, and accepting the guidance of an actual angel, Regina starts to have a change of heart. This is the story about family, love, and how a small town’s Christmas spirit can warm even the coldest of hearts.