I have just spent a rainy afternoon watching a set of Hallmark Xmas movies. Some were good, and some were quite bad. This one was enjoyable. I liked how realistic it was about dating and being older and alone and what a hassle it is to try to 'date". Then the fear a person can feel when they meet someone. It was very respectful to the spouses who were no longer with them. It was a lighthearted, well acted sweet movie. The two lead actors and the kid where all very good. Of course the dog was good too. It kept away from the corniness that many movies like this tend to lapse into. If you want to watch a feel good, slightly romantic sweet movie, that also has a realistic more "quiet" ending, this is a good one.
32 Reviews
When Buddy met Sally
TheLittleSongbird5 February 2020
Hopes were not high for 'The Christmas Shepherd'. Count me in as another person who found the premise ridiculous in concept. Saw it anyway though because of my love of Christmas and my appreciation for festive films. The film's biggest name cast name is Teri Polo, who as an actress is somewhat hit and miss. my first exposure to her being the 'Criminal Minds' episode "I Love You Tommy Brown" (one of that show's worst episodes of the season it was part of) where she didn't particularly impress me.
Generally found 'The Christmas Shepherd' to be quite charming and with its heart in the right place. Also not quite as ridiculous as it sounded on paper. 'The Christmas Shepherd' fares quite well as a romantic drama, not amazingly done but pleasantly enough. Dog lovers are likely though to not enjoy the film as much and instead watch it in frustration and annoyance, that aspect of the story could have been done in better taste as has been said already.
Will start with the good. Despite the lack of authenticity, the locations are lovely to look at and overall 'The Christmas Shepherd' is appealing visually. The festive feeling is captured well in the soundtrack. It is scripted with much sincerity, flows quite well, has cohesion and the dialogue doesn't feel too shallow or fake.
Despite also being flawed, the story is mostly engaging, is very sweet and charming, with its fair share of heart-warming and touching moments. Definitely a film that had its heart in the right place, and it didn't come over as too dark with generally the right lightness of touch. The pace didn't come over as dull or rushed and while the acting didn't blow the socks off and is not perfect, it tends to be better than average. The dog is cute as is the romance, which does sparkle, and the portrayal of dating is done with sensitivity.
Some of it though came over as overwrought and melodramatic, with Polo having instances where she tries too hard which can be seen in some of her facial expressions. 'The Christmas Shepherd' can be too cheesy in spots and too sentimental in others.
Others have mentioned the subplot with the dog, which is one of the film's biggest failings. Even for anybody who is giving the premise a fair chance and not take it too seriously, the execution of it here shows a complete lack of research and realism and came over as face-palming and in a tasteless way instead even for those who aren't dog owners. A shame as other aspects of the story are sensitively handled and are realistic, namely with the dating.
In summation, nice and well-intentioned but not great. 6/10
Generally found 'The Christmas Shepherd' to be quite charming and with its heart in the right place. Also not quite as ridiculous as it sounded on paper. 'The Christmas Shepherd' fares quite well as a romantic drama, not amazingly done but pleasantly enough. Dog lovers are likely though to not enjoy the film as much and instead watch it in frustration and annoyance, that aspect of the story could have been done in better taste as has been said already.
Will start with the good. Despite the lack of authenticity, the locations are lovely to look at and overall 'The Christmas Shepherd' is appealing visually. The festive feeling is captured well in the soundtrack. It is scripted with much sincerity, flows quite well, has cohesion and the dialogue doesn't feel too shallow or fake.
Despite also being flawed, the story is mostly engaging, is very sweet and charming, with its fair share of heart-warming and touching moments. Definitely a film that had its heart in the right place, and it didn't come over as too dark with generally the right lightness of touch. The pace didn't come over as dull or rushed and while the acting didn't blow the socks off and is not perfect, it tends to be better than average. The dog is cute as is the romance, which does sparkle, and the portrayal of dating is done with sensitivity.
Some of it though came over as overwrought and melodramatic, with Polo having instances where she tries too hard which can be seen in some of her facial expressions. 'The Christmas Shepherd' can be too cheesy in spots and too sentimental in others.
Others have mentioned the subplot with the dog, which is one of the film's biggest failings. Even for anybody who is giving the premise a fair chance and not take it too seriously, the execution of it here shows a complete lack of research and realism and came over as face-palming and in a tasteless way instead even for those who aren't dog owners. A shame as other aspects of the story are sensitively handled and are realistic, namely with the dating.
In summation, nice and well-intentioned but not great. 6/10
Heartfelt
glenntharrington10 December 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Well-written, well-acted. This is a Christmas movie, and Hallmark on top of that, so it's not going to be "Citizen Kane" or "I Was a Teenage Werewolf." Hallmark consistently produces excellent stories that are character-driven.
With that said, I found the storyline very poignant and believable. Most everything has been tried before in Christmas movies, and this was a well-written drama without happy smiling faces all around. Without going into details (spoiler alert) people dealing with loss and coming together over a dog. At Christmas.
I'm from Massachusetts so the locations mentioned are spot-on. One year we had only a light dusting of snow until long after Christmas, so I didn't find the "no snow" scenery at all unusual.
With that said, I found the storyline very poignant and believable. Most everything has been tried before in Christmas movies, and this was a well-written drama without happy smiling faces all around. Without going into details (spoiler alert) people dealing with loss and coming together over a dog. At Christmas.
I'm from Massachusetts so the locations mentioned are spot-on. One year we had only a light dusting of snow until long after Christmas, so I didn't find the "no snow" scenery at all unusual.
Can't overlook the flaw
cboozb-19 August 2018
Warning: Spoilers
I'm sorry-The shelter owner should be .... I can't say ... it's too terrible. The character of the father - how can he even entertain he idea of keeping the dog.
It is just beyond me. Buddy is not the only dog on planet earth! Immediately return the dog and then take your daughter around to all the myriad shelters that have more dogs than you can imagine so she can adopt one .
The. After putting poor Teri Polo's character through all their sh-, the little girl just decides the return Buddy. What ?!?!?
This thing just doesn't work.
Nicely Done
boblipton26 November 2014
This is one of the Hallmark Channel Christmas movies for 2014 -- they have been producing twelve of them every year for the last few years. It's one of their dog-centered pieces, as a German shepherd plays the go-between for the two romantic leads, Teri Polo and Mark Cummins and the effect is well done, with a nice, quizzical beast in the title role.
I have some issues with the production. It is supposedly set in Massachussetts in November, although there are several outdoors shots with trees wearing their summer leaves. There isn't much to it except for the central cast: widowed Teri Polo and her dog, widower Mark Cummins and his daughter, played by Jordyn Ashley Olson. It's a sentimental woman's movie that should please its intended audience of adult women and dog lovers.
I have some issues with the production. It is supposedly set in Massachussetts in November, although there are several outdoors shots with trees wearing their summer leaves. There isn't much to it except for the central cast: widowed Teri Polo and her dog, widower Mark Cummins and his daughter, played by Jordyn Ashley Olson. It's a sentimental woman's movie that should please its intended audience of adult women and dog lovers.
Locale mistakes
gvpcl26 December 2014
Most of these Hallmark stories are not for rocket scientists but are just pleasant holiday fare. And I always see mistakes. This movie was supposedly set in Massachusetts and its environs. The woman lived an hour from Boston. But when they were "in town" buying a Christmas tree you could see huge sheer cliffs and ocean in the background. Clearly NOT Massachusetts. I wish the producers would give viewers more credit for intelligence and pay more attention to details like this. My other objection is that the credits at the end are squished into about a #2 font so that you cannot read them. This is the fault of the network. I like to see location and music credits and even some of the other actors' names but it is impossible when they reduce the credits to practically nothing. Many of the channels do this and I find it frustrating.
Original Christmas Story
Jackbv12317 November 2017
Warning: Spoilers
I have tagged this spoilers although I haven't given much away that wasn't either early in the movie, or pretty obvious.
A beautiful sweet almost teen girl and a dog, how can you go wrong? And it was nice. I'm pretty sure I haven't seen a story setup like this.
I was a little distracted by the ambiguity of what was the right thing to do in the early part of the movie. Many critics have gone overboard in their criticism. Yes Mark and Emma struggled. Who doesn't sometimes struggle with doing the right thing? Instead of my first knee-jerk reaction which was to be appalled, as the story developed I realized this was a very realistic struggle. The one valid criticism is how quickly the shelters passed the dog along to the point of adoption. That is irresponsible, but the explanation was that they were all over-crowded. A little lame maybe.
But there were no bad guys in this movie. Sally was very gracious even in her struggle that they might not give Buddy back. Emma was an unselfish and kind young lady when she realized what she had to do. I say pretty good for her age. And Dad was patient, avoiding any rash irreversible decision.
The acting was very good. I have seen Teri Polo only once before but I am starting to really respect her acting, especially in these heartwarming stories. She is especially good with little girls. She has a great nurturing spirit. Both she and Jordyn Ashley Olson had to deal with their characters' difficult emotions and the emotional struggle of potential loss heaped on top of a history of a lost loved one. Olson managed to show how attached she was, yet made her choice real. Olson was also great in the rest of the story. Martin Cummins was also great as his character dealt with the moral dilemma vs protecting his daughter. Ace, the dog actor, was superbly trained. He managed some complicated maneuvers.
This is quite simply a wonderful and touching Christmas movie that doesn't have a ton of Christmas clichés piled up. It is compelling and real.
A beautiful sweet almost teen girl and a dog, how can you go wrong? And it was nice. I'm pretty sure I haven't seen a story setup like this.
I was a little distracted by the ambiguity of what was the right thing to do in the early part of the movie. Many critics have gone overboard in their criticism. Yes Mark and Emma struggled. Who doesn't sometimes struggle with doing the right thing? Instead of my first knee-jerk reaction which was to be appalled, as the story developed I realized this was a very realistic struggle. The one valid criticism is how quickly the shelters passed the dog along to the point of adoption. That is irresponsible, but the explanation was that they were all over-crowded. A little lame maybe.
But there were no bad guys in this movie. Sally was very gracious even in her struggle that they might not give Buddy back. Emma was an unselfish and kind young lady when she realized what she had to do. I say pretty good for her age. And Dad was patient, avoiding any rash irreversible decision.
The acting was very good. I have seen Teri Polo only once before but I am starting to really respect her acting, especially in these heartwarming stories. She is especially good with little girls. She has a great nurturing spirit. Both she and Jordyn Ashley Olson had to deal with their characters' difficult emotions and the emotional struggle of potential loss heaped on top of a history of a lost loved one. Olson managed to show how attached she was, yet made her choice real. Olson was also great in the rest of the story. Martin Cummins was also great as his character dealt with the moral dilemma vs protecting his daughter. Ace, the dog actor, was superbly trained. He managed some complicated maneuvers.
This is quite simply a wonderful and touching Christmas movie that doesn't have a ton of Christmas clichés piled up. It is compelling and real.
My girlfriend says I am picky
trugunny15 December 2021
Not Anna Karenina but cute
dthneece7 November 2016
If you're looking for Anna Karenina or something cerebral, look elsewhere. If you're looking for an enjoyable holiday movie with decent acting and a nice story, pull up a chair. You do have to suspend your ideas about dog ownership rights but it's not really a crisis. I don't think Hallmark was making any kind of a political statement. I wasn't looking for a bullet proof plot and so I don't think it bothered me much. I chocked the little bit of fluff up to setting up the story. It's an entertaining little movie... just don't take the premise too seriously and enjoy it for what it is. I thought the acting was fine, especially the lead female.
Nice play on words for a title, but a story premise that's too forced with much overacting
SimonJack20 November 2021
The producers probably couldn't resist the play on words in the title of this film. There are no sheep or sheep herders in this film. One might say that this film has gone to the dogs (or dog), but that would be a play on words that wasn't accurate either. No, it's a film centered around a German Shepherd.
"The Christmas Shepherd" is more dramatic and sad than most of the TV movies made for airing during the holiday season. It's very low key in the romance area, and is more about healing and getting on with life. I don't think it's accurate to call it a romance. It's clearly a drama and a Christmas story. In this plot, both of the main characters have lost their spouses.
Sally Brown's husband was in the military and after serving three tours in Afghanistan without an injury, he died of a hart attack in his last stateside tour. Sally has a son who is in the Army and stationed in Afghanistan. She is a famous author of children's books, but lives in the country of Massachusetts, preferring solitude away from the crowds that she had been around when her husband was alive. She has a couple of lady friends in town, and her best companion is her German Shepherd, Buddy, whom her husband brought back from his last tour in Afghanistan as a pup five years ago.
Mark Green is in the Army reserves and has a young teenage daughter, Emma. His wife and Emma's mother died a year or two ago, but we never find out the cause. Mark had a successful career in advertising but quit it after his wife died. He moved to a smaller town in Massachusetts to be near his sister and family, and owns and operates a coffee shop.
When Sally is in town one day, a heavy thunderstorm with fierce winds and lightning occurs, and Buddy is frightened by it and takes off. Sally is frantic over her dog's disappearance and spends weeks trying to find him, and is unable to work. The dog, in the meantime, many miles from home has been hurt and is picked up by a truck driver who takes him to an animal shelter. Mark's sister runs the shelter and Mark take Buddy home. As Emma gets attached to the dog, heartbreaks are in store as these people are brought together over Buddy.
One can guess how the story will end, but it's not the usual effervescent romance that develops in the formulaic holiday romance films. The plot is a good one, but two aspects of this film are troublesome. The first is the exaggerated association of coincidences or good luck being attributed to Buddy. The script pushes this notion in places, to the disbelief of this and probably many other alert viewers. The second is Teri Polo's overly dramatic acting for most of the film, especially her nervous anxiety and inability to even calm down. The role might have called for that, but if so, it's a distraction that makes it much harder to believe. Perhaps she and the director saw it as building empathy for the character with the audience, but in reality it's a picture of a distraught person who needs professional help.
Jordyn Olson is fine as Emma Green and Martin Cummins is very good as Mark Green. The supporting cast members are all fine. Overall, this isn't a holiday season film that will leave most with a good feeling, even with its supposedly happy ending.
"The Christmas Shepherd" is more dramatic and sad than most of the TV movies made for airing during the holiday season. It's very low key in the romance area, and is more about healing and getting on with life. I don't think it's accurate to call it a romance. It's clearly a drama and a Christmas story. In this plot, both of the main characters have lost their spouses.
Sally Brown's husband was in the military and after serving three tours in Afghanistan without an injury, he died of a hart attack in his last stateside tour. Sally has a son who is in the Army and stationed in Afghanistan. She is a famous author of children's books, but lives in the country of Massachusetts, preferring solitude away from the crowds that she had been around when her husband was alive. She has a couple of lady friends in town, and her best companion is her German Shepherd, Buddy, whom her husband brought back from his last tour in Afghanistan as a pup five years ago.
Mark Green is in the Army reserves and has a young teenage daughter, Emma. His wife and Emma's mother died a year or two ago, but we never find out the cause. Mark had a successful career in advertising but quit it after his wife died. He moved to a smaller town in Massachusetts to be near his sister and family, and owns and operates a coffee shop.
When Sally is in town one day, a heavy thunderstorm with fierce winds and lightning occurs, and Buddy is frightened by it and takes off. Sally is frantic over her dog's disappearance and spends weeks trying to find him, and is unable to work. The dog, in the meantime, many miles from home has been hurt and is picked up by a truck driver who takes him to an animal shelter. Mark's sister runs the shelter and Mark take Buddy home. As Emma gets attached to the dog, heartbreaks are in store as these people are brought together over Buddy.
One can guess how the story will end, but it's not the usual effervescent romance that develops in the formulaic holiday romance films. The plot is a good one, but two aspects of this film are troublesome. The first is the exaggerated association of coincidences or good luck being attributed to Buddy. The script pushes this notion in places, to the disbelief of this and probably many other alert viewers. The second is Teri Polo's overly dramatic acting for most of the film, especially her nervous anxiety and inability to even calm down. The role might have called for that, but if so, it's a distraction that makes it much harder to believe. Perhaps she and the director saw it as building empathy for the character with the audience, but in reality it's a picture of a distraught person who needs professional help.
Jordyn Olson is fine as Emma Green and Martin Cummins is very good as Mark Green. The supporting cast members are all fine. Overall, this isn't a holiday season film that will leave most with a good feeling, even with its supposedly happy ending.
I Can't Get Past the Premise
gbarrett105 December 2014
Warning: Spoilers
As a dog owner, I really disliked the premise of this movie. In short, a woman's dog runs away in a storm, and the man who find the dog decides to adopt him as a way to comfort his daughter who is still dealing with the loss of her mother from 2 years ago. After the owner of the dog finally tracks down her dog after about 14 days, the new owners give her grief and decide that they aren't going to give the dog back, and somehow "love" evolves out of this. I truly dislike the selfish father and daughter who feel as though their 2 weeks with a dog trumps the 5 years that this woman had with her dog who clearly misses her. Eventually the girl stops being so selfish, but I truly disliked the entitled attitude that consumed the first half of this movie.
A Dog For Christmas....
darryl-jason27 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I watched this movie just by chance very shortly after I lost my own German Shepherd dog (after 13 years of age), and there are some scenes in this movie that just crumbled me too pieces, merely because I related so much to Sally (Teri Polo) & Buddy. These moments between a dog and it's owner are just a little too close to home for me but still, it's a really great feel-good Christmas movie.
One would actually question if this movie could be made without being a "Christmas movie." The story is just about a dog that goes missing and is re-homed by new owners Mark (Martin Cummins) and his daughter, and the dogs owner Sally tries to get her dog back. Obviously romance blossoms along the way between Mark & Sally & you can guess the rest, but this kind of thing could happen anytime of year.
The story is very moving and some moments are very coincidental but still it flows beautifully with some great acting and touching moments. A really good Christmas movie especially if you like German Shepherds.
One would actually question if this movie could be made without being a "Christmas movie." The story is just about a dog that goes missing and is re-homed by new owners Mark (Martin Cummins) and his daughter, and the dogs owner Sally tries to get her dog back. Obviously romance blossoms along the way between Mark & Sally & you can guess the rest, but this kind of thing could happen anytime of year.
The story is very moving and some moments are very coincidental but still it flows beautifully with some great acting and touching moments. A really good Christmas movie especially if you like German Shepherds.
It's not the worse
pelczbernadett15 December 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The movie itself is well done and acted but so unrealistic it's unbelievable. Unfortunately I hd all the bad words in my head when the poor little girl did not want to let Buddy go to his owner. Not anyone who love dogs would be that spoiled and no man would be that spineless to not let a dog back to their owner. As one of the reviews here said for dog lovers it can be frustrating well yeah extremely frustrating. If anyone would try and keep my dog they would be very sorry after all. So I am raging 😂 .Not my favourite Christmas movie for sure .It's pity could've been such a good little movie .Anyways if you love cheese Christmas movies enjoy it's not bad after all.
Ridiculous premise
BigJohnPilgrim14 December 2014
If it weren't for the romantic Christmas factor, which is clearly what attracts the favorable ratings, this movie would be a real stinker. That alone rates a seven. And the acting is overdone (does Hallmark just have bad directors, or don't any of their Christmas movie actors know how to act?), every scene seems to have an added dose of melodrama. That drops it another couple of points.
And the entire plot with the dog, starting from the point that it ran away, was ridiculous. No self-respecting pet lover would keep a dog that belonged to someone else if the owner was found, especially not as in this situation where the dog was the pet of a soldier who was killed and then was the soldier's wife's reminder of him.
Not to mention the fact that no shelter would ship a dog out so quick clear across country. It came in with a collar with his name on it, meaning he has an owner and a family, and no shelter would ship it across country so quick without doing everything it could and taking several weeks to try and find the owner. Even then it would normally get fostered in the area were it was found, instead of adopted out.
And nobody ever addresses why it had no tag or wasn't chipped. That is irresponsible pet ownership. This would have been a great opportunity to spread the word about making sure your pet has a license tag on its collar at all times, along with a name and address and phone number tag (something you can get for $5 at your nearest Walmart where you can always find an automatic pet tag engraving machine), and to also get it chipped if you can. No pet should ever stay lost for long, it's traumatic for the owner AND the pet.
With all that said, it just stretches the imagination that a supposedly good man would be so selfish as to keep that dog away from its rightful owner, and to teach his daughter that it was OK. Just because she has had a difficult time doesn't mean you suspend teaching responsibility and kindness and generosity.
Understandably, to a child who has just suffered a major loss, it could be traumatic to suffer even further loss, but they'd only had the dog for two weeks, so for heaven's sake, if a dog is what the girl needs, teach her that she can't just keep another person's dog and go get her another one.
To the guy's credit, he did work to sway the girl's mind, but not at first, and a good parent would have just laid down the law and said we must do the right thing and give the dog back. That just isn't something you let a kid think is OK. And what is this bunk about letting the girl make the rules? Don't they even teach good parenting on the Hallmark Channel anymore?
At some point in the movie, there is a discussion that legally the man can keep the dog. I'm pretty sure that is not true. A lost pet does not legally change ownership if the original owner is found only 2 weeks after it ran away in a storm.
And the guy's sister questions that the original owner would want to take the dog away because the guy and his daughter have fallen in love with the dog? Come on.
And the daughter says, "I'm sorry Dad, but Buddy (the dog) is part of our family now." What? The girl honestly can't even empathize with the dog's owner's loss, especially after just suffering loss of her own? Is she a sociopath or something, unable to understand the pain of others? Normal people would be even more sensitive to the needs of others when they've suffered a fresh loss like that.
And when they take the dog back to its owner, the guy says, "I just wanted to make sure that we've done the right thing (bringing the dog back), but I can see we did." What? Again, what? First, you don't know you've done the right thing bringing the dog back to its rightful owner, then you have to gall to pass judgment one way or another? Even though you've previously met the dog's owner and know she is a good person and the dog still knows her and they care for each other? I'm still scratching my head on this one.
Not to mention, the girl doesn't seem upset at all by her separation from the dog. So what was the big deal again?
I like Hallmark Christmas movies, even the sappy ones. But this one just has all kinds of wrong all over it. Sorry, but I'm not a fan, it stinks. As a pet movie of any kind, it shows a total ignorance of every pet issue that should be addressed in the movie. And the parenting examples are horrendous.
If I had to guess, this was some clueless screenwriter who has lost touch with the real world, because the plot is so far off base it smacks of wacko Hollywood. I think that to like it, you couldn't understand parenting or pets very well.
And the entire plot with the dog, starting from the point that it ran away, was ridiculous. No self-respecting pet lover would keep a dog that belonged to someone else if the owner was found, especially not as in this situation where the dog was the pet of a soldier who was killed and then was the soldier's wife's reminder of him.
Not to mention the fact that no shelter would ship a dog out so quick clear across country. It came in with a collar with his name on it, meaning he has an owner and a family, and no shelter would ship it across country so quick without doing everything it could and taking several weeks to try and find the owner. Even then it would normally get fostered in the area were it was found, instead of adopted out.
And nobody ever addresses why it had no tag or wasn't chipped. That is irresponsible pet ownership. This would have been a great opportunity to spread the word about making sure your pet has a license tag on its collar at all times, along with a name and address and phone number tag (something you can get for $5 at your nearest Walmart where you can always find an automatic pet tag engraving machine), and to also get it chipped if you can. No pet should ever stay lost for long, it's traumatic for the owner AND the pet.
With all that said, it just stretches the imagination that a supposedly good man would be so selfish as to keep that dog away from its rightful owner, and to teach his daughter that it was OK. Just because she has had a difficult time doesn't mean you suspend teaching responsibility and kindness and generosity.
Understandably, to a child who has just suffered a major loss, it could be traumatic to suffer even further loss, but they'd only had the dog for two weeks, so for heaven's sake, if a dog is what the girl needs, teach her that she can't just keep another person's dog and go get her another one.
To the guy's credit, he did work to sway the girl's mind, but not at first, and a good parent would have just laid down the law and said we must do the right thing and give the dog back. That just isn't something you let a kid think is OK. And what is this bunk about letting the girl make the rules? Don't they even teach good parenting on the Hallmark Channel anymore?
At some point in the movie, there is a discussion that legally the man can keep the dog. I'm pretty sure that is not true. A lost pet does not legally change ownership if the original owner is found only 2 weeks after it ran away in a storm.
And the guy's sister questions that the original owner would want to take the dog away because the guy and his daughter have fallen in love with the dog? Come on.
And the daughter says, "I'm sorry Dad, but Buddy (the dog) is part of our family now." What? The girl honestly can't even empathize with the dog's owner's loss, especially after just suffering loss of her own? Is she a sociopath or something, unable to understand the pain of others? Normal people would be even more sensitive to the needs of others when they've suffered a fresh loss like that.
And when they take the dog back to its owner, the guy says, "I just wanted to make sure that we've done the right thing (bringing the dog back), but I can see we did." What? Again, what? First, you don't know you've done the right thing bringing the dog back to its rightful owner, then you have to gall to pass judgment one way or another? Even though you've previously met the dog's owner and know she is a good person and the dog still knows her and they care for each other? I'm still scratching my head on this one.
Not to mention, the girl doesn't seem upset at all by her separation from the dog. So what was the big deal again?
I like Hallmark Christmas movies, even the sappy ones. But this one just has all kinds of wrong all over it. Sorry, but I'm not a fan, it stinks. As a pet movie of any kind, it shows a total ignorance of every pet issue that should be addressed in the movie. And the parenting examples are horrendous.
If I had to guess, this was some clueless screenwriter who has lost touch with the real world, because the plot is so far off base it smacks of wacko Hollywood. I think that to like it, you couldn't understand parenting or pets very well.
A very endearing story....
tocanepauli19 November 2020
This is a very good Xmas story. Lovely, real type, characters, a brilliant dog and snow that looked like snow. I found it a very touching and endearing story and was very well played by all, including the dog! Special mention to the young daughter, who was very convincing... This should go on your Xmas watch list..
Selfishness
GACosta_5010 December 2018
Hallmarks BEST Christmas movie!
DragonFireBreather25 December 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I know a lot of Hallmarks movies are cheesy but this one is definitely not. It's original, has beautiful Christmas ambiance and has a freakin awesome German Shepherd dog. If you are a Shepherd lover like me you will love this movie and the romance story that it tells.
It's about a widower (the beautiful Teri Polo) who loses her German Shepherd dog named Buddy who gets lost during a storm. She's had him for 5 years and he was her late husbands dog so her connection to Buddy is strong and endearing. A truck driver finds Buddy injured from the storm and takes him to a rescue center. The owner of this rescue center convinces her brother/widower (the handsome Martin Cummings) to take in Buddy until she can find a permanent home for him. His daughter (the terrific Jordan Ashley Olson) is hesitant about taking in Buddy because she's still suffering grief from losing her mother 2 years prior. But the father and daughter of course fall in love with Buddy and officially adopt him only to be find out the his original owner has tracked him down. The father doesn't want to give Buddy back because his daughter loves the dog so much and she has been through so much grief with losing her mother. But eventually they do give him back and then the love story between the widowers begins. Buddy turns out to be an excellent matchmaker with his slick shenanigans. You find yourself really rooting for these two and hope for a beautiful ending just like Buddy does.
I wish they would make a sequel because the ending just leaves you craving for more. I would love to see the widowers happily married and and sub-story on the daughter. And most of all I want to see more of the star... Buddy!
It's about a widower (the beautiful Teri Polo) who loses her German Shepherd dog named Buddy who gets lost during a storm. She's had him for 5 years and he was her late husbands dog so her connection to Buddy is strong and endearing. A truck driver finds Buddy injured from the storm and takes him to a rescue center. The owner of this rescue center convinces her brother/widower (the handsome Martin Cummings) to take in Buddy until she can find a permanent home for him. His daughter (the terrific Jordan Ashley Olson) is hesitant about taking in Buddy because she's still suffering grief from losing her mother 2 years prior. But the father and daughter of course fall in love with Buddy and officially adopt him only to be find out the his original owner has tracked him down. The father doesn't want to give Buddy back because his daughter loves the dog so much and she has been through so much grief with losing her mother. But eventually they do give him back and then the love story between the widowers begins. Buddy turns out to be an excellent matchmaker with his slick shenanigans. You find yourself really rooting for these two and hope for a beautiful ending just like Buddy does.
I wish they would make a sequel because the ending just leaves you craving for more. I would love to see the widowers happily married and and sub-story on the daughter. And most of all I want to see more of the star... Buddy!
what a shame
lindseytaylor-931731 November 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I really like the main 2 actors but hey, some people look after a dog for 2 weeks and a person who's husband bought it back from Afghanistan and has had the dog for 5 years has no say.
Totally ruined what could have been a pleasant Christmas film. I tend not to review much but as the cat is ignoring me, had to voice my thoughts somewhere.
Ridiculous plot which has quite upset me as well as annoy me. I mean the fact she falls for this selfish man (I am assuming she does) who has no balls to tell his daughter that she can't keep someone else's dog is beyond me.
The selfish, spoilt daughter who has no empathy for the real owner of the dog for 5 years! This is wrong, where's the Christams spirit?
I am not going to watch the rest even if it is a happy ending as the whole idea that the father and daughter didn't hand the dog back immediately is sickening, rant over, oh sorry review over.
Totally ruined what could have been a pleasant Christmas film. I tend not to review much but as the cat is ignoring me, had to voice my thoughts somewhere.
Ridiculous plot which has quite upset me as well as annoy me. I mean the fact she falls for this selfish man (I am assuming she does) who has no balls to tell his daughter that she can't keep someone else's dog is beyond me.
The selfish, spoilt daughter who has no empathy for the real owner of the dog for 5 years! This is wrong, where's the Christams spirit?
I am not going to watch the rest even if it is a happy ending as the whole idea that the father and daughter didn't hand the dog back immediately is sickening, rant over, oh sorry review over.
What a Beautiful Movie Title
garysteinweg7 July 2021
Here we are, seven years later, Christmas in July, and the movie retains it's same perfect appeal. It's a typical Hallmark Christmas movie, follows the Christmas formula, and does it with two survivors of tragically lost spouses, and a lost dog to pull it all together. Hallmark Christmas movies aren't supposed to make significant social statements, they're supposed to make the viewer feel good. They do this very well. I enjoy them with hot chocolate laced with peppermint schnapps. I miss the Christmas tree, though.
Ridiculous Premise
tnb-665154 December 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This movie is wild! (SPOILER ALERT)
I have two dogs (both shepherds). One is 7 years and the other 1.5 years. Both I've had since they were about 8 weeks. If either of my dogs ran away and got lost for two weeks and the person who found them refused to return either of them, I would be throwing blows!!! Like how dare someone do that??? If I lost my car in a parking lot and someone found it, would they feel entitled to keep it??? NOOO!!! If my kid went missing after school and someone found them, would it be their kid now? ABSOLUTLEY NOT!!!
Yet, that's the premise of this movie. A selfish father and his bratty daughter trying to guilt trip a widow into giving up her missing dog.
So much of the movie doesn't make sense. For example, when the dog was dropped off at the vet, he was wearing a custome collar. It was obvious that he had an owner, but the shelter immediately put him up for adoption. Like what vet/shelter does that???? They didn't even post Buddy's picture on their website.
They instead gave the dog to a rescue and the rescue owner gave the dog to her bother. The brother was supposed to foster the dog for a month, and he instead decided to keep him. Once again, who does that????
Of course they subsequently fall in love. The owner and the crazy dog thief.
I love romantic movies, but please don't make me hate the romantic interest as soon as the movie starts. I can get over a crass beauracrat as the love interest but not a dog napper.
Stupid plot line.
I have two dogs (both shepherds). One is 7 years and the other 1.5 years. Both I've had since they were about 8 weeks. If either of my dogs ran away and got lost for two weeks and the person who found them refused to return either of them, I would be throwing blows!!! Like how dare someone do that??? If I lost my car in a parking lot and someone found it, would they feel entitled to keep it??? NOOO!!! If my kid went missing after school and someone found them, would it be their kid now? ABSOLUTLEY NOT!!!
Yet, that's the premise of this movie. A selfish father and his bratty daughter trying to guilt trip a widow into giving up her missing dog.
So much of the movie doesn't make sense. For example, when the dog was dropped off at the vet, he was wearing a custome collar. It was obvious that he had an owner, but the shelter immediately put him up for adoption. Like what vet/shelter does that???? They didn't even post Buddy's picture on their website.
They instead gave the dog to a rescue and the rescue owner gave the dog to her bother. The brother was supposed to foster the dog for a month, and he instead decided to keep him. Once again, who does that????
Of course they subsequently fall in love. The owner and the crazy dog thief.
I love romantic movies, but please don't make me hate the romantic interest as soon as the movie starts. I can get over a crass beauracrat as the love interest but not a dog napper.
Stupid plot line.
Loved it!
jennyelaine-0368523 December 2022
I don't understand why this movie has so many negative reviews, because in my opinion, this is one of Hallmark's better ones! The storyline with the dog keeps you guessing - you are on the edge of your seat at first while he's on the run. You then feel for both parties & can see both sides of not wanting to give the dog up. The main characters are great actors and not over the top cheesy like a lot of Hallmark actors. The romance was very sweet and took its time which was a nice change. I cried a little and laughed, too. All in all, I thought this was a really great movie and one that I will be watching again!
Bad movie
roger-bost4 December 2014
Warning: Spoilers
This stunk. First, a soldier brings a dog back from deployment, later veteran soldier dies prematurely from a heart attack after returning stateside; his widow loses the dog in a storm, a guy picks up dog in his truck and carries it an hour away. Dog ends up in shelter, gal who runs shelter's brother gets dog and has it for a whole two weeks. Meanwhile, the widow is trying to track down her dog, finds shelter and gal who runs it gives her a rash of s..t but finally determines she's the dog's rightful owner. So when widow contacts guy who, again has had dog for a full 14 days as compared to five years for widow, thinks maybe . . . no. She travels there, hits the same garbage and that's where I turned this show off. I have no idea how it turned out but up to then, one of the worst Hallmark or Lifetime type deals I've ever watched. Sucked. Major. Sorry if I spoiled the plot line, but frankly I'm doing you guys a huge favor pre-warning you.
Lovely compared to todays hallmark.....
reery6828 December 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I caught this older hallmark movie today and found it refreshing compared to the Christmas movies they are churning out now.... This was more realistic weather-wise (except the green leaves in Nov/Dec) meaning that every person was not wearing hat, gloves and scarf and the absence of the constant fake snow everywhere is a plus! Yea the story line is forced but the idea of the dog getting lost will tug at anyone's heartstrings and it leading to a budding romance is sweet. The quality of the filming also gives this movie a different vibe compared to the cookie cutter movies they are releasing now. Miss the hallmark movies like this and that is why I gave it a 9!
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